Leave benefits include: vacation, personal holiday, legal holidays, sick leave, as well as several other types of leave.
Below, please find brief descriptions of the various leave benefits offered to employees, and links to the Universities of Wisconsin web pages that describe leave benefits, leave eligibility, and leave usage in greater detail.
For questions about your leave balance and reporting contact payroll at: GetHelpUW@support.wisconsin.edu
Leave Summaries
The Universities of Wisconsin provides the following leave summary documents for each employment category.
Faculty, Academic Staff, and Limited Appointees
University Staff
Leave Reporting
Faculty, Academic Staff, and Limited Appointees
All leave-eligible Faculty, Academic Staff, and Limited Appointees are required to submit a leave report on a monthly basis. If no leave is taken, a “No Leave Taken” report is still required.
Full time employees will report leave in full day and half day increments.
- 0 – 1 hour 59 minutes leave used: report 0 hours
- 2 hours – 5 hours 59 minutes leave used: report 4 hours
- 6 hours or more of leave used: report 8 hours
Part time employees may report absences in 15 minute increments.
Failing to report leave usage as required by Universities of Wisconsin policy shall impact the accrual of sick leave.
Leave reports are submitted in my.wisconsin.edu, in the Time and Absence app.
The Universities of Wisconsin provides a knowledge base article explaining how to report no leave taken in Workday.
- Reporting No Leave Taken (for employees)
For summer leave reporting, for academic year Faculty or Academic Staff, please see:
Please see the Universities of Wisconsin Leave Reporting webpage below for full details on leave reporting requirements.
University Staff
All leave-eligible University Staff are required to submit time worked and leave taken on a biweekly basis.
Exempt Employees:
Full time employees will report leave in full day and half day increments.
- 0 – 1 hour 59 minutes leave used: report 0 hours
- 2 hours – 5 hours 59 minutes leave used: report 4 hours
- 6 hours or more of leave used: report 8 hours
Part time employees may report absences in 15 minute increments.
Non-Exempt Employees
Report time worked and leave in 15 minute increments.
Time worked and leave taken is reported in my.wisconsin.edu, in the Time and Absence app.
Please see the Universities of Wisconsin Leave Reporting webpage below for full details on leave reporting requirements.
Source: Universities of Wisconsin Leave Reporting
Vacation
Faculty, Academic Staff, and Limited Appointees
Eligible faculty, academic staff, and limited appointees are granted vacation at time of hire and it is prorated for the year based on start date. Vacation is then granted at the start of the fiscal year, July 1.
Employees in annual-basis appointments are granted 176 hours of vacation per fiscal year.
Vacation hours are prorated for part-time employment.
(The fiscal year is July 1 – June 30)
Vacation carryover rules are found in policy SYS 1210, point 6, part D.
Leave banking rules are found in policy SYS 1210, point 6, part E.
University Staff
Eligible university staff are granted vacation at time of hire and it is prorated for the year based on start date. Vacation is then granted at the start of the fiscal year, July 1.
Vacation accrual is based on years of continuous service and your Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) status (exempt or nonexempt). Please see the table on the web page below for vacation hours granted:
University Staff Vacation Hours Granted
Vacation hours are prorated for part-time employment.
(The fiscal year is July 1 – June 30)
Vacation carryover rules are found in policy SYS 1210, point 6, part D.
Leave banking rules are found in policy SYS 1210, point 6, part E.
Source: Universities of Wisconsin Vacation Overview
Personal Holiday
Faculty, Academic Staff, and Limited Appointees
Eligible faculty, academic staff, and limited appointees are granted 36 hours of personal holiday per year at time of hire, and again at the start of the fiscal year, July 1.
Faculty, academic staff, and limited appointees must use personal holiday hours by the end of the fiscal year, June 30.
Personal holiday hours are prorated for part-time employment.
Personal holiday hours cannot be carried over.
(The fiscal year is July 1 – June 30)
University Staff
Eligible university staff are granted 36 hours of personal holiday per year at time of hire, and again at the start of the fiscal year, July 1.
University staff must use personal holiday hours by the end of the fiscal year, June 30.
Personal holiday hours are prorated for part-time employment.
Personal holiday hours cannot be carried over.
(The fiscal year is July 1 – June 30)
Source: Universities of Wisconsin Personal Holiday Overview
Legal Holidays
The Universities of Wisconsin recognizes nine days of the year as legal holidays.
- When a legal holiday falls on a Saturday, the employee is granted eight hours of floating legal holiday (prorated for part-time employment).
- When a legal holiday falls on a Sunday, the legal holiday is observed and all Universities of Wisconsin campuses are closed on the Monday following the legal holiday.
For full details on eligibility for legal holidays, and usage of legal holidays, please see the Universities of Wisconsin Legal Holidays overview below.
| Legal Holidays for 2026 | Observed |
|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Thursday, January 1 |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Monday, January 19 |
| Memorial Day | Monday, May 25 |
| Independence Day | Saturday, July 4 (floating legal holiday) |
| Labor Day | Monday, September 7 |
| Thanksgiving | Thursday, November 26 |
| Christmas Eve | Thursday, December 24 |
| Christmas Day | Friday, December 25 |
| New Year’s Eve | Thursday, December 31 |
Source: Universities of Wisconsin Legal Holidays Overview
Sick Leave
Faculty, Academic Staff, and Limited Appointees
Eligible faculty, academic staff, and limited appointees start their first 18 months with 176 hours (22 days) of sick leave, prorated for part-time, called “Initial Entitlement.” This leave is available immediately. After the Initial Entitlement period, you may earn up to 96 hours (12 days) of sick leave per fiscal year.
Sick leave is prorated for part-time employment.
(The fiscal year is July 1 – June 30)
For full details on eligibility and usage of sick leave please see the Universities of Wisconsin Sick Leave Overview below.
University Staff
Eligible university staff project and permanent employees earn 5 hours of sick leave per biweekly pay period (130 hours per year), prorated for part-time employees.
Sick leave is prorated for part-time employment.
For full details on eligibility and usage of sick leave please see the Universities of Wisconsin Sick Leave Overview below.
Sick Leave Credit Conversion Program
Unused sick leave may be converted to credits to pay for State Group Health Insurance at layoff, termination with 20 years of service, retirement, or death.
For full details on the Sick Leave Credit Conversion Program please see the webpage below.
Source: Universities of Wisconsin Sick Leave Overview
Paid Parental Leave
Effective July 1, 2024
Paid Parental Leave provides eligible employees with up to six weeks of paid time off (pro-rated if part-time) following a qualifying birth or adoptive event to allow for time to bond with their new child, adjust to their new family situation, and balance personal obligations that result from a birth or adoptive event.
Paid Parental Leave is limited to one qualifying event every 12 months. In addition to eligibility requirements based on employment type employees must have completed six months of continuous employment with the Universities of Wisconsin at the time of their qualifying event.
For any questions about Paid Parental Leave please email: hr-leave-coordinator@uwm.edu
For full details on eligibility and usage of Paid Parental Leave please see the Universities of Wisconsin Paid Parental Leave Overview below.
Please submit the Paid Parental Leave Request Form to UWM’s Human Resources Department.
Email: hr-leave-coordinator@uwm.edu
Mail or in-person delivery:
ATTN HR Leave Coordinator
Human Resources
Engelmann Hall, Room 125
2033 E. Hartford Avenue
P.O. Box 413
Milwaukee, WI 53201-0413
Source: Universities of Wisconsin Paid Parental Leave Overview
Family and Medical Leave (FMLA)
The Federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Wisconsin Family and Medical Leave Act (WFMLA) provide you with the right to take job-protected leave with continued medical benefits when you need time off from work for the following reasons:
- To care for yourself.
- To care for a family member who is seriously ill.
- To care for a newborn or newly adopted child.
- To attend to the affairs of a family member who is called to active duty in the military.
For full details on eligibility and usage of FMLA and WFMLA leave please see the Universities of Wisconsin Family and Medical Leave Overview below.
Source: Universities of Wisconsin Family and Medical Leave Overview
Catastrophic Leave
The Catastrophic Leave Program allows the continuation of salary and benefits for an eligible employee who has a catastrophic need and has exhausted all paid leave.
Employees may also donate earned paid leave credits (except for sick leave or compensatory time) to employees who have a catastrophic need at their own, or at a different, Universities of Wisconsin institution.
For full details on eligibility and usage of Catastrophic Leave, and for information about donating paid leave credits, please see UWM’s Catastrophic Leave Policy.
Bone Marrow and Human Organ Donation
Faculty, Academic Staff, Limited Appointees, and University Staff employees that earn sick leave, who request to serve as a bone marrow or a human organ donor, are eligible for a paid leave of absence. During the paid leave of absence, you are not required to use any paid leave.
For full details on requesting a leave of absence for bone marrow or human organ donation please see the Universities of Wisconsin Bone Marrow and Human Organ Donation Overview below.
Source: Universities of Wisconsin Bone Marrow and Human Organ Donation Overview
Military Leave
Universities of Wisconsin employees who meet certain requirements are eligible for military leave benefits through the State of Wisconsin. Eligibility for military leave is determined by appointment type and the nature of the military leave.
For full details on eligibility and usage of military leave please see the Universities of Wisconsin Military Leave Overview below.
Source: Universities of Wisconsin Military Leave Overview
Miscellaneous Leave
For the following leave situations please see the Universities of Wisconsin Miscellaneous Leave Provisions webpage for more information on eligibility and how to utilize leave.
- Jury Duty
- Time Off to Vote
- Bereavement (Death of a Family Member)
- Faculty Sabbatical
- Election Official Service
- Hostage Leave
Source: Universities of Wisconsin Miscellaneous Leave Provisions
Unpaid Leave of Absence
An unpaid leave of absence will significantly affect benefits programs you are enrolled in. Please see the Universities of Wisconsin Leave of Absence webpage below for full details on taking an unpaid leave of absence. Please also contact UWM’s Benefits Office (benefits@uwm.edu) for more information about the consequences of an unpaid leave of absence.
Source: Universities of Wisconsin Leave of Absence