Full-Time Educational Leave With Pay

Policy Statement

Durham Technical Community College provides the opportunity to all full-time (40 hours per week) employees to request full-time educational leave with pay.

Purpose

Full-Time educational leave with pay will be granted at the convenience of the college and for the primary benefit of the college. An employee is eligible for full-time educational leave with pay if the following criteria are met:

• The employee is currently employed full-time (40 hours per week) on an annual fiscal year basis;

• The employee has been employed full-time by Durham Technical Community College for a minimum of three consecutive years;

• The employee is employed on a regular contract of employment;

• The education leave request does not exceed a period of one academic term as established by the institution the employee is enrolled in;

• The educational leave is to take courses or complete academic work (e.g. thesis or dissertation) directly related to improving the competencies of the employee in performing his/her assigned duties and are reflected in the employee’s professional development objectives on his/her current Performance Review and Evaluation; and

• The employee signs an addendum to his/her employment contract, agreeing to return to full-time employment with the college for the academic year immediately following the completion of the educational leave.

Durham Tech Community College’s Human Resources office must receive an official grade report/transcript of courses taken and grades earned within 60 days of the employee’s completion of the leave.

An employee who fails to have the transcript sent to Human Resources, who fails to honor any contract then in existence with Durham Tech Community College, or who fails to execute a regular contract of employment for the academic year immediately following the completion of the educational leave shall be required to repay the salary paid during the term of the educational leave. Should the employee fulfill a portion of the contract of employment for the next academic year but fail to remain employed at the college for the entire employment term, the employee shall refund a prorated portion of the salary paid during the term of the educational leave.

An employee’s written request for educational leave must be submitted and approved through the employee’s supervisory channels and the President for approval using the Educational Leave Request Form. The request must include the following:

• The amount of desired educational leave;

• The name of the institution where classes are to be taken or other work is to be completed;

• The starting and ending dates for the academic term (if applicable);

• A statement of perceived benefit to the employee and the college; and

• The cost to replace the employee should part-time assistance be required or an explanation of the impact on the college should replacement be by an existing employee.

Educational/Professional Leave Request forms submitted to supervisors and to the President for considering approval and/or submitted to the Business Office after the educational leave has begun or has been completed will automatically be declined for waiving the tuition and fees or associated expenses. Any education leave taken before obtaining the President’s approval will be considered as leave without pay, and the employee must reimburse the college for any associated expenditures the college has paid.

During full-time educational leave with pay, the employee will be continued as a regular full-time employee of the college and be eligible for all employee benefits and compensations.

An employee who has received full-time educational leave with pay must be employed by Durham Tech Community College full time for an additional three consecutive years before again being eligible for full-time educational leave with pay.

Please review this memo that clarifies processes regarding the accounting for leave and “unpaid” (non-contract) days for full-time faculty and staff.