Policy for Buying Annual Leave

Introduction
Eligibility
Requests for additional annual leave
Paying for additional annual leave
Calculating the cost of the additional leave
General Consideration
Equality Impact Assessment
Buying Annual Leave Form

1.0 Introduction

Aberystwyth University (AU) is committed to supporting that its employees maintain a healthy work life balance through a policy framework designed to support lifestyle choices.  This policy builds on current provision which relates to:-

  • Maternity leave
  • Paternity leave
  • Shared Parental Leave
  • Adoption Leave
  • Unpaid Leave Policy
  • Career Break Policy
  • Time off for Dependents
  • Time off for public duties
  • Flexible Working Policy
  • Flexi Time Policy

2.0 Eligibility

2.1 This benefit of being able to purchase additional annual leave applies to Aberystwyth University staff members, excluding the following:

  • Employees engaged on a fixed-term/temporary contract for less than 12 months.
  • Employees engaged on contracts that do not contain fixed hours or are Atypical.
  • Employees employed directly by University subsidiary companies.

2.2 An employee must demonstrate that they intend to use all of their contracted annual leave in addition to the additional leave in the leave year. An employee who buys additional annual leave must ensure the leave is used within the leave year.  There is no carry forward provision for additional annual leave bought except as defined in Section 6.2.

3.0      Requests for additional annual leave

3.1 As the policy has been introduced mid leave year, requests for additional annual leave in 2015 will be given consideration in July. From 2016, requests for additional annual leave will be given consideration in the first month of each leave year. i.e January.

Institute Managers, Institute Directors and Heads of Professional Service Departments may, at their discretion, consider requests for additional annual leave during the year where an employee’s circumstances change.

3.2 An employee may request to have a maximum of 36.5 additional annual leave hours (pro rata for part time employees i.e. mapped in against their work schedule) in a leave year.  The leave year runs from 1st January to 31st December.

3.3 All requests to buy additional annual leave will be considered by the appropriate Institute Manager, Institute Director or Head of Professional Service Department taking into consideration the operational needs of the Department/Institute.  Requests will be considered where possible within 10 working days of receipt of the request via ABW.

  • The outcomes from the request will be:
    • Granted in full
    • Granted in part
    • Declined

Where it is not possible to accommodate the full request a written response will be  provided detailing the reason why. 

3.4 Where the leave requested is declined, there will be no right of appeal under this policy.

3.5 Once the request has been approved by the appropriate manager it will not be possible to rescind the leave already purchased during the leave year.

3.6 The employees annual leave balance will then be updated on ABW.

4.0 Paying for additional annual leave

 4.1 The additional hours annual leave will be paid for through one of the following methods:

  • A deduction from salary as one lump sum in advance of taking the additional leave;
  • A deduction from salary over a maximum of 6 consecutive months commencing in February of that particular year. (N.B. the deductions would be August to December 2020 for requests submitted in July 2020.)
  • The employee will complete the necessary mandate for the deduction to be processed at the time of submitting the request to buy additional annual leave.

5.0 Calculating the cost of the additional leave

5.1 Additional annual leave will be calculated against the employee’s hourly rate of pay times the number of hours purchased.

  • e.g:
    • 36.5 hours x Scp 13 (£10.89/hour) = £397.4
    • 5 hours x Scp 13 (£10.89/hour) = £81.67

6.0 General Consideration

6.1 The additional annual leave bought will be added to the employee’s annual leave entitlement on Pobl Aber People by the HR department. 

6.2 Where an employee falls sick during a period of additional annual leave a new date(s) should be submitted to the appropriate manager for a determination within the same leave year.  However, where it is not possible to do so, the existing arrangements on carrying over outstanding annual leave as a result of a period of sickness absence will apply to any additional annual leave purchased. 

7.0 Equality Impact Assessment

The University is committed to embedding the Equality Scheme into its policies, procedures and practices.  This policy has been equality impact assessed in accordance with this scheme.

Policy Review

Human Resources will co-ordinate a review of this policy in order to maintain compliance with legislation and good practice. The review will be undertaken in liaison with the recognised trade unions and any proposed amendments will be submitted to the appropriate relevant committee, University Executive and Council if required.

Version 1.1

Last Reviewed: March 2020

Review Date: March 2021