G.1.7 Vacation

Marine Biological Laboratory
Policy No. G.1.7

Human Resources

Initiated by:Human Resources Director
Approved by:MBL Director/CEO
Date:July, 1990
Revision:#2, January 18, 2005
Distribution:All MBL Employees

1.0 Vacation Policy Statement:
It is the policy of the Marine Biological Laboratory to grant annual vacations with pay to regular full-time and regular part-time employees in accordance with the guidelines established below. Bargaining unit staff is granted vacation in accordance with the current contract.

2.0 Guidelines:

    2.1 Vacation begins to accrue on the first day of employment at the MBL. The accrual year for vacation purposes is the anniversary year of the employee.

    2.2 Regular full-time employees will accrue paid vacation according to the following schedule:

Please note that during the first year of employment even though vacation time begins to accrue, an employee may not use this time until they have been employed at least six months. Years of service for vacation accrual are determined from last date of hire.

    2.3 Regular part-time employees who work at least 20 hours per week (or 50% effort) are entitled to vacation on a pro-rata basis. The length of the vacation will be determined on the same basis as for full-time employees. Part-time employees working less than 20 hours per week (or 50% effort) and temporary employees are not eligible to receive vacation accruals.

    2.4 Track I Scientific Staff accrue vacation at the rate of 20 days per year, to start, moving to 25 days after 15 years and 30 days after 25 years. Track II Scientific Staff accrue vacation at the rate of 15 days per year, to start, moving to 20 days after 7 years, 25 days after 15 years, and 30 days after 25 years. As determined by the Director/CEO, certain senior administrative staff accrue vacation at the rate of 15 or 20 days per year, to start, joining the above schedule at the appropriate interval. Determination of appropriate accrual is at the discretion of the MBL Director/CEO.

    2.5 Employees who feel there is a discrepancy in the calculation of their vacation pay or eligibility may request a review of that calculation by the Payroll Office.

    2.6 Vacation pay for regular full-time and regular part-time employees will consist of the employee’s regular rate of pay for the vacation period.

    2.7 Employees must submit vacation plans to their supervisor in advance for approval. Management reserves the right to designate when some or all vacations must be taken. Supervisors are responsible for ensuring adequate staffing levels and should attempt, when feasible, to resolve vacation scheduling conflicts based on seniority. However, employees who want to change their plans after the vacation schedule has been set lose their seniority considerations.

    2.8 Vacations must be taken in the anniversary year immediately following the year in which they are accrued. Vacation time not used during the appropriate anniversary year may not be carried over into another anniversary year and will be forfeited. However, where an employee is requested by the MBL to cancel vacation plans and cannot reschedule before the end of the vacation year, or if the workload prohibits the employee from taking accrued vacation within the specified time period, the employee will be permitted to take the vacation in the following year, along with any additional vacation accrued for that following year. To be eligible for a carry-forward of accrual, the employee and supervisor must agree on a schedule for the use of the over-accrual. This plan must be submitted to the Human Resources Director for approval.

    2.9 In very limited extenuating circumstances an employee who has completed at least one year of service may borrow up to one week vacation time with the approval of the Department Head and the Human Resources Director. All borrowed vacation time may be deducted from the employee’s final paycheck.

    2.10 At termination of employment, an employee will be paid all accrued but unpaid vacation to which they are entitled. Every attempt should be made by an employee who is paid in part or entirely by restricted funds to use all accrued vacation time prior to the end of the restricted funding.

    2.11 If a paid holiday falls within an employee’s vacation period, an additional day of vacation will be granted. No allowance will be made for sickness or other compensable type of absence occurring during a scheduled vacation. In case of an emergency closing of the Laboratory during a scheduled vacation, the time charged on the days of the closing should be to Hours Worked and not against vacation accrual.

3.0 Policy Clarification and Updates:
Policy clarification and updates are available from the Human Resources Director.