Eligible employees are granted vacation, personal holiday, and legal holiday hours annually. Faculty, academic staff, university staff, and limited appointees receive their hours on July 1 each year.
Types of Paid Leave
Paid Leave Summary Charts
Vacation
Vacation provides employees with paid time off work for vacations and other personal purposes. For less than full time appointments, vacation hours are prorated. This policy does not apply to Crafts Workers as defined in UW-5028 Crafts Workers/Trades.
See also: UW–Madison Vacation Policy
Personal and Legal Holiday
Personal Holiday
Personal Holiday grants eligible employees 36 hours (4.5 days) of personal holiday hours per year. Part-time employees are granted a prorated amount based on appointment percentage.
Legal Holiday
Legal Holiday grants eligible employees nine paid legal holidays per year. UW-Madison follows the nine legal holidays recognized by the State of Wisconsin.
Floating Holidays
Eligible employees are granted eight hours of floating legal holiday (prorated for part-time) when: (a) a legal holiday falls on a Saturday or (b) a legal holiday falls on a Sunday and the following Monday is also a legal holiday.
When a legal holiday falls on a Sunday, the legal holiday is observed and UW–Madison is closed on the Monday following the legal holiday.
Due to varying business needs throughout UW, some employees may be required to work on a legal holiday. Employees who are required to work on a legal holiday, or if the legal holiday is on an employee’s regularly scheduled day off, will be granted a floating legal holiday.
Legal Holidays Calendar
Sick Leave
Sick Leave provides eligible employees earned time off for absences related to the following:
- Personal illnesses, injury, disability, pregnancy, adoption, or exposure to contagious disease
- Care for an immediate family member
- Attend immediate family or personal medical or dental appointments
- Death of an immediate family member
- Absence covered by the WFMLA or FMLA
Unused sick leave accumulates from year to year, without limit, in employee sick leave accounts.
See also: UW–Madison Sick Leave Policy
Paid Parental Leave
The UW–Madison Paid Parental Leave policy, effective July 1, 2024, will provide eligible employees with up to six weeks (240 hours) of paid parental leave within a 12-month period for the birth or adoption of a child. Concurrently with the implementation of the new policy, UW–Madison will also make updates to the existing Postdoc Absence with Pay & Legal Holidays policy.
Request Form
Parental Leave Checklists
Paid Parental Leave Resources
- Planning for Parental LeaveThis resource is designed to give an overview of UW Madison’s leave options for employees and provide additional support to assist in planning for parental leave. The information in this resource summarizes policy and is intended as a support document. For additional information, clarification, and to make a request for parental leave, please contact your Divisional Disability Representative (DDR).
See also: UW–Madison Paid Parental Leave Policy
Leave for Serving on Jury Duty or as a Witness
Serving on Jury Duty
Leave for Serving on Jury Duty provides all eligible employees leave with pay when summoned for grand or petit jury duty.
Faculty, Academic Staff, Limited Appointees, and University Staff who are sick-leave eligible are entitled to receive their regular salary in addition to juror pay. UW earnings are not reduced by any pay the employee receives for jury duty service.
Employees who are not sick-leave eligible are not entitled to receive their regular salary while on leave but may receive pay for jury duty.
Serving as a Witness
All employees who serve as a witness to a work-related matter are not required to report leave for the time they are in court. The employee will remain in pay status for the duration of their service. If an employee is serving as a witness for a non-work-related matter, they must follow their division/department leave request and notification processes.
See also: UW–Madison Leave for Serving on Jury Duty or as a Witness Policy
Leave for Voting or Serving as an Election Official
Voting
Leave for Voting grants all eligible employees up to three consecutive hours of leave with pay to vote. Ineligible employees are entitled to leave without pay to vote.
See also: UW–Madison Voting Leave Policy
Serving as an Election Official
Leave for Serving as an Election Official grants all eligible employees leave with pay to serve as an election official during work hours on a public, special, primary, or general election day. Ineligible employees are entitled to leave without pay to serve as an election official.
Funerals or Bereavement
Leave Usage for Funerals or Bereavement allows eligible employees to use their accrued time off for funeral and bereavement for a family member or non-immediate family member. Ineligible employees or employees who do not have available leave should make a request for leave without pay to their supervisor or department.
Religious Observances
Leave Usage for Religious Observances allows all employees to exercise their religious beliefs through requesting accommodation for religious observances. Vacation, floating holiday, personal holiday hours, as well as other arrangements with their supervisor or divisional Human Resources representative can be requested.
Faculty Sabbatical
Faculty Sabbatical allows eligible faculty members to engage in intensive study to become more effective teachers and scholars and to enhance their services to the University. Sabbatical leave may be granted for the purpose of enhancing teaching, course, and curriculum development, or conducting research or any other scholarly activities related to instructional programs within the field of expertise of the faculty member.
Bone Marrow and Human Organ Donation
Paid Leave for Bone Marrow and Human Organ Donation allows eligible employees to qualify to receive a paid leave of absence to serve as a bone marrow or human organ donor.