Sick leave cashout program to discontinue after June 2016

sick leave cash outBeginning July 1, 2016, payments for sick leave will no longer be made for any type of separation from employment for TEAMS, USPS and faculty who are not part of the collective bargaining unit.

In 2011, the University Board of Trustees approved a number of leave changes affecting TEAMS and USPS employees as well as out-of-unit faculty, including the change to sick leave cashout. Among the changes were the following:

  • When terminating employment, eligible employees may receive a maximum 200 hours of unused vacation leave.
  • The cap on accrued, unused vacation leave (prior to excess vacation leave being rolled to sick leave) for TEAMS and out-of-unit faculty will be 352 hours; the cap for USPS employees remained unchanged at 240 hours.
  • Upon separation from employment as a result of retirement or death on or before June 30, 2016, employees with 10 years of creditable service* hired prior to April 1, 2010, will be paid for one-fourth of unused sick leave, up to a total of 480 hours.

The cost savings from this change in policy made funding available for three percent across-the-board salary increases in September 2011 for all eligible TEAMS and USPS employees as well as out-of-unit faculty. The salary increase was designed to offset the legislative change that required employees to contribute three percent of their salaries toward their retirement.

Faculty covered by the collective bargaining unit agreement hired prior to April 1, 2010, will continue to be cashed out for sick leave after June 30, 2016, in accordance with UF’s leave administration policy. Faculty and staff hired after April 1, 2010, are not eligible for sick leave cashout.

Please note that employees receiving sick leave cashouts over $5,000 will participate in the Special Pay Plan.  More information can be found online here.

DROP participants must terminate due to retirement to be cashed out for sick leave. Because DROP participant are active employees, sick leave is not cashed out if the employee has not terminated employment on or before June 30, 2016.

For more information, please visit the Leave Administration section of the HRS website. If you have questions, please contact University Benefits at benefits@ufl.edu or (352) 392-2477.

*Time spent on personal leaves of absence without pay does not count toward the requirement for 10 years of creditable service for purposes of sick leave cashout.