In recognition of the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, UK and UK HealthCare offered a one-time extension of the deadline to use some accrued vacation time. We encourage you to continue to take your accrued vacation time when you can. Time away is beneficial for your overall well-being.
Non-health care staff
Vacation time set to expire on June 30, 2021, may now be used through March 31, 2022. This is vacation time that was accrued during the July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2020, fiscal year. Vacation earned during the 2020-21 fiscal year will expire on June 30, 2022, as normal.
UK HealthCare staff
Non-exempt staff may be paid for their vacation time set to expire on September 30, 2021, per the existing UK HealthCare policy. Exempt staff may extend any vacation time set to expire on September 30, 2021, until June 29, 2022.
Frequently asked questions
Vacation time always carries over into the next fiscal year. For example, vacation time set to expire June 30, 2021, was accrued during the July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2020, fiscal year. The time set to expire June 30, 2021 is the time subject to be lost if not taken by June 30, 2021.
We will continue our policy of paying out a maximum of one year’s worth of vacation accruals. For example, if you accrue four weeks of vacation per year but have six weeks of vacation when you retire, you will only be paid for four weeks of vacation.
We encourage supervisors to approve vacation requests whenever possible. However, UK HealthCare is undergoing a major electronic health records project this year and has placed a blackout on vacations from May 10 to June 30, 2021.
UK HealthCare must continuously monitor staffing needs to ensure the best patient care. It is common in UK HealthCare, and across the health care industry, for hourly staff to be unable to take vacation leave to ensure proper staffing levels.
You may not save any time beyond the established deadlines for campus or UK HealthCare areas. The intention of this extension is to address staffing needs created by our COVID-19 response.
No. Any vacation time you are accruing during this current fiscal year will be available. For campus areas, vacation leave accrued from July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021, will be available until June 30, 2022. For UK HealthCare areas, vacation leave accrued from October 1, 2020, to September 30, 2021, will be available until September 30, 2022.