Time off policies for ASEs
Last updated: November 7, 2024
Overview
This page summarizes time off provisions for Academic Student Employees (ASEs) represented by United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 4121. For complete details, refer to the ASE contract.
Sick time off provisions
Salaried ASEs
A salaried ASE whose appointment is 0.50 FTE for the academic year or longer receives 28 hours of paid sick time off per year (prorated per Article 17). Sick time off is awarded annually at the start of each annual appointment period on the effective date of the appointment. Sick time off may be used for the reasons described in Article 17 and is available for use immediately.
The use of sick time off during the academic quarter is included in the total workload hours per quarter. Any unused sick time off balance:
- Is not paid at separation;
- Does not transfer once an ASE is no longer part of the bargaining unit;
- Is not eligible for shared leave donation;
- Does not roll over from one academic year to another; and,
- Expires at the end of each annual appointment period.
Hourly ASEs
Hourly ASEs are eligible for paid sick time off per Article 17. Additional information is described on UWHR’s Sick time off for student hourly employees webpage.
Paid holidays and personal holiday provisions
Paid holidays
ASEs are not required to work on holidays which occur during the term of their appointment except as provided in Article 10 – Section 4. Salaried ASEs record holiday taken time off in Workday for each holiday during their appointment.
Personal holiday
Salaried ASEs employed at 0.50 FTE for three or more quarters during the 12-month period starting September 16 are entitled to one personal holiday during that 12-month period. Salaried ASEs must request a personal holiday in advance and find an acceptable substitute for scheduled work activities. Refer to the Using Your Personal Holiday guide for more information on the Workday process.
Impact on workload expectation
Article 35 – Workload describes the impact of paid holidays and the personal holiday on a salaried ASE’s quarterly workload expectation.
Requesting and approving time off
Requests to use sick time off and the personal holiday must be submitted according to department policy and recorded and tracked in Workday. There is currently no entry of vacation time off for use during breaks.
For more information on how to record and track time off use in Workday, refer to the Enter Absence (Time Off) webpage as well as the tables below.
Salaried ASEs – Time off tracking
The table below summarizes when and how to track time off types but does not describe all contract provisions. Refer to your department’s policies for more information, when applicable, on how to request and receive approval for the use of time off.
| Time off type | Track time off | How to track in Workday | Additional notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holidays (Article 10) | Enter holiday taken time off for holidays during academic quarters in which you have an appointment as a salaried ASE. | Plan ahead. To avoid having to log each holiday, record your intention to take the day off for upcoming UW holidays. | Quarterly workload expectation is not reduced by holidays (Article 35). Holiday taken time off does not route to the Time/Absence Approver for approval. |
| Personal Holiday (Article 10) | Enter hours on the day you select to use as a personal holiday | See Using Your Personal Holiday guide. | Quarterly workload expectation is not reduced by use of personal holiday (Article 35). |
| Sick time off (Article 17) | Use if you need to miss scheduled work activities for one of the reasons listed in Article 17, unless you can shift work activities to another time. Example 1: You have TA responsibilities Mon. and Wed. but are sick. Request sick time off for Mon. and Wed. but not Tues. Example 2: You have a doctor’s appointment and planned to grade papers at the time of the appointment. Do not request sick time off if you decide to grade papers at a different time. | See Enter Absence (Time Off) guide. | Quarterly workload expectation is reduced by use of sick time off (Article 35). If work is shifted to another time and sick time off is not used, this does not reduce the quarterly workload expectation. |
Department responsibilities and Workday transaction
Timing and management of appointments affects time off awards. Please review ASE appointment forms and FAQs to ensure your department is following proper procedures. Departments are responsible for communicating their departmental policies and procedures for requesting time off with ASEs and for ensuring that approvals are processed.
This table summarizes each Time Off type awarded to a salaried ASE with a 50% FTE with an academic year appointment starting in Fall Quarter. Complete time off provisions can be found in the ASE contract.
| Time off type | Tasks for department | Workday transaction | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holidays (Article 10) | Remind ASEs to enter holiday taken time off otherwise they end up with a balance of holiday credit | ASEs enter holiday taken time off which is automatically approved in Workday. | Entered for holidays during academic quarters in which they have an appointment as a salaried ASE. |
| Personal Holiday (Article 10) | Enter appointment by the campus approval deadline for the pay period ending 9/15. If that is not possible, enter appointment by the campus approval deadline for the pay period ending 9/30 to ensure the ASE receives the personal holiday. Enter appointment with an end employment date that aligns with offer letter. If it is not clear how positions may change (e.g., TA one quarter and RA the next), enter appointment for nine months and process terminations or job changes as needed. | Workday will check for eligible appointment on 9/16 and 10/1. Workday will award a 4-hour balance with no adjustment for FTE per appointment year annually at start on the effective date of the appointment. | Hours entered on the day they select to use as a personal holiday. |
| Sick Time Off (Article 17) | Enter appointment with an end employment date that aligns with offer letter. If it is not clear how positions may change (e.g., TA one quarter and RA the next), enter appointment for nine months and process terminations or job changes as needed. | Workday will award 28 hours of sick time off per appointment year annually at start on the effective date of the appointment. | Entered when they need to miss scheduled work activities for one of the reasons listed in Article 17 (unless they can shift work activities to another time). Example 1: TA has responsibilities Mon. and Wed. but are sick. Request sick time off for Mon. and Wed. but not Tues. Example 2: Doctor’s appointment and planned to grade papers at the time of the appointment. Do not request sick time off if shift grading papers to another time. |
Frequently asked questions
Contract language regarding time off
Salaried ASEs will request time off per departmental procedures and track time off in Workday.
The ASE contract describes paid holiday, personal holiday, and sick time off eligibility, award amount, and award timing.
Time off for ASEs is determined by contract provisions which are negotiated between UW and UAW Local 4121 and differ from rules governing time off for other UW employees. For full details on time off eligibility, award amounts, and conditions of use for ASEs, ASEs should always refer to the ASE contract.
Time off requests and approval
Tracking time off means following department procedures regarding when and how to request approval to use time off and record the use in Workday, UW’s campus-wide system for human resources, payroll and benefits.
Visit New to Workday? for an introduction to Workday and to find additional Workday guidance.
Planned or foreseeable absences should be requested in advance. Follow department procedures to request the time off, which may require manager approval by email before entering the time off request in Workday. Once the time off is entered into Workday, your time/absence approver receives a notification that their approval is required.
When an absence is unplanned, time off taken should be requested in Workday as soon as possible.
If you are unable to enter the time off in Workday yourself, your unit’s “Time and Absence Initiate” can enter the time off for you.
When to track Time Off
A scheduled work activity is work for which a salaried ASE is responsible by virtue of their position. Examples are leading a TA session, attending class, working in a lab, or attending required meetings. Some work activities must take place at designated times and places. For other required work activities, such as grading papers, an ASE may choose the time and place of the work.
If you use sick time off during a time when you had a scheduled work activity, the 220-hour quarterly workload expectation is reduced. The quarterly workload expectation is not reduced by the of use any other time off.
If work activities can be shifted, a request to use sick time off may not be needed. Because work is shifted, the quarterly workload expectation is not reduced.
For example, if you make a dentist appointment on a morning when you do not have a scheduled work activity (e.g., lead quiz section) but otherwise typically use the time to complete work activities (e.g., grade papers), you do not have to request sick time off if you plan to grade papers at a different time.
Though agreement was reached that salaried ASEs would request time off for vacation and track time off in Workday, vacation time off tracking has not yet been implemented. Until vacation time off tracking is implemented, departments will maintain the status quo for this time off type. No action by ASEs or departments is required. If an ASE decides to use vacation time off as a supplemental benefit for PFML, it will continue to be available.