Important reminders about your PTO benefits

At Augustana College, we recognize that time away from work is essential for your well-being. Whether you are planning to travel or enjoying downtime at home, your Paid Time Off (PTO) benefit is there to help you maintain a healthy work-life balance.

As we move through the year, we want to ensure all eligible employees understand the "use it or lose it" nature of this policy so you don't miss out on your earned time off.

The "use it or lose it" rule

Augustana’s PTO policy operates on a fiscal year schedule. Generally, the PTO awarded to you must be utilized within the same fiscal year in which it is granted. If these hours are not used by the end of the fiscal year, they are forfeited.

The Exception: 24-Hour Carryover

While the goal is to use your time during the current year, the college provides a limited carryover option to offer flexibility.

• You may carry over a maximum of 24 hours of unused PTO into the next fiscal year.
• Important: You cannot accumulate additional carryover hours in subsequent years. Any balance exceeding 24 hours at the end of the fiscal year will be lost and cannot be paid out.

Am I eligible?

This policy applies to administrative and staff employees working 20 hours per week or more.

• Note: Faculty, coaches, and staff working fewer than 20 hours generally observe academic breaks for planned absences and should consult their department chairs regarding time off.
• New employees: If you are new to the college, eligibility begins the first of the month following 60 days of continuous employment.

Using your time

PTO is flexible and can be used for both planned absences (vacations, scheduled medical appointments) and unplanned absences (personal or family illness).

How to schedule:

• Planned time: Must be requested and approved by your supervisor in advance. Approval is based on workflow and operational needs.
• Unplanned time: Notify your supervisor as soon as possible on a daily basis. (Note: Absences of three days or more may require a doctor’s release.)

Usage increments:

• Hourly employees: Can use PTO in increments of 15 minutes.
• Salaried employees: Must use PTO in minimum increments of 1 hour.

Take action now

We encourage you to check your current PTO balance today. If you have a significant balance, please start a conversation with your supervisor soon to plan your time off. By scheduling early, you ensure your department has adequate coverage and you avoid the risk of forfeiting your hard-earned time. You can find out more about Augustana’s policies here.