Other Types of Leave

Compassionate Leave

Regular and part-time staff employees will be granted three paid days in the event of the death of an immediate family member or an individual with whom the employee had a serious and sustained relationship. Immediate family member is defined as wife, husband, son, daughter, mother, father, brother, sister, mother-in-law, father–in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, step-parents, or step-children. Pets are excluded from this definition.

Oregon’s Family Leave Act permits eligible employees to take Bereavement Leave up to two weeks per family member, in a one year time period (to be taken within 60 days of notification of the death) to make arrangements necessitated by the death, to attend the funeral or alternative to a funeral, or to grieve. The term “family member” for Oregon’s Family Leave Act is defined to include: a spouse, a same-gender domestic partner, a parent, a child, a grandparent and grandchild. The University reduces the employee’s OFLA entitlement by any OFLA leave used in the current leave year for the employee’s own or a family member’s serious health condition, Parental leave, Sick Child leave, OMFLA Military Family leave and OFLA Bereavement leave. The University requires employees to use any accrued paid leave for Bereavement Leave that is not employer paid.

Jury Duty

Pacific University supports staff members in fulfilling their obligations as citizens to serve when called for jury duty. Staff members will be paid their regular compensation based on their regular work schedule. The staff member should notify their supervisor that they have been called to jury duty and provide verification of serving. The staff member called to jury duty is expected to be at work when not serving on a jury and is expected to report to work after being excused for the day, provided that at least 2 working hours remain in the day.

Staff members who are required to testify in court on behalf of the University will receive regular pay; staff members who appear in court on personal matters may use vacation pay or may request leave without pay.

Military Leave

Employees who are members of the military reserve or the National Guard will be granted a Leave of Absence without pay for mandatory training, active military duty, active duty for training or other reason required under State or Federal law. Employees must provide their supervisor with copies of their military orders as soon as is practicable, which will be forwarded to Human Resources to be retained in the employee's personnel file. The employee is expected to request the leave in advance so the supervisor can make provisions for the employee's absence.

Employees on military leave will be entitled to the following:

  • the use of earned vacation pay for part or all of the leave period
  • the university will continue to pay health, life and disability insurance for the first twelve weeks of the leave.  If  the leave is extends beyond that time, employees have the right to continue health coverage for up to 18 months by payment of premiums to the university
  • employees returning from military leave will be credited with a retirement plan contribution for the period of time that the employee was on leave

Employees on military leave, will be reinstated to their position, provided their service does not exceed five years and provided they are discharged under honorable conditions.

Reinstatement is to the job the employee had, or an equivalent position or another position depending on the employee's length of service and qualifications.

Military service does not constitute a break in service, and the staff member retains previously accumulated benefits at the University. Reinstatement is at the benefit level the employee would have had if continuously employed with no break in service.

An employee may be required to provide documents to verify his/her rights to reinstatement, including military separation papers. An employee, who fails to report to apply for re-instatement within the appropriate time period indicated by the length of service, will be considered to have voluntarily resigned.

Personal Leave

At times it is necessary to take time off from work for personal reasons. All employees who have passed their orientation period are eligible to apply for a Personal Leave of Absence. Personal Leaves are unpaid.

Professional Development Leave

The Professional Development Leave Policy provides the opportunity for eligible university administrative staff members to pursue unique professional development, community outreach, and/or specialized school or training opportunities during a supported, extended leave. The leave policy firmly reflects Pacific University’s commitment to enhanced employee personal and professional performance, the acquisition of new skills and abilities, and individual life-long learning through education, service, research, or related pursuits.  Although professional development leaves are a privilege and not a guaranteed, accrued benefit, this policy does provide those staff members who may have extraordinary learning opportunities the support to pursue those activities on behalf of the institution.  In return, the employee’s enhanced knowledge and/or experience must benefit the university in some valued, tangible way in order for the leave to be supported and approved. 

Eligibility Requirements
  • 12-month appointment
  • Full-time employment
  • Support from both direct supervisor and responsible cabinet level administrator
  • At least five years of consecutive service (after every five years of service, eligibility renews)
  • One year of work post leave required
General Provisions (versus annual conferences, meetings, etc.)
  • 1 – 4 month leave possible
  • Full salary and benefits during leave
  • Extraordinary professional growth opportunity required
  • Generally no more than four administrative staff members receive leave within one fiscal year
  • The employee may not accept other employment during a granted leave
Application Process
  • Applications are due by Sept. 1 of year prior to the fiscal year the leave will apply.
  • Applications must be endorsed with signature by direct supervisor and responsible cabinet level administrator
  • Applications must include:
    • Planned professional development activities
    • A detailed written outline of leave duration including beginning and ending dates
    • Benefits to the employee
    • Benefits to the university
  • Decisions will be made based on the following factors:
    • The merits of the application
    • The extent to which the planned professional development will benefit the university
    • The degree to which the employee’s absence will create hardship on the applicant’s department
    • The applicant’s length of service and level of performance
    • The available funding and impact on the budget
Miscellaneous Information
  • Limited funds will be set aside for temporary replacement support for the departments of staff members who are granted professional development leave.
  • Final decisions will be made by members of the President’s Cabinet.
  • Notification of applicants will happen by Oct. 1. The applicable vice president notifies the applicant if their leave has been accepted or denied.
  • If an employee chooses to leave the institution before one year after the leave, the full salary received during the granted leave must be paid back to the institution in whole.
  • After returning to work, the employee must present what has been gained during the leave via presentation, report or some other agreed upon means for Pacific community.
  • Applications are due to the Human Resources Office by Sept. 1 prior to the fiscal year the leave will apply.