Personal Leave

Non-Union Staff Personal and Educational Leave

Union Staff Personal and Educational Leave

  • Employees with at least one year of bargaining unit seniority are eligible for a personal or educational leave. Personal or educational leaves may be approved for up to 2 years, or overall length of bargaining unit seniority, whichever is less, and will protect prior continuous service and benefits in the event of re-employment by Syracuse University on or before the expiration date of the leave. A leave of absence without pay does not guarantee reinstatement in your former position; however, every effort will be made to assist you in finding a comparable job at the University upon your return. In the event that the position held by the employee has been filled and there is no other like position available upon the employee’s return, the employee will be placed on a preferential hiring list and considered for open positions before any consideration is given to candidates outside the bargaining unit.
  • Service credits for educational benefits, holidays, vacation, pension and sick leave do not accrue during a leave without pay. Failure to return immediately upon expiration of a leave of absence or acceptance of a job elsewhere during the leave is considered a voluntary termination and service dates and benefits will be terminated as of that date. The restriction regarding other job acceptance does not apply to an employee on an educational leave who accepts an assistantship or a work study job from an educational institution.
  • It is your responsibility to make arrangements with Human Resources to continue coverage of group health, dental, and life insurance by continuing to pay the monthly premiums. These benefits will only stay in effect for 1 year. The second year of leave will not include continuation of benefits, but will protect prior continuous service in the event of re-employment by Syracuse University on or before the expiration of the leave. Payments should be made in advance of each month of absence or until termination or a break in service hours.