Time Off- Classified Employees

Annual Leave

Annual leave is used for personal needs such as vacation or personal business. The following accrual rates apply to Classified employees in the State Personnel System as of July 1, 2022. Leave accruals are prorated for part-time employees. 

* Years of service are computed from the 1st calendar day of the month following the hire date; except if the employee began work on the 1st working day of a month, include that month in the count. Employees with prior permanent State service, in or out of the state personnel system, earn leave based on the total whole months of service, excluding temporary assignments.

** Over-accrued amounts are forfeited at the beginning of the new fiscal year (July 1st). Your appointing authority may establish periods when annual leave may not be taken or is required. In some cases, involving other types of leave (e.g., exhaustion of sick leave or Family Medical Leave [FML]), the use of annual leave may be required.

Per the governance of the State Personnel Board Rules upon termination or death, unused leave is paid out up to the maximum accrual rate. For additional information, reference Time Off & Leave on the state website.

Colorado School of Mines observes 13 holidays.  Mines observes an alternate holiday schedule, which generally provides employees time off between Christmas and New Year’s.

See more information on paid holidays by checking out the Mines Holiday Calendar.

Sick leave is provided for health reasons, including mental or physical illness, injury, a health condition, diagnostic and preventative examinations, treatment, and recovery. It can also be used for the health needs of a family member as defined in the Rules (Chapter 5). Due to inclement weather, power/heat/water loss, or other unexpected occurrence, should the employee need to either evacuate their residence, or care for a family member whose school or place of care was closed, sick leave may be used. Employees may also use it after the death of a family member to grieve, attend services, or tend to financial/legal needs. Note: different definitions of “family member” apply to sick leave, FML, and Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI).

Sick leave is accrued at six point sixty-six (6.66) hours per month by full-time employees. Accrual is limited to three hundred sixty (360) hours plus any sick leave accrued on July 1, 1988. This means that employees who worked in the state personnel system on July 1, 1988, have individual maximum accrual rates for as long as they stay with the State. At the end of a fiscal year, up to eighty (80) hours of accumulated sick leave beyond the maximum limit is converted to annual leave at a rate of five hours of sick leave to one hour of annual leave, up to a maximum of sixteen (16) hours of annual leave and the remainder is forfeited.

For any absence from work for self or family of more than three consecutive full workdays, the employee is required to submit the State’s authorized form (or other official document containing the same information) completed by a healthcare provider, except for the qualifying exigency leave, within fifteen (15) calendar days or sick leave must be denied.

A State of Colorado Fitness-To-Return Certificate is required when an employee is absent from work for more than thirty (30) calendar days due to the employee’s own health condition. The appointing authority may require this certification for any absence of thirty (30) days or less based on the nature of the health condition in relation to the job assignment. If you exhaust your sick leave and are unable to return to work, accrued annual leave will be used. If annual leave is exhausted, your appointing authority has the discretion to grant you unpaid leave or administratively discharge you if FML, FAMLI, short-term disability leave or a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act are not applicable.

All unused sick leave is forfeited upon separation, except for employees meeting age and service requirements under the Public Employees’ Retirement Association (PERA) defined benefit (DB) plan on the date of separation, regardless of the retirement plan actually enrolled in. Employees who meet these requirements are compensated for one quarter (1⁄4) of their accrued sick leave balance up to their maximum accrual.

For additional information, reference Time Off & Leave on the state website.