Leaves and Academic Flexibility

Faculty unit employees are eligible for a range of leaves and holidays under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

For additional details about leave benefits, please refer to:

• The Chancellor’s Office Benefits Summary brochure
• The Leaves and Time Off webpage
• The applicable articles of the CBA

Absence Notification and Documentation

Faculty are responsible for notifying their department chair or appropriate administrator:

• Before any planned absence from a scheduled class, office hour or other work-related activity
• Immediately in the case of illness or emergency

Advance notice should be provided whenever possible.

This requirement applies even when instructional coverage has been arranged.

Depending on the type of leave, faculty may also need:

• Approval from the dean
• Written documentation

For absences of one day or more:

• The department administrator (or designee) submits required payroll documentation
• Faculty must report sick leave or Personal Holiday usage through Absence Management Self-Service
• If unable to submit leave usage, the chair or administrator may do so on the faculty member’s behalf
• The dean (or designee) is the final authority for approval of leave usage within the college

Sick Leave

Accrual

• Full-time faculty earn 8 hours of sick leave per month after one month of continuous service
• Part-time faculty accrue sick leave on a prorated basis
• There is no limit on sick leave accumulation

Usage

When the semester is in session and not on an academic holiday, all weekdays (Monday-Friday) are considered workdays, even if no class is scheduled.

Sick leave may be used for absences defined in Article 24.10 of the CBA.

• Medical verification is required for absences exceeding three consecutive days
• Up to 40 hours per calendar year may be used for family care in emergency situations (see Article 24.13).

Holidays

Academic year faculty are entitled to:

• All academic holidays listed in the campus academic calendar
• Any additional holiday designated by the Governor

Academic holidays are not compensatory.

The academic calendar is available on the CSUMB Catalog website. The 12-month employee schedule is available on the Payroll website.

Personal Holiday

Academic employees receive one Personal Holiday per calendar year.

• Must be scheduled in advance with the dean or appropriate administrator
• Must be used within the calendar year
• Unused Personal Holidays are forfeited

Vacation (10- and 12-Month Faculty)

Academic year faculty do not earn vacation.

Full-time 10- and 12-month faculty:

• Earn two days per qualifying month of service
• Part-time faculty accrue vacation on a prorated basis

Maximum Accrual

• 320 hours (48 days) for 10 years or fewer of service
• 440 hours (55 days) for more than 10 years of service

Excess hours above these limits are forfeited on January 1 each year.

After one full year of employment, faculty must take at least 40 hours of vacation annually or forfeit unused portions.

Vacation:

• May be taken after one qualifying pay period
• Requires 30 days’ advance written request
• Must be approved by the dean or appropriate administrator
• May not be taken during a teaching semester except in emergencies with prior written approval

Vacation scheduling must balance faculty preference and institutional needs.

Sabbatical Leave

Sabbatical leave with pay may be granted for projects that benefit the university, including:

• Research
• Scholarly or creative activity
• Instructional improvement
• Faculty retraining

Eligibility

Full-time faculty (except coaches) are eligible after:

• Six academic years ofc full-time service within the preceding seven-year period
• At least six years since a previous sabbatical or difference-in-pay leave

Compensation Options

• One semester at full pay
• Two semesters at half pay

Retirement Credit

CalPERS retirement credit may be affected:

• One semester at full pay earns full retirement credit
• One year at half pay does not earn full credit, but faculty may purchase lost credit upon return

For retirement impact questions, contact Human Resources or CalPERS.

Requests are submitted to the dean via the department chair.

See Faculty Travel Authorization and Sabbatical Travel Guidelines for additional guidance.

Difference-in-Pay (DIP) Leave

DIP leave supports activities that benefit the university, such as research, creative activity or professional development.

Eligibility

• Six years of full-time service in the preceding seven-year period
• Three academic years since the last sabbatical or DIP leave

Compensation

Faculty receive the difference between their salary and the minimum salary of Instructor.

Retirement credit considerations mirror those for sabbatical leave.

Applications are submitted to the dean via the department chair.

See the DIP Policy for details.

Voluntary Reduction in Time Base (VRTB and PRTB)

The CSU and CFA periodically enter into memoranda of understanding regarding:

• Voluntary Reduction in Time Base (VRTB)
• Pre-Retirement Reduction in Time Base (PRTB)

Participation is subject to approval by the appropriate administrator and current agreement terms.

Related Forms and Documents

• Professional Leave Salary Calculation
• Request for Formal Leave of Absence
• Sabbatical and DIP Leave Application
• Sabbatical and DIP Leaves Terms and Conditions

Overview

Faculty unit employees may request a personal or professional leave of absence without pay for a specified period of time.

Eligible employees include:

• Full-time faculty unit employees

• Less-than-full-time tenured faculty

• Less-than-full-time temporary faculty (may be granted short-duration leave, subject to CBA provisions)

Requests must:

• Be submitted in writing using the Request for Leave of Absence Without Pay form

• Be routed through the department/division/school chair

• Be reviewed by the college dean

• Receive final approval from the vice president for Academic Affairs (provost)

Faculty considering a leave without pay are strongly encouraged to review the terms and conditions carefully. Additional details, including eligibility requirements and timelines, are outlined in Article 22 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

Because leave without pay may affect compensation, benefits and service credit, faculty are encouraged to consult with their department chair and contact Academic Personnel with questions before applying.

Professional Leave Without Pay

Purpose

Professional leave without pay may be granted for activities that benefit the university, including:

• Research

• Advanced study

• Professional development

• Other activities that benefit Cal State Monterey Bay

Service Credit

Faculty on approved professional leave without pay:

• Continue to accrue service credit, when otherwise eligible, toward probation, sabbatical eligibility, difference-in-pay eligibility, Service Salary Increase (SSI) eligibility and seniority

• Do not accrue CalPERS retirement service credit during the leave period (retirement credit may be repurchased upon return)

Service credit accrual may be forfeited if the conditions of the leave are not met.

Personal Leave Without Pay

Purpose

Personal leave without pay may be granted for:

• Unpaid sick leave

• Outside employment

• Maternity or paternity leave

• Family care leave

• Other personal reasons

Service Credit

Faculty on personal leave without pay:

• Do not accrue service credit toward probation, sabbatical eligibility, difference-in-pay eligibility, Service Salary Increase (SSI) eligibility or seniority

• Do not accrue retirement service credit

Exceptions may apply as outlined in Articles 22.22 and 22.23 of the CBA.

Under certain circumstances, probationary faculty may request an extension of their probationary period.

Before You Apply

To ensure a clear understanding of the impact of leave without pay, faculty should:

• Review Article 22 of the CBA

• Consult with their department chair

• Contact Academic Personnel for guidance on eligibility, timelines and potential effects on benefits and service credit

This page provides a summary of important guidelines related to travel during sabbatical leave or other university-related activities.

For specific questions, please contact your college dean’s office or the Travel Office.

Sabbatical Approval Does Not Authorize Travel

Approval of sabbatical leave does not automatically authorize travel or reimbursement.

Faculty must submit a Request and Approval for Travel (RAT) form for any travel conducted in an official university capacity — including travel during sabbatical.

This requirement applies even if:

• The university will not cover any travel expenses
• The faculty member is covering all or part of the costs personally
• Travel is funded through a grant

The RAT formally acknowledges that the travel is university business and ensures appropriate coverage and documentation.

Why the RAT Is Required

An approved RAT:

• Documents official university business travel
• Identifies what expenses (if any) will be reimbursed
• Ensures Workers’ Compensation coverage
• Addresses insurance and risk management requirements

If a faculty member travels without an approved RAT, the university may not formally recognize the travel as official business, and Workers’ Compensation coverage may not apply.

International Travel Requirements

International travel requires additional approvals and documentation.

Before traveling internationally on university business:

• The RAT must be approved by the dean and the provost
• A copy of the approved RAT must be forwarded in advance to the Risk Manager
• Reimbursable expenses must be clearly identified and justified by the unit

Insurance Considerations

University insurance policies may not fully cover international travel. Faculty should be aware of this in advance and determine whether additional insurance coverage is needed.

Mixed Personal and Professional Travel

When personal and professional travel are combined, additional review may be required. Faculty should consult the dean’s office or Travel Office to ensure:

• Proper documentation
• Appropriate allocation of expenses
• Compliance with university policy

Travel Approval and Funding

Travel requests may be denied if:

• Submitted after the travel has occurred
• Determined to be inappropriate
• Insufficient funding is available
• The timing or justification does not meet policy requirements

Faculty may not travel on official university business until the RAT has been approved by the dean (and the provost for international travel).

Travel claims submitted after-the-fact will not be approved.

Grant-Funded Travel

Travel supported by grant funds still requires an approved RAT. Grant funding does not replace the requirement for formal travel authorization.

Before You Travel

To avoid delays or coverage issues:

• Submit your RAT early
• Confirm required approvals
• Review insurance considerations for international travel
• Consult the dean’s office or Travel Office with questions

Proper authorization protects both the faculty member and the university and ensures compliance with CSU and campus policy.