An employee’s normal work year may be shortened while preserving the employee’s current eligibility for applicable employee benefits (full-time/part-time).  This policy refers to working fewer months in a year.  The minimum length of an employee’s work year must be seven months.  The specific beginning and ending times must be specified.  A work year may be interrupted by periods of time that the employee is not required to work.  For example: a 9-month work year August 15 through December 15 and January 15 through June 15.

The employee has no obligation to the University during ‘breaks’ in the work year.  The applicable level of benefits continue over the 12-month cycle.  Board of Trustee policy requires that faculty and professional employees who work less than 12 months be paid over 12 months.  Normal benefit premiums continue to be devoted from the monthly pay. Changes in the length of the work year for a monthly paid employee can have a more than proportional impact on the monthly salary because of this spreading of the salary.  In subsequent years, a monthly paid employee will receive 1/12 of his/her salary in each month.  Classified employees are not paid in periods outside their work year, although benefits do continue (payment of normal premiums are required). 

 Faculty with academic year appointments and professional employees with student calendar year appointments (presence required during those times when the student population is present) do not earn annual leave.