Marshall University has adopted new leave documentation requirements effective January 1, 2002, in order to comply with audit requirements. Leave-accruing employees must complete a standard leave request form. The policy does not affect employees who do not accrue leave. The policy and the leave request form are available at the links below.
Completed leave request forms are to be maintained by a designated individual in each college or department. Presently that should be the same individual who prepares or coordinates the monthly leave usage reports. Later, when leave usage is handled through Banner HR™ time reporting, the forms should be maintained on some reasonable college or department basis.
Colleges and departments may request approval of alternate leave forms that satisfy the requirements set forth in the policy (see fourth paragraph in the policy). Such requests are to be made to the Director, Human Resource Services. Colleges and departments must obtain approval for alternate leave request forms by the end of January 2002 or use the standard leave request form effective February 1, 2002. Anytime thereafter, however, requests for alternate leave request forms may be submitted for approval.
The leave request forms are the official record of leave approval for that particular college or department. A key concept in the policy and form is that the amount of leave taken in a particular instance must exactly match that documented on the leave request form, or information on the actual amount of leave taken must be entered on the form. The form provides an area titled “Reconciliation” for adjusting the amount of leave. For example, if a leave-accruing full-time employee requests two days of annual leave, 15.0 hours of annual leave must be reported for that individual on either the present leave usage report (or through some future method of time reporting). However, if the employee returns to work after just one day of annual leave, the leave request form must be updated to reflect that only 7.5 hours of annual leave were actually taken. In most cases, however, leave requested matches leave taken so that no further changes on the leave request forms are necessary.
The Leave Request Form is an Adobe® “fillable” form. Individuals whose computers are running Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0® or higher can actually enter information into the fields on the form from the web browser and then print it. If a cursor for information entry is not available, the form may be printed empty and then completed with pen-and-ink or typed. The form may be printed empty and stocked as needed for employees who do not have computer access. A printing original of the form may be requested from Human Resource Services as needed.
As stated in the policy, leave documentation must be maintained in the college or department by calendar year for five years. In the event of audit, colleges or departments are responsible for producing their assembled leave request forms bycalendar year, and the amount of leave reflected in leave usage reports or through Banner HR™ time input must match exactly the amount of leave reflected on leave request forms.
Questions on the policy and form may be directed to Human Resource Services, at 696.3983.
Link to Policy and Procedure 3.180, Departmental Leave Documentation
Link to Leave Request Form