myPTO Program: FAQs

PTO provides employees with a bank of hours that may be used for vacation, short-term illness/injury and other personal situations that require time away from work. The use of PTO hours should be scheduled in advance whenever possible, according to UTMB policy and procedures.

All employees who are appointed to work at least 20 hours per week (0.5–1.0 FTE) in a benefits-eligible position that does not require student status as a condition of employment are eligible for PTO.

PTO hours are accrued monthly based on total years of state service and FTE status. Hours are credited on the first calendar day of each month and are available for immediate use.

Total years of state service	Hours accrued per month for full-time employee*	Hours accrued per year for full-time employee*	Days accrued per year for full-time employee**
0 up to 4	14.667	176.0	22.0
4 up to 9	16.334	196.0	24.5
9 up to 14	17.334	208.0	26.0
14 up to 20	19.334	232.0	29.0
20 up to 25	21.334	256.0	32.0
25 up to 30	23.334	280.0	35.0
30 up to 35	25.334	304.0	38.0
35+	27.334	328.0	41.0

*Hours are prorated based on FTE status.
**Days reflect an 8-hour work shift and are prorated based on FTE status.

Yes. PTO carryforward limits are administered on a fiscal year basis (Sept. 1 to Aug. 31) based on employees’ total years of state service and PTO balance as of March 28, 2022.

Employees with a myVacation Carry Forward balance of less than 300 hours on March 28, 2022, are subject to the following carryforward limits.

Total years of state service	Maximum carryforward hours per fiscal year
0 up to 4	300
4 up to 9	300
9 up to 15	300
15 up to 20	300
20 up to 25	300
25 up to 30	398
30 up to 35	398
35+	398

The maximum carryforward limit allocated to an employee as of March 28, 2022, remains with that employee until they separate or retire from UTMB. 

Employees with a myVacation Carry Forward balance equal to or greater than 300 hours on March 28, 2022, have been granted a transition period (March 28, 2022–Aug. 31, 2025) to comply with the myPTO program’s carryforward limits. 

Total years of state service	Maximum carryforward hours through transition period of March 28, 2022–Aug. 31, 2025	Permanent maximum carryforward hours per fiscal year as of Sept. 1, 2025*
0 up to 4	300	300
4 up to 9	300	300
9 up to 15	300	300
15 up to 20	340	300
20 up to 25	388	350
25 up to 30	436	398
30 up to 35	484	446
35+	532	494

*Maximum carryforward limits to be applied as of Aug. 31, 2026.

The maximum carryforward limit allocated to an employee as of March 28, 2022, remains with that employee throughout the transition period. The final maximum carryforward limits go into effect on Sept. 1, 2025, and these limits will then remain with employees until they separate or retire from UTMB.

Any PTO hours above an employee’s maximum carryforward limit at the end of each fiscal year will be rolled into their EIB on Sept. 1.

Yes. New employees begin accruing PTO hours on their date of hire, and these hours are available for immediate use on the first calendar day of the following month.

Employees use the Kronos timekeeping system to request time away from work. Time-off requests should be submitted with reasonable advance notice using the appropriate myPTO pay code for the leave. Supervisors have the authority to approve or not approve time-off requests based on staffing and operational needs.

Time off that is requested and approved in advance according to UTMB’s Attendance Policy is considered a scheduled absence. Time off that is not requested and approved in advance according to UTMB’s Attendance Policy is considered an unscheduled absence.

PTO can be taken in 15-minute increments, and there is no minimum number of PTO hours that must be used at one time.

Employees who move from a part-time to a full-time benefits-eligible position will begin receiving the higher PTO accrual rate on the first calendar day of the month following the change.

Employees who move from a full-time to a part-time benefits-eligible position will begin receiving the prorated PTO accrual rate on the first calendar day of the month following the change.

Employees who move from a benefits-eligible position to a non-benefits eligible position will no longer be able to accrue or use PTO. They will receive a lump sum payment for the total number of PTO hours accrued but not used as of the date of the change. Payment will be calculated at the employee’s monthly or hourly base pay rate at the time of the change.

Employees who move from a non-benefits eligible position to a benefits-eligible position will begin accruing PTO on the date of the status change. Hours will be prorated based on FTE status and will be available for use on the first calendar day of the month following the change.

Employees who achieve another year of state service that permits them to receive a higher PTO accrual rate will see the adjustment on the first calendar day of the month following the change.

If the change occurs on the first calendar day of the month, the employee will see the adjustment beginning with that month.

No. Employees who are out on previously scheduled PTO cannot change the time to another type of paid leave, with the exception of a hospital admission for the employee or an immediate family member. In this instance, employees may request that their PTO be changed to EIB if proper documentation is provided.

If an institutional holiday occurs while an employee is out on previously scheduled PTO, the time should be considered holiday leave and not charged against the employee’s PTO balance.

No. Employees who are on leave without pay for a full calendar month do not accrue PTO hours.

Employees must use PTO, other available accruals or leave without pay for the first 16 hours (prorated for FTE status) of leave due to their own illness/injury or an immediate family member’s illness/injury, unless the leave meets the criteria for direct EIB access. 

For the purposes of the myPTO program, an immediate family member is defined as an employee’s:

• Parent (includes biological parent or individual who acted in the capacity of a parent)
• Spouse (includes opposite-sex or same-sex spouse)
• Child (includes biological, adopted, foster, or step children, legal wards and other individuals for whom the employee acts in or acted in the capacity of a parent)

UTMB will not be accepting  direct transfer balances of PTO/EIB from employees that transfer to UTMB from another state agency.   If an employee transfers to another state agency that accepts transfer balances, their PTO/EIB can transfer with them as long as there is not a break in service. 

Yes. Employees who separate from UTMB for any reason (including retirement) may receive a lump sum payment for the total number of PTO hours accrued but not used as of the last day of employment. Payment will be calculated at the employee’s monthly or hourly base pay rate at the time of separation, and should appear on the employee’s last paycheck.

Employees transferring to another state agency may have their PTO balance transferred to the new agency if there is no break in service and the unused hours were not paid by UTMB at the time of separation.

Yes. Employees also have the option to defer any portion of their unused PTO hours (up to the IRS limits) to a 403(b) tax sheltered annuity and/or 457(b) deferred compensation account. To defer unused PTO hours, employees must have an account established with an approved provider prior to separation. See the UTSaver Deferring Annual Leave website for more details.

Yes. Eligible employees may be able to use their PTO and/or EIB accruals to purchase or receive service credit through the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) or the Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS).

Upon the death of an active employee, UTMB will pay the estate of the deceased for the total number of PTO hours accrued but not used as of the last day of employment. Payment will be calculated at the employee’s monthly or hourly base pay rate at the time of their death.

Under the myPTO program, benefits-eligible employees are able to donate a portion of their accrued PTO and/or EIB hours to a Major Disaster Recovery Bank (MDRB).

The MDRB will be activated as needed on a temporary basis to support other employees who have been adversely affected by a major disaster, as declared by the U.S. President.

RPL is a benefit funded by UTMB that provides expanded income protection to employees who have exhausted their available accruals and need more time away from work for a personal illness/injury, the catastrophic illness/injury of an immediate family member or parental leave.

Employees who meet the following criteria are eligible to apply for RPL:

• Appointed to work at least 20 hours per week (0.5–1.0 FTE) in a benefits-eligible position that does not require student status as a condition of employment.
• Have exhausted all available accruals and are either 1.) unable to perform the essential job functions of their position due to a personal illness/injury that directly results in a significant, adverse change to their physical or mental condition or 2.) unable to work due to the catastrophic illness/injury of an immediate family member and have had at least six months of continuous employment; a catastrophic illness/injury is a severe condition or combination of conditions affecting the family member’s physical or mental health that is immediately life-threatening or likely to be fatal within the next 12 months.

Please note:

• Approved RPL runs concurrently with Family and Medical Leave (FML), parental leave or any other health-related leave.
• If an employee has applied or been approved for short-term disability payments through the
  UT System benefits program, they are not eligible for RPL for the same qualifying illness/injury.
• If an employee has been approved for long-term disability payments through the UT System benefits program, they are no longer eligible for RPL if there is an overlap of the payment periods.
• Employees may not receive both Workers’ Compensation Insurance (WCI) and RPL. If an employee has filed, is filing or intends to file a WCI claim or appeal, they are not eligible to apply for RPL.

RPL may be granted for two illness/injury periods within a rolling 12 months, up to a combined maximum of 480 hours. The two illness/injury periods may consist of:

• Two unrelated diagnoses for an employee’s own illness/injury.
• One period for an employee’s own illness/injury and one period for an immediate family member’s catastrophic illness/injury.
• Two unrelated diagnoses for immediate family members’ catastrophic illness/injury.

Employees on an approved leave of absence for the birth, adoption or foster care placement of a child may receive up 480 RPL hours, minus their personal paid leave accruals.

Yes. Granted RPL hours may be used to cover care and bonding time.

RPL cannot be used for:

• Intermittent absences (even when associated with an approved leave of absence).
• Illness/injury requiring care outside of the United States other than unplanned, emergency care while traveling.
• Absences related to treatments or procedures that are deemed non-medically necessary (cosmetic, infertility, sterilization treatments or procedures).
• Absences related to dental services such as those provided for the routine care, treatment, extraction, removal or replacement of teeth or structures directly supporting the teeth.
• Absences related to dental-in-nature oral and maxillofacial surgery or any procedures related to dental implants.

The number of RPL hours granted for an illness/injury period is based on the physical and/or cognitive demands of the employee’s position; diagnosis leading to treatment or surgery; and the medical disability standards for the specified health condition.

It is important to note that the number of RPL hours granted may not be sufficient to cover the full length of incapacity noted by the licensed practitioner in the required certification.

No. Employees who received RPL for two illness/injury periods within the last 12 months will not be able to re-apply for RPL until 12 months after the end date of the first RPL grant, even if the total number of hours used was less than 480. 

Employees needing RPL for a personal illness/injury, the catastrophic illness/injury of an immediate family member or parental leave are required to complete an online application. They must also provide certification supporting the leave from a licensed practitioner. Failure to provide the required certification may result in the denial of the request.

HR Leave Management reviews all requests and supporting documentation to determine if the leave qualifies for RPL.

Application for Reduced Paid Leave

While on RPL, employees will receive 50% of their monthly or hourly base pay rate. RPL is payable after seven calendar days or the exhaustion of all available accruals, whichever is greater.

Each new illness/injury period requires employees to satisfy a new elimination period, and RPL hours cannot be supplemented with other accrued leave.

Employees who do not have sufficient leave accruals may use leave without pay to cover the seven-day elimination period. 

If an employee is released to return to work by a licensed practitioner before using all granted RPL hours, the unused hours will expire. 

If an employee has applied or been approved for short-term disability payments through the UT System benefits program, they are not eligible for RPL for the same qualifying illness/injury.

No. Employees may not receive both Workers’ Compensation Insurance (WCI) and RPL. If an employee has filed, is filing or intends to file a WCI claim or appeal, they are not eligible to apply for RPL.

No. Employees who are already out on an approved leave of absence at the time of transition to the myPTO program will not be able to apply for RPL for that absence. 

No. Employees on RPL are placed in a leave of absence status, which suspends their accrual of PTO and holiday hours.

If an employee on RPL receives a donation of EIB hours directly from another employee, RPL will be suspended while the employee uses the donated hours. Donated EIB hours will paid at 100% of the employee’s monthly or hourly base pay rate.

No. Employees may not donate granted RPL hours to another employee or to UTMB’s Major Disaster Recovery Bank (MDRB), upon activation.

If an employee separates or retires from UTMB with granted, unused RPL hours, the hours will expire and the employee will not receive any payment for them. 

Upon the death of an employee, UTMB will not pay the estate of the deceased for any RPL hours granted but not used. 

EIB provides income protection for an employee’s own illness/injury or an immediate family member’s illness/injury that lasts longer than 16 hours.

All employees who are appointed to work at least 20 hours per week (0.5–1.0 FTE) in a benefits-eligible position are eligible for EIB.

Employees accrue up to 40 hours of EIB each fiscal year, based on FTE status. Hours are credited in a lump sum on at the beginning of each fiscal year or at the time of hire and are available for immediate use.

No. There is no limit to the number of EIB hours an employee can accrue.

Yes. Unused EIB hours may carryforward from one fiscal year to the next with no limits. 

When an employee is unable to work due to their own illness/injury or an immediate family member’s illness/injury, the employee is expected to follow departmental call-in procedures and to notify their supervisor of their need to be away from work.

Please be aware that employees must use 16 hours (prorated for FTE status) of their direct access accruals and/or personal leave accruals before they can access their EIB.

The myPTO program allows employees to directly access a combined total of 16 hours (prorated for FTE status) of EIB each fiscal year for:

• Personal wellness activities – personal wellness activities include routine and preventative medical, dental and vision care and other health-related events
• Care for the illness/injury of employee and immediate family members
• School-sponsored educational activities for dependent children who are in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade – school-sponsored activities include parent-teacher conferences, tutoring, volunteer programs, field trips, classroom programs, school committee meetings, academic competitions, and athletic, music, or theater programs

Hours may be used as preferred, and documentation is not required for the above situations unless an employee is out for their own illness/injury for three or more consecutive workdays.

Employees are also able to directly access their EIB accruals for:

• Hospital admissions that require an overnight stay for employee and immediate family members
• Continuous or intermittent leave approved by HR Leave Management
• Leave requests pending approval by HR Leave Management; if a request is denied, the employee must use PTO, other available accruals or leave without pay for the first 16 hours of the leave

Additionally, due to their role and responsibilities, UTMB graduate assistants are able to directly access their EIB accruals for their own illness/injury or an immediate family member’s illness/injury.

Employees must use the Kronos timekeeping system to request time away from work. Time-off requests should be submitted with reasonable advance notice using the appropriate myPTO pay code for the leave.

EIB can be taken in 15-minute increments, and there is no minimum number of EIB hours that must be used at one time.

Employees are not required to provide medical documentation before accessing their EIB accruals. However, employees out for their own illness/injury for three or more consecutive workdays must present a release from a licensed practitioner clearing them to return to work.

Employees who move from a part-time to a full-time benefits-eligible position will be credited the difference in EIB hours on the date of the status change.

Employees who move from a full-time to a part-time benefits-eligible position will retain all previously accrued EIB hours and will receive the prorated number of hours on Sept. 1.

Employees who move from a benefits-eligible position to a non-benefits eligible position will no longer be able to accrue or use EIB. Accrued but unused EIB hours are frozen until the employee returns to a benefits-eligible status or terminates employment.

Yes. Employees who move from a non-benefits eligible position to a benefits-eligible position will be credited EIB hours in a prorated lump sum based on their FTE status and date of the status change.

Each state agency has different rules about transferring leave accruals. When considering employment at another state agency, be sure to confirm their rules for transferring leave.  Employees transferring from a state agency to UTMB will not have their current EIB/sick leave balance transferred to UTMB.

Yes. Employees who separate from UTMB may have their EIB balance restored if they are rehired within 31 calendar days to 12 months of the date of separation.

Employees who separate from UTMB for any reason will not receive payment for accrued EIB hours.

Yes. Eligible employees may be able to use their EIB and/or PTO accruals to purchase or receive service credit through the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) or the Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS). 

Upon the death of an active employee, UTMB will pay the estate of the deceased for one-half of their accrued EIB hours or for 336 hours, whichever is less. The employee must have had at least six months of continuous employment with the state for the estate to receive payment. Payment will be calculated at the employee’s monthly or hourly base pay rate at the time of their death. 

Yes. Benefits-eligible employees may donate accrued EIB hours directly to another employee if the recipient of the donation meets the eligibility requirements for EIB and has exhausted their own EIB balance. Donations made directly to individuals are subject to taxation. See the Direct Sick Leave Donation Overview for more details.

Benefits-eligible employees are also able to donate a portion of their accrued PTO and/or EIB hours to a Major Disaster Recovery Bank (MDRB). The MDRB will be activated as needed on a temporary basis to support other employees who have been adversely affected by a major disaster, as declared by the U.S. President. Donations made to the MDRB will not be subject to taxation. 

UTMB’s holiday schedule includes 10 designated holidays each fiscal year. If a designated holiday occurs on a Saturday or Sunday, it will generally be observed the business day before or after the weekend.

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

The holiday schedule also includes approved alternate holidays. 

• Rosh Hashanah
• Yom Kippur
• Veterans Day
• Good Friday
• Cesar Chavez Day
• Eid-al-Fitr
• Eid-al-Adha

Employees may observe an alternate holiday by working on a designated holiday that requires staffing, with their supervisor’s approval. If the department is not open and staffed to conduct business on the holiday, then the employee may not work during the holiday and must use their available accruals to observe the alternate holiday.

All employees who are appointed to work at least 20 hours per week (0.5–1.0 FTE) in a benefits-eligible position that does not require student status as a condition of employment are eligible to receive holiday credit.

Employees receive up to eight hours of holiday credit for each official holiday. Hours are prorated based on FTE status and are automatically populated within the Kronos timekeeping system two weeks prior to each official holiday. 

Employees may observe an approved alternate holiday by working on a designated holiday that requires staffing, with their supervisor’s approval. If the department is not open and staffed to conduct business on the holiday, then the employee may not work during the holiday and must use their available accruals to observe the alternate holiday.

The hours equivalent to the amount of time granted for five floating holidays are rolled into employees’ monthly PTO accrual rate each fiscal year.

These hours are included in the monthly PTO accrual rates that are available online and in the Paid Time Off Fact Sheet.

Employees who are paid bi-weekly and required to work on a designated holiday will receive their regular rate of pay for all hours worked and holiday pay for the amount of time granted for the holiday.

Employees wanting to receive holiday compensatory time instead of holiday pay must submit a request through the Kronos timekeeping system within 72 hours of the holiday. Requests submitted after the 72-hour period (historical corrections) will not be accepted.

Holiday compensatory time will be equivalent to the amount of time granted for the holiday and must be used within 12 months from the date of accrual.

Employees who are paid monthly (Administrative & Professional, Faculty and Nonteaching) and work on a holiday they are not scheduled or required to work may do so with prior approval from their supervisor.

Employees who work on a designated holiday will receive 8 hours of holiday compensatory time, which will be stored in the employee’s holiday balance.

Employees who work their appointed hours during the week but their regularly scheduled day off occurs on a designated holiday, will receive 8 hours of holiday compensatory time, which will be stored in the employee’s holiday balance. For example, if an employee’s regularly appointed hours are Tuesday – Friday and the holiday is on a Monday, the employee will receive 8 hours of holiday compensatory time. Holiday compensatory time must be used within 12 months from the date of accrual. 

If an institutional holiday occurs while an employee is out on previously scheduled leave, the time should be considered holiday leave and not charged against the employee’s available accruals. 

No. Employees are not eligible for holiday credit if an institutional holiday occurs while they are on an unpaid leave of absence. 

If an institutional holiday occurs on a bi-weekly employee’s regularly scheduled day off, the employee will receive eight hours (prorated for FTE status) of holiday credit. The holiday credit will be paid on the next scheduled payday.

If an employee is unable to work a scheduled shift on an institutional holiday, the holiday credit used should be recorded as unscheduled in accordance with UTMB’s Attendance Policy.

Employees who move from a benefits-eligible position to a non-benefits eligible position will no longer be able to receive or use holiday credit. Accrued but unused holiday hours are frozen until the employee returns to a benefits-eligible status or terminates employment. 

Employees who move from a non-benefits eligible position to a benefits-eligible position will begin receiving holiday credit as of the date of the status change. Hours will be prorated based on FTE status.

Employees who separate from UTMB for any reason will not receive payment for accrued holiday compensatory time. However, employees who voluntarily separate from UTMB may be able to extend their separation date up to 40 hours to allow them to use their accrued time. Requests to extend a separation date should be submitted and approved in advance. Historical corrections will not be permitted.

If an employee is transferring from UTMB to another state agency, their unused holiday credit may be transferred if the new agency accepts holiday leave balances.

If an employee is transferring to UTMB from another state agency, their unused holiday credit may not be transferred as UTMB does not accept holiday leave balances.

Upon the death of an active employee, UTMB will pay the estate of the deceased for accrued holiday compensatory time as of the last day of employment. Payment will be calculated at the employee’s monthly or hourly base pay rate at the time of their death.

The myPTO program supports personal holidays previously granted to employees. Accrued personal holiday hours do not expire and may carry forward from one fiscal year to the next with no limits.

Yes. Employees who separate from UTMB for any reason will receive a lump sum payment for the total number of personal holiday hours accrued but not used as of the last day of employment. Payment will be calculated at the employee’s monthly or hourly base pay rate at the time of separation.

The MDRB is a temporary leave-sharing plan that permits employees to donate accrued PTO and/or EIB hours to a leave pool for use by other employees adversely affected by a major disaster, as declared by the U.S. President or Texas Governor.

All employees who are appointed to work at least 20 hours per week (0.5–1.0 FTE) in a benefits-eligible position that does not require student status as a condition of employment are able to donate accruals to and request withdrawals from the MDRB. 

The UTMB President has the discretion to activate and inactivate the MDRB and to establish the employee eligibility criteria associated with each activation.

Depending on the nature of the declared major disaster, employees are able to donate PTO and/or EIB hours to the MDRB. Donations will be accepted for the duration of the MDRB event, and it is important to note that employees may only donate hours accrued under the myPTO program. Hours accrued under the previous state-sponsored vacation and sick leave plans are not eligible for donation. 

No. Donations to the MDRB are not subject to taxation. 

Employees may donate:

• A minimum of 8 PTO hours up to their maximum annual accrual of PTO hours.
• A minimum of 8 EIB hours up to a maximum of 200 hours, only if EIB donations are accepted into the MDRB.

When making a donation, employees must maintain a PTO balance of at least 80 historical and new hours and an EIB balance of at least 80 hours.

An employee may request to receive withdrawals from the MDRB if they have exhausted their available accruals and a declared major disaster has caused severe hardship to the employee and/or to an immediate family member, resulting in the employee being unable to work. 

Employees may receive up to two grants of MDRB hours per activation of the temporary recovery bank, not to exceed 80 hours per grant (for a total of 160 hours). If the temporary recovery bank is activated multiple times in a fiscal year, then the maximum MDRB hours that may be granted to an employee for all activations is 300 hours.

MDRB hours are granted based on the employee’s eligibility, the order in which the request was received and the number of hours available in the temporary recovery bank.

Yes. Granted MDRB hours may be used intermittently.

Granted MDRB hours will be paid at the recipient employee’s monthly or hourly base pay rate at the time of use.

If a recipient employee moves from a benefits-eligible position to a non-benefits eligible position, any granted, unused MDRB hours will be returned to the temporary recovery bank.

A recipient employee who separates or retires from UTMB with granted, unused MDRB hours will not receive payment for these hours. The hours will be returned to the temporary recovery bank. 

Upon inactivation of the MDRB, unused PTO and/or EIB hours will be returned to the donor employees. This includes unused hours granted to recipient employees and unused hours remaining in the temporary recovery bank.

Unused PTO and/or EIB hours will be returned in the same proportion as the number of hours an employee donated relative to the total hours donated for the disaster event, unless the remaining amount is so small that accounting for it is unreasonable or administratively impractical.

Example: If an employee donates 200 hours and the temporary recovery bank receives a total of 10,000 hours, then 0.20% of any unused hours will be returned to the donor employee at the end of the MDRB event.

If a donor employee separates or retires from UTMB prior to the inactivation of the temporary recovery bank, the employee will be paid for any returned PTO hours. Payment will be calculated at the employee’s monthly or hourly base pay rate at the time of separation.

If a donor employee separates from UTMB prior to the inactivation of the temporary recovery bank and is reemployed by the state within 31 calendar days to 12 months of the date of separation, any returned EIB hours will be restored to the employee’s EIB balance.

If a donor employee transfers to another state agency prior to the inactivation of the temporary recovery bank, UTMB will notify the new agency about the additional PTO hours to be added to the employee’s PTO/vacation leave balance.

If a donor employee transfers to another state agency prior to the inactivation of the temporary recovery bank and meets the new agency’s EIB/sick leave reinstatement requirements, the returned EIB hours will be sent to the new agency for crediting to the employee’s EIB/sick leave balance.

If a donor employee dies prior to the inactivation of the temporary recovery bank, UTMB will pay the estate of the deceased for any returned PTO hours. Payment will be calculated at the employee’s monthly or hourly base pay rate at the time of death.

If a donor employee dies prior to the inactivation of the temporary recovery bank, UTMB will pay the estate of the deceased for one-half of the returned EIB hours, providing the 336-hour payout maximum has not been reached.