Human Resources
Office of Faculty & Staff Benefits
Office of Faculty & Staff Benefits
PTO

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.

GMS Support

Schedule an appointment with HCM Trainer, Deona Hatley, for help requesting, correcting, and viewing PTO in GMS.

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PTO and Benefits Support

Schedule an appointment with the benefits team for any questions related to your benefits.

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Changes

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 accural:

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

Maximum FY PTO Allotment based on years of service
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)
5+
26 days (208 hours)

Timing

TypeAllotmentRolloverPayout before June 30, 2027Payout after July 1, 2027
PTOAllotted 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
Sick5 days per year, awarded upon hire and work anniversaryUnused sick days can roll over from year to year, up to a maximum accrual of 30 daysNo payoutNo payout
Paid Parental Leave8 weeks per birth, adoption, or placement after one year of serviceMust be used within first year of birth or placement of childNo payoutNo payout

Transition Scenarios

PTO Transition Examples
The examples below are for full-time administrative employees and consider the following:

Employee ScenarioAccrued PTO HoursAllotted PTO Hours on July 1, 2025Total PTO on July 1, 2025
Current employee of three years with partial balance of Accrued PTO as of July 1, 202548192240
Current employee of ten years with large balance of Accrued PTO as of July 1, 2025288208496
New employee hired July 1, 20250168168
New employee hired December 1, 2025

Up to 1 year of service – 168 hours
Prorated based on start date – 84 hours
08484

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

Accrual vs. Allotment

As Georgetown University transitions to a new annual PTO model effective July 1, 2025, we’re committed to honoring the time you’ve already earned while helping you plan ahead with confidence. This page explains how your new annual Allotted PTO and your existing Accrued PTO will work together during the transition.

  • Allotted PTO (Starting 7/1/25): Paid time off (PTO) days or hours that are granted at the start of the fiscal year (July 1), based on years of service and employment classification. Unlike accrued PTO, which is earned over time, allotted PTO is front-loaded and available for use at the beginning of the year.
  • Accrued PTO (Before 7/1/25): PTO earned under the previous policy, based on per-pay-period accruals.

Retaining and Using Your Accrued PTO

  • You will retain any unused Accrued PTO hours until they are used or until June 30, 2027 – whichever comes first.
  • In addition to any Accrued PTO that you have earned prior to July 1, 2025, you will receive an annual allotment based on your years of service and employment category.
  • Staff and AAPs must use all Accrued PTO before they can access their Allotted PTO.

Accessing Your Allotted PTO

  • Allotted PTO is provided once per year on July 1 (or your hire date, if applicable) based on your years of service and position.
  • Allotted PTO does not carry over from one fiscal year to the next.
  • Allotted PTO cannot be used until all Accrued PTO has been used.

Payout Eligibility for Accrued PTO

If you separate from the University before June 30, 2027, with unused Accrued PTO:

  • You may be eligible for a lump sum payout of up to $15,000, provided your base salary is under $200,000.
  • Employees earning $200,000 or more are not eligible for payout of unused PTO.
  • Allotted PTO is not eligible for payout at termination, unless otherwise required by state law.

Use-It-or-Lose-It: Allotted PTO

  • Allotted PTO must be used by June 30 each year.
  • Unused Allotted PTO does not carry over and will not be paid out if unused or upon termination.
  • The University will continue to abide by specific state law regulations regarding PTO accrual, usage, and payout where applicable.

FAQs

General

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 working remotely from California, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.
  • 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.

Maximum allotment of PTO for full-time administrative employees by years of service.
Years of Service as of 7/1Max PTO Allotment Per Fiscal Year
Up to 121 days (168 hours)
Up to 222 days (176 hours)
Up to 323 days (184 hours)
Up to 424 days (192 hours)
Up to 525 days (200 hours)
5+26 days (208 hours)

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.

Using Your PTO

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.

Transition Period & Special Scenarios

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.

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.

Example: An employee with 5+ years of service in a part-time position (50% FTE) receives an annual allotment of 104 hours of PTO on July 1. On Jan 1 they are hired into a full-time position; the prorated annual allotment is 104 hours. The total annual allotment should be calculated based on 6 months at part-time (52) and 6 months at full-time (104). A total of 156 hours of PTO.

Employees with a designation as full-time regularly-scheduled, who transfer to a part-time, non-regularly scheduled designation, will have their PTO allotment recalculated based on proration.