Leave

Tarleton offers a various paid and unpaid leaves for regular, full time and qualifying part-time employees.

employee leaving office

Paid Leaves of Absence

Various leaves of absences with pay are available to full-time and qualifying part-time employees. The eligibility criteria and approval requirements vary for each. Refer to the corresponding Texas A&M System University System Regulation and Tarleton SAP for detailed eligibility criteria, documentation requirements, limitations and approvals required for each.

Positions requiring student status are not eligible for the paid leaves of absence listed below.

Vacation

Eligible employees may use vacation accruals after six months of continuous State employment. Qualifying regular part-time employees earn vacation on a pro-rated basis. Faculty members appointed to a 12-month position who observe the staff/administrative work schedule may earn vacation. Accrual for eligible employees is based upon months of verified State service.

For eligibility criteria and details, see Texas A&M University System Regulation 31.03.01.

Sick Leave

Eligible full-time employees earn 8 hours of sick leave per working month and may use sick leave immediately upon accrual when sickness, injury or pregnancy prevent an employee from duty, or to care for an immediate family member who is ill. Qualifying regular part-time employees earn sick leave on a pro-rated basis. Positions requiring student status are not eligible for paid sick leave.

Eligible employees may use up to 8 hours of sick leave each fiscal year to attend educational activities for a child attending prekindergarten through 12th grade. For sick leave eligibility criteria, documentation requirements and details, see Texas A&M University System Regulation 31.03.02.

Sick Leave Direct Donation

This leave benefit is another option to assist those who have exhausted their available sick leave to remain in a paid leave status while recovering from an illness or injury. Employees may also use donated sick leave to care for eligible family members. 

For eligibility criteria, documentation requirements, limitations and details, see Texas A&M University System Regulation 31.06.02.

Sick Leave Pool

Tarleton’s sick leave pool is available to provide additional paid sick leave for catastrophic medical conditions for qualifying employees.

For eligibility criteria, documentation requirements and details, see Texas A&M University System Regulation 31.06.01 and Tarleton SAP 31.06.01.T0.01.

Sick Leave Pool Donation or Request Form

Holidays

Eligible full-time employees receive paid holiday leave. Qualifying regular part-time employees receive paid holiday on a pro-rated basis. The State legislature determines the number of holidays observed by State agencies and State institutions of Higher Education each year. 

For eligibility criteria and details, see Texas A&M University System Regulation 31.04.01.

Paid Holiday Schedule

DatesDaysHoliday
Nov. 28-29, 20242Thanksgiving
Dec. 24, 2024 – January 1, 20257Winter Break
Jan. 20, 20251Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
March 20-21, 20252Spring Break
May 26, 20251Memorial Day
June 19, 20251Juneteenth
July 4, 20251Independence Day

Emergency Leaves

Eligible employees may be provided paid Emergency Leave or other leaves under certain circumstances.

For eligibility criteria, documentation requirements, limitations and details on the leaves below, see Texas A&M University System Regulation 31.03.03. Specific Tarleton SAPs are indicated in each section below if applicable.

Death of a Family Member/Bereavement Leave

Emergency paid leave is available for the death of a relative or for employees to attend the funeral of a friend. For Specific details on the number of days or hours available, as well as documentation requirements, see Tarleton SAP 31.03.03.T0.01 on Bereavement Leave.

Unsafe Working or Travel Conditions

In the event of inclement weather or other emergency, the University may close one or more Tarleton campuses for a whole day or portion of a day. Emergency notifications and updates are sent out to faculty and staff via Code Purple to tarleton.edu email addresses.

Essential personnel needed to provide for the safety of campus or for the restoration of services may be required to work while the University is closed. FLSA non-exempt employees required to work during an emergency closure will receive compensatory time of overtime pay as outlined in System Regulation 31.01.09.

Compensatory Time

Tarleton, as a part of the Texas A&M System awards compensatory time instead of paying for overtime except as permitted in limited circumstances.

For details regarding compensatory time and overtime, see Texas A&M University System Regulation 31.01.09.

Others

Additional information on other paid leaves of absence may be found within System Regulation 31.03.03.

  • Administrative Leave
  • Amateur Radio Operators
  • American Red Cross Disaster Service Volunteers
  • Blood Donor, Organ or Bone Marrow Donation
  • Service Dog Training
  • Court Appointed Special Advocate Volunteers (CASA)
  • Faculty Development Leave (See Texas A&M University System Regulation 12.99.01 and Tarleton SAP 12.99.01.T0.01 on Faculty Development Leave for eligibility, application, conditions and further details.)
  • Foster Parents
  • Investigation
  • Medical and Mental Health Care for Certain Veterans
  • Organ, Bone Marrow or Blood Donors
  • Volunteer Firefighters and EMS Volunteers
  • Voting

Unpaid Leaves of Absence

Various unpaid leaves of absences are available to qualifying employees. The eligibility criteria and approval requirements vary for each. Refer to the corresponding Texas A&M System University System Regulation and Tarleton SAP for detailed eligibility criteria, documentation requirements, limitations and approvals required for each.

Family & Medical Leave (FMLA)

Eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of leave during a fiscal year for birth and bonding of a natural child; placement with the employee of a child for adoption for foster care; a serious health condition of the employee resulting in the inability to work; or to care of a spouse, son or daughter or parent with a serious health condition or exigency time off resulting from a family member who has been called to active duty. 

Employee’s Rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act

Certification of Health Care Provider

For detailed information on eligibility criteria, procedures and instructions, see Texas A&M University System Regulation 31.03.05 on Family and Medical Leave.

Parental Leave

  1. Up to 12 weeks of unpaid parental leave is provided to employees who are ineligible for the FMLA for the birth and bonding of a natural child or for the adoption or foster care placement of a child under three years of age. 
  2. For further eligibility criteria and details, see Section 11 of Texas A&M University System Regulation 31.03.05 on Family and Medical Leave.

Other Types of Leave

Birthday Leave

Through the efforts of the President’s Office, Staff Senate, and Faculty Senate, eligible employees will receive a paid day off during a fiscal year in recognition of their birthday. Birthday leave may be taken on any day during the fiscal year as long as the absence is approved by the employee’s supervisor, or in accordance with departmental leave procedures, prior to taking the leave. Faculty must maintain the same standard for class c overage as any other absence. For eligibility criteria and details on the leave, see Tarleton SAP 31.03.03.T1.02 on Birthday Leave

When entering Birthday Leave into Workday, utilize “Other Emergencies” as the Leave Type and type “Birthday Leave” in the Comment Field, then Submit.

Military Leave and Services

Leave is provided to eligible employees who voluntarily or involuntarily leave employment to undertake military service in the uniformed services.

 For full details, see Texas A&M University System Regulation 31.03.06.

Wellness Release Time

Through the Employee Wellness program, full time, eligible employees may use time during normal work hours for physical exercise and fitness activities. 

For eligibility criteria, documentation requirements and details, see Texas A&M University System Regulation 31.02.13 and Tarleton SAP 31.99.99.T0.04 on Employee Wellness Programs.