It may seem strange to ask for time off when many of us are now at home all the time. However, the need for down time during the week is still needed. Although the university is in a remote operations mode, eligible employees are still accruing vacation time.
At DePaul, vacation time is accrued throughout the year, and only five days of unused hours can be carried over after December 31 each year. That means that any vacation time in excess of five days that is not used by Dec. 31 will be lost.
Some people may be planning to use vacation time once travel restrictions are lifted. However, that's probably not a viable plan. We have yet to have a clear timeframe for when it will be deemed safe to travel again. Also, having a large portion of our workforce take vacation at the same time would disrupt our ability to serve students.
Managers are advised to ask their employees about vacation plans. Getting a sense of employees' plans ensures that your team is encouraged to take advantage of DePaul's vacation benefit while also ensuring that the department's work gets done.
Employees who have vacation time to use are encouraged to reimagine ways of taking time off to pursue hobbies, interests, or to be with family. Need some inspiration? Check out this resource that offers more than
100 ideas of fun things to do at home. Here are just few:
While not as ideal as hopping on a plane to a new destination, taking a few days off from work to recharge—even if it is to just sit in the sun or finally reading that book on your shelf—is needed now more than ever.
Visit the Office of Human Resources online for details about DePaul's
Vacation and Holiday Benefits.