On your electronic time sheet, your vacation balance is now displayed differently from before. It has been converted from a system that credited vacation only once a year (on your anniversary date) to one where vacation is credited monthly. The new vacation balance shown is your current balance; that is, it shows exactly the number of hours available to you.

Keep in mind that the maximum vacation accrual allowed is 320 hours, not including 5th week vacation. If you have used more vacation than you have accrued, you will have a negative balance.

The Balance Converter is an easy tool that shows you how your current vacation balance was calculated. There are three main parts:

• Prior Year Vacation - this is any vacation you earned in previous years but haven't yet used
• Accrued Vacation - this is all the vacation you earned between your last anniversary date and 7/2/06
• Used Vacation - this is any of this year's accrued vacation that you have already used

Please note that if your work schedule changed or you took 22 or more days of leave without pay between your last anniversary and the conversion to the new system, your balance was processed manually and the Balance Converter may not be accurate.

FAQs

What is an Accrual Rate Date and where do I find mine?
Accrual Rate Date (previously known as Vacation Eligibility Date) is simply the date used to determine your length of service at MIT for leave purposes. For most people, this is the same as their hire date. Your Accrual Rate Date is displayed on your electronic time sheet.

Now that my balance has been converted, will I still get a year's worth of vacation on my anniversary date?
No. Under the old system, you saw the credit for the prior year on your anniversary date. Under the new system, you will see your vacation accrue on a monthly basis.

Can I make a vacation request through SAP?
No. SAP will not replace local procedures for vacation approval. Prior to requesting vacation leave, you should check to determine your current balance. Supervisors have responsibility for coordinating and approving vacation schedules of their employees, following employees' preferences whenever work requirements in the department permit. The amount of vacation to be taken in any one period of time should be discussed well in advance with the supervisor, to allow adequate time to plan for work coverage.

I still have questions that aren't covered by anything I've read here. What do I do?
Feel free to contact your Human Resources Officer for assistance, or e-mail hr-questions@mit.edu.