Annual Leave

 

The University of Reading is committed to supporting colleagues' wellbeing and work-life balance through a generous annual leave entitlement, in addition to bank holidays and University closure days.

The annual leave year runs from 1 October to 30 September. Annual leave entitlement is calculated in accordance with contractual hours and working pattern, with part-time colleagues receiving the equivalent entitlement on a pro-rata basis. Entitlement is also calculated on a pro-rata basis for colleagues who join or leave part way through an annual leave year. 

Annual Leave Entitlement

For full-time colleagues, the annual leave entitlement comprises:

This provides an overall entitlement of up to 40 days per leave year. 

Colleagues whose leave is recorded in hours will see the equivalent entitlement reflected in Employee Self Service (ESS), based on their contractual hours and working pattern.

Employee Self Service (ESS)

Employee Self Service (ESS) is the University's definitive record of:

Employee Self Service(ESS) must be used to view and manage annual leave throughout the leave year. 

Booking Annual Leave

Annual leave must be requested and approved through Employee Self Service(ESS) before it is taken. 

Colleagues should submit leave requests as far in advance as possible. When considering requests, managers will take account of operational requirements and local business needs.

Colleagues in student-facing roles should normally take the majority of their annual leave outside teaching and other key student-facing periods wherever possible. 

Carrying Forward Annual Leave

Annual leave is intended to support rest, wellbeing and work-life balance. Colleagues are therefore encouraged to take their full entitlement during the leave year. 

A maximum of one working week of annual leave is automatically carried forward into the following leave year. 

Annual Leave Purchase Scheme

Eligible colleagues may apply to purchase additional annual leave through the University's Annual Leave Purchase Scheme, subject to the scheme rules and manager approval. 

Further information is available on the Annual Leave Purchase Scheme page. Annual Leave Purchase Scheme,

Days and Hours Schemes

The University uses two methods of recording annual leave:

The method used depends on an individual's working pattern and ensures annual leave is recorded consistently and accurately across different working arrangements.

Days Scheme

The days scheme is used where a colleague works the same proportion of their weekly hours on each working day.

Examples include:

Hours Scheme

The hours scheme is used where working hours vary between days or weeks.

Examples include:

Annual leave is recorded and booked in hours.

New Employees 

If you start part-way through the annual leave year, you will receive a pro rata entitlement from your start date up to the end of the current annual leave year (30 September). Entitlement includes bank holidays and closure days, pro rata for the proportion of the leave year worked. iTrent calculates your entitlement by comparing your working pattern against bank holidays and closure days which fall on days in the proportion of the year you are working and deducts this from your entitlement displaying the remaining amount to be used for personal holiday.

Colleagues leaving the University

If you leave the University, any outstanding annual leave (pro-rata to the leaving date) should normally be taken before the termination date. However, where this is not possible, payment may be made in lieu of leave accrued but not taken. If you have taken more than the accrued leave entitlement for the current leave year, the University will make a deduction to cover the excess leave taken from your final payment.

Because annual leave entitlement in iTrent reflect the entitlement for the full year it will only be reduced proportionately when a leaving date has been input into the system by HR. Calculators below are available for those colleagues wishing to approximate their remaining annual leave entitlement. 

 

Moving Between Schemes

If a colleague's working pattern changes, the annual leave scheme applied may also change.

Moving between schemes does not increase or reduce annual leave entitlement. The scheme used simply reflects the most appropriate way of recording leave for the working pattern in place.

For this reason, the annual leave scheme applied is determined by working pattern requirements rather than personal preference.