Personal Leave

Benefits-eligible staff may request personal leave if an absence does not qualify for FMLA or another university leave category. The amount of time that may be approved depends on your length of service and the operational needs of your department.

Review the Time Off and Leave Guide for details about personal leave, including eligibility, coordination with paid time off and more. 

Eligibility

Unpaid personal leave may be requested after completion of ninety (90) days of employment.

  • Staff members who have fewer than six (6) months of service in a benefits-eligible position may request a personal leave of absence for a period not to exceed ten (10) workdays.
  • Staff members who have completed a minimum of six (6) months of service in a benefits-eligible position may request longer periods of personal leave.
Coordination with Paid Time Off

All applicable vacation and sick time is required to be exhausted upon personal leave approval. For example:

  • If an employee is requesting personal leave to care for an ill family member, both vacation and sick time exhaustion will be required during personal leave. 
  • If the leave is for training or educational purposes or another non-sick time policy qualifying reason, only vacation time exhaustion will be required.
Benefits Continuation

Employees may choose to either continue or cancel eligible benefits during unpaid leave. Benefits continuation (PDF) varies between the leaves of absence.

Employees can cancel benefits during unpaid leave in bswift, the university’s benefits enrollment system. Please note that cancelation of any of voluntary life or disability benefits (e.g., optional employee or spouse life, voluntary short-term disability, etc.).  Evidence of Insurability (EOI) may be required to re-enroll in those benefits upon returning to work.

Premium Remittance

If continuing benefits during unpaid leave, employees will need to pay their benefits premiums through bswift, GW's benefits enrollment system. If applicable, bswift will provide instructions on how to log into the billing account in order to remit payment for benefits premiums due during unpaid leave.

Please note if benefits premiums are not paid, benefits may be canceled effective the end of the month following the last payment or deduction. 

Returning to Work

Employees should contact their manager and Benefits prior to returning to work from a leave of absence. Failure to provide timely notice of returning may negatively affect payroll and benefits processing.

Benefits Enrollment

Upon return to active employment, employees may re-enroll in any canceled benefits within 30 calendar days of returning to work via the benefits enrollment system. If no election is made, the next opportunity to enroll will be during open enrollment or within 30 calendar days of a Qualified Life Event.

How to Apply

Personal leave is managed at the department level. Employees must complete the personal leave request form (PDF) as far in advance of the intended leave as possible. 

For questions about personal leave, please contact Benefits at [email protected].