Paid Time Off FAQs

Paid Time Off (PTO) will be granted annually in a single allotment at the start of each fiscal year (July 1), based on your years of service, hours worked, and employee classification. This replaces the previous accrual-based system.

Yes. The change applies to all administrative employees, including staff and academic & administrative professionals (AAPs).

The PTO changes apply only to U.S.-based administrative employees, including staff and AAPs. The following groups are not included in these changes:

• Student workers
• Postdoctoral fellows
• Faculty members
• Staff employed at Georgetown University in Qatar
• Staff participating in the Staff SVRP
• Staff covered by collective bargaining agreements (CBAs)*

*Employees covered by a CBA should refer to the terms outlined in their current agreement for information about PTO and other leave policies.

If hired before July 1, 2025, a new employee would accrue leave through June 30. Any accrued hours would be retained and an additional allotment of 21 days would be provided on July 1.

If hired after July 1, new employees will receive a prorated allotment of PTO based on their start date.

Your Accrued PTO as of June 30, 2025 will remain available for use until it is either used or until June 30, 2027 – whichever comes first. You must use your Accrued PTO before using any newly granted Allotted PTO.

You may be eligible for a payout of unused Accrued PTO (earned prior to July 1, 2025) if you separate from the University before June 30, 2027 and your base salary is under $200,000. The maximum payout is $15,000. Allotted PTO is not eligible for payout at termination.

Our PTO policy will comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws as applicable. While the general policy applies across the organization, employees working remotely in certain states may be subject to additional requirements based on local regulations.

Your full Allotted PTO will be deposited into your GMS PTO bank on July 1 of each fiscal year. New hires and part-time employees will receive a prorated amount based on their start date and scheduled hours.

No. PTO must be available in your bank before it can be used.

Submit PTO requests through GMS. Scheduled time off should be requested in advance and approved by your supervisor.

Follow your department’s standard call-in procedures for unscheduled absences. These must also be recorded in GMS. Excessive or inappropriate use of unscheduled leave may result in corrective action.

You have until June 30, 2027 to use your Accrued PTO. After that date, any remaining balance will be forfeited.

If you are on a leave of absence that does not allow PTO to accrue—such as disability, parental, or unpaid leave – your Allotted PTO will be prorated based on your return-to-work date.

If you are simply using approved PTO on July 1 (e.g., using time from your Accrued PTO balance), you will still receive your full Allotted PTO for the year on that date, provided your Accrued balance is below the threshold.

Supervisors may limit PTO use during your introductory period. However, time off for reasons covered under the D.C. Sick and Safe Leave Act must be allowed with appropriate notice.

If your role changes mid-year (e.g., from part-time to full-time), your Allotted PTO will be recalculated and prorated based on your new position and work schedule.