Managing Military/Uniformed Service Leaves
Columbia University supports its employees who serve in the United States military. We realize that employees who serve in the military may need time off from work for military service. Employees who participate in military service that meets the conditions outlined in the policy text are guaranteed reemployment in a position of equal pay, status and service credit at the end of military service.
Requesting a Military Leave and Returning to Work
- All regular full-time and part-time Columbia employees who serve in the Armed Forces
- All regular full-time and part-time Columbia employees who serve in the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps
- All regular full-time and part-time Columbia employees serving in any position designated by the President of the United States during a time of war or emergency
Employees requesting uniformed service leave must present a copy of the military orders to the appropriate department head at least two weeks prior to leave. This documentation should contain the reason for the leave and the expected duration.
Support staff covered by a collective bargaining agreement shall follow the leaves of absence options as stipulated in their union contract.
- Reason
- Reporting for service for 15 days or less in a calendar year
- Compensation
- Full salary/full benefits
- Reason
- Reporting for service for up to six months in a calendar year
- Compensation
- Salary equal to the difference between military and University pay/full benefits
- Reason
- Reporting for service for up to one calendar year
- Compensation
- Unpaid leave after six month period/full benefits.
- Reason
- Reporting for service for more than one year but less than five years
- Compensation
- Unpaid leave after six months/partial benefits
Important Note about Compensation: Employees must provide documentation regarding the amount of military pay as soon as possible in order to receive the University pay differential.
* Failure to provide such documentation in a timely manner may result in a delay of the University pay differential.
* An employee is eligible for pay differential if the military salary is less than the University salary. In these cases, the University will pay the salary difference not to exceed the University salary at the time of deployment.
- Length of Service
- Less than 31 days
- Return to Work Date
- The next business day after returning home
- Length of Service
- More than 31 days
but less than 180 days - Return to Work Date
- Within 14 days of returning home
- Length of Service
- More than 180 days
- Return to Work Date
- Within 90 days of returning home
- Length of Service
- When recovering from a war injury
- Return to Work Date
- Immediately after injury recovery period of two years (more in some cases) or less
Employees who have been reinstated after a period of active service are protected from termination of employment, except for cause or changed business circumstances (including, but not limited to, job elimination, lack of funding, reorganization etc.), according to the following table:
- Length of Service
- Less than 31 days of service
- Period of Protection from Termination
- No protection period
- Length of Service
- 31 to 180 days of service
- Period of Protection from Termination
- Six-month protection period
- Length of Service
- More than 180 days of service
- Period of Protection from Termination
- One-year protection period
- Employees will return from leave in a position of equal pay, academic status or salary grade and service credit at the end of military service.
- If an employee becomes disabled during active service and cannot resume his or her prior job, the employee will be offered reemployment in a position of equal pay, status and service credit grade for which the employee is qualified with reasonable accommodations.
- The University maintains a cumulative limit of five years for employees participating in uniformed service subject to limited exceptions. (For example, periods of active service during a war, a declared national emergency or in support of a critical mission do not count towards the five-year limit.)
- All time spent during uniformed service will count toward the employee’s calculation of compensation, benefits, retirement eligibility and length of employment for the University.
- Departments should consult their HR Client Manager/HR Manager for guidance on processing transactions related to this leave or employment decisions subsequent to such leaves.
- Any questions about Uniformed Services Leave and its application should be directed to Columbia University Human Resources before any discussions with the employee.
Vacation Pay
There is no accrual of vacation, personal or holiday time during an extended leave of absence (30 calendar days or longer). For additional information regarding accrual for overlapping months, see the Officers Form Process for Managers page in the Time and Attendance section of the toolkit.
There is no accrual of vacation, personal or holiday time.
Vacation does not accrue during a leave of absence.
Vacation shall not accrue during an absence that exceeds two (2) months.
Vacation does not accrue during a leave of absence.
Useful Tools & Information
Any questions regarding procedures, PFL, FMLA or benefit eligibility should be addressed to CUHR Leave Management.