Vacation / Sick Leave questions

Q: What happens if an employee has more than the maximum allowable carryover of vacation hours at the end of a fiscal year?

A: Effective September 1, 1992, if one has more vacation to carry over than the allowed maximum, the overage will be added to the employee's sick leave accruals.

Q:  If I am terminated, what happens to my vacation time?

A:  If you have been employed as a regular employee for more than six months, you will be paid for your unused accrued vacation time.

Q:  I am resigning from UTMB and would like to take a vacation day my last day.  Is that permissible?

A:  Not unless you are transferring to another state agency.   Vacation and sick leave time cannot be used as terminal leave.  If you need to be away from your job on the date of your resignation, your resignation date will be changed to the last date worked.  You will, however, be paid for any unused vacation accruals up to the maximum allowed, provided you have been employed as a regular employee for at least six months.

Q:  I worked at UTMB 10 years ago and am coming back to work.  Will my sick leave be re-instated?

A:  It can only be reinstated if you are away from UTMB from more than 30 days, but less than one year.

Q:  What is the maximum number of vacation hours I may carry forward to the new fiscal year?

A:  The annual holiday and vacation schedule lists the maximum vacation hours that can be carried over depending on the employee's length of service. 

Q:  Can my supervisory disapprove my vacation request even though I have the accrued time?

A:  Yes.  In order to take vacation time, you must have your supervisor's approval.

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Length of Service / Longevity questions

Q:  Is it possible for me to work at UTMB and another state agency?

A:  It is possible, but such dual employment is restricted by state law and you are required to notify the Department of Human Resources if you are considering this.  Both agencies must be informed.  Information regarding this responsibility is provided to new employees in the new employee packet.  (Refer to Appropriations Bill, Article V, Section 9.)

Q:  I completed three years of state service this month. when will I receive my longevity pay?

A:  Longevity pay begins the first pay period in the month following your anniversary date.

Q:  I have worked for UTMB for six years but have not received any longevity pay.  Can you tell me why?

A:  If you are not a full-time, non-academic employee, you are not eligible for longevity pay.  If you are a full-time, non-academic employee, you should call Payroll Services - Employee Records division leader for help.

Q:  I worked for the Galveston Independent School district for five years.  Does that count towards my longevity?

A:  No.  Time worked for the independent school districts or junior colleges does not count as state service for longevity or vacation purposes.

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Jury Duty questions

Q:  If I go to jury duty, am I allowed to take the rest of the day off after I am dismissed from jury duty?

A:  If previously approved by your supervisor, you may take the rest of the day off, but it will be charged to your vacation time, or if you have no vacation time, you will be docked.  Your payment for the time you are on jury duty covers only that amount of time plus travel time.

Q: I have been summoned for jury duty and I work a 3p .m. or an a.m. shift.  How does that work?

A:  Show your summons to your supervisor, who may be able to change your shift for that time you are on jury duty.  If this is not possible, you and your supervisor can work out one of two things:

  1. For the number of hours that you are on jury duty each day, you may be allowed to report to work late.  In other words, if you are on jury duty after 3p.m., you might report to work at 6p.m. instead of 3p.m.
  2. You may be allowed to report for your regular shift and be paid straight time overtime for the number of hours you were on jury duty.  for instance, if you served three hour of jury duty and worked eight hours regular, you will be paid for 11 hours that day.
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Military Leave questions

Q:  How many days of military leave can be used each year?

A:  Up to 15 days when officially ordered to training or active duty during the federal fiscal year which begins October 1 and ends September 30 each year.

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Funeral Leave questions

Q:  Am I eligible to take funeral leave when a relative dies?

A:  Yes, if the relative is immediate family.   Immediate family is defined as employee's spouse, the employee's and spouse's children, stepchildren, parents, brothers, sisters, grandparents, and grandchildren.   The definition for this policy also includes individuals who raised or were entrusted with the care of the employee.

Q:  How many days am I eligible to take for funeral leave?

A:  The leave time may be up to three scheduled work days.

Q:  Does the death of a brother-in-law (sister-in-law) qualify me for funeral leave?

A:  If the brother-in-law or sister-in-law is the brother or sister of your spouse, yes.  However, if it is the husband or wife of your spouse's brother or sister, the answer is no.

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Leave of Absence / WCI questions

Q:  Do I have to keep a position open for my employee who has requested and been approved for a leave of absence (LOA)?

A:  Yes.  The employee should be given the same or a comparable position when returning from LOA.  However, the employee is require to return from LOA no more than 12 months after going out on LOA.

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Reclassing a Position

Q:  How do you upgrade a position?

A:  This is called a position reclassification and can be accomplished by completing a position analysis questionnaire and submitting it to your Human Resources Consultant for review.

Q:  Should we have a job description for all positions?

A: Yes.  Human Resources has a generic job description for all UTMB job titles.  A more detailed description is required by federal law, and should be kept in the employee's personnel file.   (Refer to the Americans with Disabilities Act, 1990.)

Q:  Who should I contact to review an employee's qualifications within my department?

A:  You should talk to your HR Consultant, who will review the employee's background and salary, and make a recommendation on the appropriateness for your decision.

Q:  I want to create a new job title. Who do I contact for assistance?

A:  A HR Consultant can assist you with analysis, if needed, and in determining the appropriate outcomes.  New job titles must be submitted to the UT System Personnel Office for approval to include in the UT system Classified Pay Plan.

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Training and Development questions

Q:  How much does training cost?

A:  Most of our courses are free.  However, some course do have a fee for materials and facility-related expenses.  The published curriculum indicates which courses have a fee.

Q:  How may I register for a course?

A:  You can register at our web site.

Q:  Do I have to take vacation time to attend classes?

A:  An employee may take a course during working hours without loss of time or salary, provided the course is approved by the employee's supervisor.

Q:  Do you offer CPR classes?

A:  We do not offer CPR classes, but Pulmonary Care does.  Please call Pulmonary Care to schedule the class.

Q:  Do you offer classes for word processing, spreadsheet and database programs?

A:  No, generally this type of training is offered through Information Services.  Call 772-5200 for registration.

Q:  How can I get training on Electronic Time Capture (ETC), Time and Attendance (HRMS) or the Electronic Document system (EDS)?

A:  Please contact Systems Training.