The University strives to provide a balanced employee fringe benefit program to support the many needs of its diverse workforce. Fringe benefits cannot be guaranteed and are subject to change at any time. Details about Troy University employee fringe benefits are available on the University website and in the Human Resources Office.

Troy University has nine official holidays each calendar year:

Only permanent full-time staff employees earn annual leave. Full-time professional (non-faculty) personnel earn eight (8) hours of annual leave at the completion of each month of employment. Classified personnel earn annual leave at the rate of 80 hours per year. This computes to 3.12 hours per bi-weekly pay period. Classified employees must annotate annual leave taken on the time card. Professional employees must complete an Leave Request/Report form (forms available in the Office of Human Resources) prior to taking annual leave. Said form must be signed by the supervisor and submitted to the Office of Human Resources. Annual leave accumulates to a maximum of 160 hours. In September of each year, records are adjusted to reflect no more than 160 hours of available annual leave. A continuous record of annual leave is maintained. Annual leave must be prearranged with the immediate supervisor and scheduled at the convenience of the University. Upon termination of employment, employees will be paid for accrued leave, not to exceed 160 hours (20 days).

Only regular full-time employees accrue sick leave. Monthly-paid personnel accrue 8 hours of sick leave for each month of employment. Sick leave for bi-weekly paid personnel is accrued at the rate of 3.68 hours each bi­weekly pay period. Sick leave accrual is unlimited. Sick leave for classified employees must be an­notated on the time card. Sick leave for faculty and professional employees must be reported to the Office of Human Resources by completing the Leave Request/Report form on the first day the employee returns from sick leave. An employee is not paid for unused sick leave upon termination or retirement. Sick leave may be used for retirement credit according to the policy of the Teachers' Retirement System. Sick leave is a privilege and must not be abused. It is granted for the following reasons:

1. Illness or injury of the employee or visits to a doctor or dentist.
    
2. Care for an ill member of the immediate family (spouse, child, mother, father, brother, sister, grandparent, mother-in-law, father-in-law).
    
3. Death in the immediate family (as defined above).
   1. A doctor's certificate or other proof of illness may be required to verify appropriate use of sick leave. Immediate supervisors should be notified as early as possible prior to sick leave absences. During an extended illness, an employee's accumulated sick leave is used until it is exhausted; then any accumulated annual leave is used to keep the employee on the payroll. When both have been exhausted, the employee can apply for a leave of absence without pay. Sick leave will not be advanced.
       
   2. An employee who has experienced an extended absence due to personal or immediate family illness may request sick leave donations. To request donated sick leave hours, an employee notifies the immediate supervisor in writing stating the reason for the request and the estimated number of sick leave hours needed. The written request is forwarded through the supervisor to the Office of Human Resources. The employee must exhaust all leave balances prior to receiving donated sick leave hours. A limit of 12 weeks donated sick leave per rolling year is allowed.
       
   3. The University will accept, for retirement purposes only, sick leave earned at other Alabama state agencies which participate in the Retirement Systems of Alabama.

Leave is provided for conditions associated with pregnancy and childbirth and related medical conditions. Such leave may be accumulated sick leave and/or FMLA leave. (See the FMLA policy with reference to the concurrent use of University-provided leave and FMLA leave). Absences related to pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions are treated the same as illnesses. Medical verification may be required. Pregnant employees may continue working as long as they desire, provided they have the consent of their obstetrician. (Such written consent may be required by the Univerity). Application for leave should be made as far as practicable in advance of the expected starting date of leave so that arrangements for a replacement can be accomplished.

Administrative leave, authorized by the administration, may be given with pay and does not affect annual or sick leave. Neither compensatory time nor overtime pay can be claimed when working on administrative leave days, unless total hours worked exceeds 40 hours during the work week. Employees required to work during administrative leave days do not receive additional compensation but are paid as regular hours worked.

The University permits full time faculty members leave with pay for attendance in court for jury duty. Written evidence of jury duty may be requested by the University. The University will comply with all applicable Federal and State laws governing jury duty.

All employees are encouraged to vote in each election. If necessary, time (not to exceed one hour) will be scheduled by supervisors to enable full-time employees to vote.

Full-time employees who are active members of the Alabama National Guard, or any reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States, will be granted military leave from their positions for training or other service ordered under Alabama or Federal Laws. Official military orders must be provided to immediate supervisor for approval of military leave. Leave with full pay cannot be granted for more than 21 days in any calendar year. Leave with partial pay shall abide by the provisions set forth by the Code of Alabama.

Full-time employees may request a leave of absence without pay. Except for illness or sick leave, employees are required to submit a thoroughly documented Leave of Absence Request form to the supervisor for initial review and recommendation at least two months in advance (if possible) of the beginning date of leave. The leave must be approved by the Dean, Provost, and/or Vice Chancellor. A copy of the approved request will be furnished to the employee and included in the employee's personnel record. Health and life insurance may be continued during the leave of absence, but the total cost of such benefits must be borne by the employee. However, should the Family and Medical Leave Act be utilized, employees may make arrangements to pay their portion of the health insurance premiums during their leave. Sick leave and annual leave do not accrue during an employee's leave of absence. Employees granted a leave of absence retain their jobs and will be reinstated upon return to work. Overstaying a leave of absence without prior notification and approval, or seeking and accepting other employment without previous authorization, constitutes an automatic resignation and subsequent loss of benefits. Personnel Action Forms must be completed by the supervisor to remove the employee from the payroll and to reinstate the employee. A leave of absence may be granted for the following reasons:

1. Education Leave (up to 12 months) - Must be job-related in that it leads to an advanced degree or increased job qualifications.
    
2. Sick Leave (up to 12 months) - Can be granted for additional maternity leave and extended illness.
    
3. Personal Leave (up to 6 months) - Must be for a justifiable reason and must not unduly interfere with normal University business.
    
4. Child Care Leave (up to 6 months) - Will be granted on the same basis as personal leave.
    
5. Special Leave (up to 6 months) - Will be granted in special cases when it is in the best interest of the University and the employee.
    

University faculty and staff are eligible for 12 weeks of unpaid leave within any 12 months period in accordance with the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA), as follows:

1. Eligibility for FMLA Leave: To be eligible for FMLA leave, you must (a) have been employed by the University for at least 12 months and (b) have performed at least 1250 hours of service for the University during the 12 months period immediately preceding the commencement of the leave.
    
2. Qualifying events: The qualifying events for FMLA leave are:
   For the birth of a son or daughter, and to care for the newborn child;
   For placement with the employee of a son or daughter for adoption or foster care;
   To care for the employee’s spouse, son, daughter, or parent with a serious health condition; and
   Because of a serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the functions of the employee’s job.
    
3. Requesting FMLA leave: The forms to request FMLA leave are available in the Office of Human Resources. Forms are also available on the University website at: www.troy.edu/humanresources/forms.htm.
    
4. Notice to the University: Where practicable, you should give 30 calendar days advance notice of the need to take FMLA leave. Where 30 days advance notice is not practicable, you should give as much notice as is practicable. These provisions are designed to enable the University to make arrangements for a replacement.
    
5. Certification of Health Care Provider: Where leave is requested for an employee’s serious health condition or the serious health condition of a spouse, son, daughter, or parent, the form to request FMLA leave will be accompanied by an FMLA form known as Certification of Health Care Provider which the employee must have completed by the attending health care provider and returned to the Office of Human Resources. A completed and returned Certification of Health Care Provider is required, and is a condition to the approval of FMLA leave.
    
6. Absence of more than 3 Consecutive Days for an Employee’s Serious Health Condition: An employee who is required to be absent for more than three (3) consecutive days because of his or her serious health condition should notify his or her supervisor, who in turn will notify the Office of Human Resources to provide the FMLA request form and Certification of Health Care Provider to the employee for his or her use if he or she so desires.
    
7. Concurrent use of accrued University provided time off: All forms and types of paid and unpaid leave related to an FMLA qualifying absence shall be counted toward an employee’s maximum 12 weeks FMLA leave. Therefore, an employee will be required to utilize any University-provided time off concurrently with FMLA leave, with both University-provided time off and FMLA leave being counted toward the 12 weeks FMLA leave. For example, in the case of an employee with 30 days accrued sick days, such first 30 days of sick days will be applied to the maximum of 12 weeks FMLA leave.
    
8. Insurance coverage: Employees on FMLA leave may maintain any existing health care insurance coverage and any existing life insurance coverage by paying the employee share of the premium.
    
9. Return to work: An employee on FMLA leave is entitled to be returned to the same position he or she held when leave commenced, or to an equivalent position with equivalent benefits, pay, and other terms and conditions of employment. A fitness for duty certification from the employee’s health care provider may be required by the University.
    
10. 12 months period: For purposes of determing eligibility for 12 weeks FMLA leave within any 12 months period, such 12 months period will be measured backward from the date any FMLA leave begins to determine the number of FMLA weeks available.

All full-time employees, and non temporary part-time employees (non-students) who work at least 20 hours per week, are required to participate in The Teachers' Retirement System of Alabama. This retirement plan is the primary retirement plan for System employees. Information about the plan is available in the campus Office of Human Resources. Employees planning to retire should notify the campus Office of Human Resources 90 days prior to the retirement date so that appropriate documents may be prepared.

Full-time employees are eligible for tuition assistance in accordance with the Troy University Tuition Assistance Policy. Employees, their spouses, and eligible dependents may qualify for a reduction of normal tuition cost under the policy. The University Tuition Assistance Policy is available on the University website. Employees must make up any work time missed while taking a course during business hours.