Paid Time Off Updates
Georgetown University is updating Paid Time Off (PTO) benefits for administrative employees, effective July 1, 2025.
To reduce the University’s growing financial liability from unused accrued PTO – and to encourage staff to take time off – the University is transitioning from an accrual to an allotment model effective July 1, 2025. As we implement these changes, we encourage you to consider how you will utilize your PTO this year for rest, renewal, time with friends and family, or whatever brings you joy.
Update: Monday, May 12, 2025
The University received considerable feedback from staff regarding the upcoming changes to the Paid Time Off (PTO) policy. This input is valued and has been carefully reviewed. Effective July 1, 2025, administrative staff will receive their full annual PTO allotment in addition to maintaining the use of their remaining accrued PTO. For more information, please read our recent message.
What’s Changing?
PTO is front-loaded:
You’ll receive your full annual allotment of PTO at the start of each fiscal year, based on your years of service and position.
No more accrual:
The new system replaces the per-pay-period accrual model.
Existing PTO remains available:
Any accrued but unused PTO that you’ve earned before July 1, 2025 will remain available for use through June 30, 2027. Allotted hours, granted at the start of each fiscal year, do not carry over but refresh annually. When requesting PTO, time will be deducted from accrued balances first, before drawing from the annual allotment.
Allotments
Years of Service as of July 1 | Max. PTO Allotment Per Year |
|---|---|
Up to 1 | 21 days (168 hours) |
Up to 2 | 22 days (176 hours) |
Up to 3 | 23 days (184 hours) |
Up to 4 | 24 days (192 hours) |
Up to 5 | 25 days (200 hours) |
6+ | 26 days (208 hours) |
Timing
| Type | Allotment | Rollover | Payout before June 30, 2027 | Payout after July 1, 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PTO | Allotted days are awarded on July 1 of each year. Allotment will be prorated if you are a new employee starting after July 1. | Hours do not roll over from year to year | -Up to $15k payout for hours accrued before July 1, 2025 only for those earning less than $200,000 -No payout for allotted hours | No payout |
| Sick | 5 days per year, awarded upon hire and work anniversary | Unused sick days can roll over from year to year, up to a maximum accrual of 30 days | No payout | No payout |
| Paid Parental Leave | 8 weeks per birth, adoption, or placement after one year of service | Must be used within first year of birth or placement of child | No payout | No payout |
Transition Scenarios
PTO Transition Examples
The examples below are for full-time administrative employees and consider the following:
| Employee Scenario | Accrued PTO Hours | Allotted PTO Hours on July 1, 2025 | Total PTO on July 1, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current employee of three years with partial balance of Accrued PTO as of July 1, 2025 | 48 | 192 | 240 |
| Current employee of ten years with large balance of Accrued PTO as of July 1, 2025 | 288 | 208 | 496 |
| New employee hired July 1, 2025 | 0 | 168 | 168 |
| New employee hired December 1, 2025 Up to 1 year of service – 168 hours Prorated based on start date – 84 hours | 0 | 84 | 84 |
Why the Change?
These changes help reduce Georgetown’s growing financial liability from unused accrued PTO – an important step during a time of economic uncertainty. However, they are part of a broader, multi-year effort to strengthen Georgetown’s time off policies in support of employee wellness. In recent years, we’ve:
- Increased the amount of PTO provided to staff with fewer than five years of service
- Added paid parental leave
- Addition of sick leave bank
- Shortened the waiting period for disability benefits
For Managers
Managers should not unreasonably deny leave requests; however, it is up to the manager to decide if the request can be accommodated given the operational requirements of the department.
We encourage managers to discuss PTO plans in individual and team meetings. We hope that managers will help us encourage a supportive environment where self-care and time off from work is encouraged, while ensuring adequate preparation for employee responsibilities when team members do step away from work. Managers with questions can reach out to their HR Business Partner for guidance on managing employee PTO requests.
Need to Know More?
Contact your HR Business Partner