Employee Benefits Paid Time Off

Vacation Time

Working at Emporia State University is awesome, but so is not working at ESU. Earn 22 days of paid vacation each year, and have fun not working.

You’ll earn 8 hours of vacation every two weeks to a maximum of 176 hours per year. If you don’t use all of your vacation, you can roll it over to the next year, until you reach a total maximum of 304 hours. We will pay you for up to 176 hours of vacation when you decide to leave the university.

Sick Leave

Sick leave is paid time off that eligible employees and may use for personal or family illness or injury, medical appointments, or legal quarantine. Accrual rates are based on employment type, exempt or non-exempt status, and hours worked during each pay period. There is no limit to the amount of sick leave an employee may accrue.

Holidays

The University provides paid time off to eligible employees on days officially designated as holidays by the Governor of Kansas.

The state observes the following holidays:

• New Year’s Day
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• Memorial Day
• Juneteenth
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Veterans Day
• Thanksgiving
• Christmas Day

The Governor designates one discretionary holiday each calendar year, which may be used to observe a religious holiday, attend a family event, or participate in other special occasions. Eligible employees include University Support Staff, Unclassified Professional Staff, and 12-Month Faculty that complete six (6) months of employment.

Parental Leave

Eligible employees with at least twelve (12) months of State of Kansas service may to request Paid Parental Leave (PPL) following the birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child. Primary caregivers may receive up to eight (8) weeks of paid leave, while secondary caregivers are eligible for up to four (4) weeks.

Civic Duties and Social Responsibilities

Employees are encouraged to participate in civic responsibilities. Whether fulfilling jury duty, performing military service, or voting in an election, employees are supported with policies that allow time off to contribute to these obligations.

• Jury Duty – 3.21
  • Paid jury duty leave will be granted for the following:
    • Required to serve on a jury;
    • To comply with a subpoena as a witness before the Civil Service Board, Kansas Commission on Civil Rights, United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or a court of law;
    • Appearing before a court, legislative committee, or other public body, when the Appointing Authority deems paid leave is in the best interest of the State.
  • Employees are not eligible for paid leave when appearing as a witness on their own behalf or as a party in a legal action.
• Military Leave – 3.20
  • Employees may be granted leave without pay for required military service. Permanent or probationary employees in the military service or National Guard may receive paid leave for official duty and up to 30 working days per calendar year for annual training (excluding weekend duty).
• Voting Release Time – 3.25
  • Employees eligible to vote are encouraged to exercise their voting rights. Although most work schedules provide sufficient time outside of working hours, up to two (2) consecutive hours of paid leave may be granted if voting cannot be completed during off-duty time.

Bereavement Leave

Eligible employees may receive up to six (6) consecutive paid working days of bereavement leave for the death of a close relative, based on their relationship and travel needs. Leave for non-relatives may be approved by Human Resources based on the relationship. If denied, the employee may use vacation leave or, if unavailable, take leave without pay.

Shared Leave

Eligible employees or their family members facing a serious, severe, or life-threatening illness that meets specific eligibility criteria may qualify for shared leave. Shared leave is not available for routine procedures, minor surgeries, or common illnesses.