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Eastern New Mexico University

At-Will Employees' Handbook

Table of Contents

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VACATION/ANNUAL

HOLIDAYS

PERSONAL LEAVE WITH PAY


PERSONAL LEAVE WITHOUT PAY

FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE OF ABSENCE

EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

RETIREMENT

OTHER BENEFITS

VACATION/ANNUAL

General Policy
Vacation is earned during actual time worked and during paid medical leave, vacation time, holidays and leaves of absence with pay. Vacation is not earned during unpaid leaves of absence. An employee who has announced an intention to terminate may not take vacation which would have the effect of extending the termination date beyond the last day actually worked. For this reason, an employee who returns from vacation to terminate on the last working day of the month will not be credited with vacation accrual for that month.

Employees on twelve-month contracts will earn 22 days of vacation annually. Annual leave days may be allowed to accumulate up to a total of 44 days. For computation purposes, 1 day is equal to 8 hours.

Employees who are less than full-time but who are half-time or more shall be entitled to vacation leave prorated on the basis of the proportion of their position to a regular full-time position.

Leave taken which exceeds accruals will be leave without pay.

Scheduling Annual Leave
While annual leaves are normally scheduled in accordance with the employee's wishes, continuity of operations must be maintained. Consequently, the University reserves the right to schedule an employee's vacation in accordance with the needs of the University.

Approvals for Annual Leave
Annual leave is taken with the approval of the employee's immediate supervisor. Exceptions to normal annual leave policies must be approved by the employee's executive administrative supervisor or the President.

Payment for Annual Leave Accruals
When an annual leave period includes a paid holiday, the holiday is not charged as a day of annual leave.

Upon termination, accumulated annual leave will be paid off not to exceed 30 days.

Employees on grant money supported contracts with the University who are terminating their employment must either: (1) take their accrued annual leave during the contract period in which they are terminating their employment, or (2) terminated in sufficient time prior to the end of the contract period so that payment of unused annual leave accruals will not exceed the monies provided in the contract.

Rehire Provisions
All former employees who are rehired will be considered new hires for annual leave purposes.

HOLIDAYS
General Policy
The holiday period is the calendar day observed as the holiday.

Holidays Observed
Workday preceding New Year's Day
New Year's Day
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Memorial Day
Independence Day
Labor Day
Thanksgiving Day
Friday following Thanksgiving Day
Workday preceding Christmas Day
Christmas Day

The University reserves the right to adjust the actual observance of all holidays. Employees on Leave of Absence (LOA), summer break, semester break, etc., will not receive holiday pay while on LOA. Employees must work or be on annual leave or medical leave during the week in which the holiday occurs to be eligible for holiday pay.

PERSONAL LEAVE WITH PAY
In addition to providing paid time off for University designated holidays, ENMU permits employees to take personal leave with pay as follows:

Bereavement
Up to a maximum of five days for death of an immediate family member (parents, grandparents, spouse, child or sibling).

Emergencies
Occasions when the University is declared closed by the President (e.g., cases of inclement weather, national emergency, etc.)

Voting
Up to two hours for registered voters upon request for time off to vote.

Jury Duty and Required Court Attendance
If called for jury duty or subpoenaed to testify as a non-party witness, employees must provide a copy of summons or subpoena to their supervisor and must remit the money received or a statement of waiver of payment from the court to the University Business Office.

Military Leave of Absence
Up to fifteen calendar days for annual duty for training (training with the Reserve, National Guard and State Guard) and for local emergencies (active duty for individuals ordered out by the President, the Governor of New Mexico or New Mexico National or State Guard). Other military leaves of absence will be without pay, although employees are allowed to use accrued vacation time for such leave.

Upon receipt of official military orders, an employee must present the orders or other evidence indicating that the employee is entering active military duty.

Medical Leave of Absence
For personal illness or injury (including pregnancy) of the employee or an immediate family member (parent, grandparent, spouse, child or sibling), and for medical dental and eye examinations.

Medical leave is earned during actual time worked, during paid medical leave, vacation time, holidays and leaves of absence with pay. Medical leave is not earned during unpaid leaves of absence.

Employees on twelve-month contracts will accrue 21 days of medical leave annually. A maximum of 130 days, or in cases of long-term disability, until long-term disability insurance benefits are available through the University shall go into effect, can be carried forward to a new fiscal year.

Employees who are less than full-time but who are half-time or more shall be entitled to medical leave prorated on the basis of the proportion of their position to a regular full-time position.

Any illness necessitating an absence must be reported as soon as possible to the executive administrator or President, preferable before the start of the work period.

When an employee is absent due to illness, a "Physician's Statement" may be required at the supervisor's discretion. When a holiday falls during a time an employee is on medical leave, the holiday will not be charged as medical leave.

Time charged to medical leave may not exceed the employee's accruals. An employee may elect to charge medical absences to vacation accruals, and unless otherwise specified by the employee, medical absence will automatically be charged to accrued vacation after medical leave credits are exhausted. When medical leave and vacation credits are exhausted or when medical leave credits are exhausted and an employee does not want to charge vacation, medical absence will be charged to time off without pay.

Rehire Provisions
Former employees who are rehired will be considered new hires for purposes of computing accrual rate, vacation, medical leave, and other benefits, including seniority.

PERSONAL LEAVE WITHOUT PAY
General Policy
The University may grant leaves of absence without pay to employees in case of illness, injury, personal reasons, school attendance, sickness in family, and for other reasons.

Unpaid Leave of Absence for extended illness or injury -- Leave of absence is taken only after all medical leave and vacation time is exhausted. Employees must request a leave of absence, in writing, from their supervisors at least two weeks in advance except where such notice is impossible or impractical.

Generally, employees will be allowed up to six months for extended illness or disability of the employee, including pregnancy (approval to be granted by supervisor); up to one month for personal leave of absence (approval must be granted by supervisor); up to three months for sickness in the employee's family (approval to be granted by the supervisor); and up to 12 months for school attendance to obtain applicable advanced course or degree (approval to be granted by President).

All leaves of absence without pay are at the discretion of the University, with the exception of extended illness or disability of the employee, which must be granted if all requirements are met. Some extensions may be allowed. Employees who do not return to their position on or before the end of the leave of absence will be treated as voluntary resignations.

Although the University will attempt to reinstate employees who are granted unpaid leaves of absence, reinstatement following an unpaid leave of absence is not guaranteed. Employees are required to contact the Personnel Department prior to expiration of the leave, or they will be terminated as a resignation.

Approval from Personnel Services is required before employees will be permitted to return to work following an unpaid leave of absence. Employee anniversary dates will be adjusted if employees take a leave of absence for more than 30 calendar days.

FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE OF ABSENCE
The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 went into effect on August 5, 1993. To comply with the law, the Board of Regents adopted the Family and Medical Leave Policy to be incorporated as a personal leave without pay. Refer to the Administrative and Governance Policy and Procedures Manual for this policy or check with Personnel Services for more details.

EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Tuition
The University will waive regular tuition for one course not to exceed four (4) credit hours each semester or summer session subject to some restrictions.

Regular employees who work at least half-time and retired employees are eligible.

Full-time and part-time employees paid from grant money contracts or grants who meet all other requirements are eligible for tuition assistance only if the contract or grant includes funds to pay for the tuition as a fringe benefit.

Spouses of employees not using the employee’s tuition waiver may use the waiver as long as the course is taken for credit. The employee's name and social security number should be included in addition to the spouse's name and social security number on the waiver of tuition form.

Enrollment in credit courses is subject to availability of space and facilities. In case it is necessary to limit or reduce the size of a class, employees receiving a tuition waiver will have low priority.

Generally, employees may not enroll for more than two courses (six credit hours) per semester or one course (four credit hours) in a summer session, including hours for which tuition waiver is granted. Exception may be made with approval of supervisor and executive administrator or President.

Employees must, before registering for a credit course, be admitted to the University in some status by making proper application through the Admissions Office for undergraduate credit, or the Graduate School for graduate credit.

Lab, matriculation, or other fees required for courses taken must be paid by the enrollee.

Supervisors may permit time off with pay for employees to attend one course each semester as long as the course is related to the employee's work with the University or to a University position to which the employee can logically aspire, is taken for credit and is not available outside of regular working hours.

RETIREMENT
The University's retirement program for employees is provided and administered in accordance with the guidelines of state and federal laws and codes. Alternate retirement programs through VALIC and TIAA-CREF are also available to those employees who qualify. For additional information, please refer to the Educational Retirement Handbook or the Payroll office.

OTHER BENEFITS
In addition to those outlined above, the University offers a voluntary group insurance plan that provides for health and life insurance coverage, under which the University pays a percentage of the insurance premium. Booklets providing complete information and schedules are available in the Payroll office. Vision insurance and dental insurance are also available. Benefits are subject to change as insurance contracts are negotiated periodically. Employee's health, vision and dental insurance may be tax sheltered under the Medical Expense Reimbursement Plan (MERP). Tax sheltered annuity plans are also available to all employees under a payroll deduction arrangement. For more information on these benefits, please contact Personnel Services or the Payroll office.

Approved July 1, 1996