Vacation benefits are offered as part of UBC’s overall commitment to help staff and faculty achieve work-life balance.
The number of vacation days you can take depends on your UBC employee group and how many years you have worked at UBC.
What’s my annual vacation entitlement?
Your vacation entitlement depends on your UBC employee group and starts from your date of hire. The following is the amount you are eligible for as a full-time employee. If you are a part-time employee, your vacation is pro-rated based on the number of hours you work (for example, if you work 50% time, you are eligible for half the vacation entitlement).
Vacation entitlements are updated in Workday during the first week of October for the next year.
| UBC Employee Group | Annual Vacation Entitlement |
| Administrative Executive | Your vacation entitlement is negotiated individually within your contract. The maximum vacation carry-over allowed for Administrative Executive staff is two weeks. |
| BCGEU Vancouver (Child Care) |
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| BCGEU Okanagan |
The maximum vacation carry-over allowed for BCGEU staff is 10 days with your supervisor’s approval. |
| CUPE 116 |
Vacation in any one (1) year must take place by Dec 31st, except that at an employee’s discretion up to ten (10) days of paid vacation may be carried over for use into the following year. |
| CUPE 116 – UBC Aquatics Centre Permanent Staff |
Permanent staff should take their annual vacation in the applicable vacation year. |
| CUPE 2278 – Language Instructors |
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| CUPE 2278 – Teaching Assistants | 4% vacation pay is included in your salary. If you are working a full Teaching Assistantship (12 hours per week over two terms), the 16 hours of vacation that is allotted will normally be scheduled between December 24 and January 1. If you wish to take your vacation leave at another time, this must be approved by your supervisor. If you are working less than a full Teaching Assistantship, your vacation time is pro-rated. |
| CUPE 2950 |
The maximum vacation carry-over allowed for CUPE 2950 staff is two weeks. |
| Executive Administrative |
The maximum vacation carry-over allowed for Executive Administrative staff is two weeks. |
| Faculty and Academic Executive | Your vacation entitlements are arranged informally between you and your department head or director. There is a general understanding that faculty members receive one month of paid annual vacation leave each year. You must take any holidays to which you are entitled within the contract period or before any other agreed termination date. |
| Faculty – Librarians and Program Directors |
The maximum vacation carry-over allowed for Librarians and Program Directors is two weeks and cannot be compounded year to year. As per the Memorandum of Agreement between the Faculty Association and the University, if you have been employed as a Faculty Librarian or Program Director and achieve the following employment anniversary dates in the four-year period following November 24, 2020, you will be entitled to supplemental vacation as follows:
Employees who achieve the above employment anniversary dates between November 24, 2020 to November 24, 2024, will be entitled to the supplemental vacation benefit for that year, following which, any further supplemental vacation will be discontinued. Employees entitled to supplemental vacation will remain entitled to use that supplemental entitlement over a period of five years from the employment anniversary date on which it is granted. |
| Faculty – Sessional Faculty Members | As a sessional lecturer, you will be paid 4% of gross earnings in lieu of vacation. After five consecutive years of full-time service, your vacation pay will be increased to 6% of gross earnings. |
| Faculty – Research Associate | Your vacation entitlement is subject to negotiation with your supervisor or department head, but is a minimum of two (2) weeks per year with salary and benefits. After five (5) consecutive years of employment you are entitled to three (3) weeks of annual vacation. |
| Farm Workers |
The maximum vacation carry-over allowed for Farm Workers is two weeks. |
| IUOE 115 |
The maximum vacation carry-over allowed for IUOE 115 staff is two weeks. |
| Management & Professional |
The maximum vacation carry-over allowed for M&P staff is two weeks and cannot be compounded year to year. During the calendar year of your 25th year of service, you will receive a one-time additional 5 days of paid time in recognition of your long service to the university. Part-time employees will have their entitlement pro-rated based on their percentage of employment. With the advance approval of your supervisor, you may carry this entitlement for up 1 year in addition to any other approved carry over. However, if you passed 25 years of service as of 2023, you may carry over this entitlement for up to 2 years. |
| Non-Union Technicians and Research Assistants |
The maximum vacation carry-over allowed for Non-Union Technicians and Research Assistants is two weeks. |
| Postdoctoral Fellows (Award Recipients) | You are not entitled to vacation payment from the university; however, should you wish to request vacation time off, please make arrangements with your supervisor. |
| Postdoctoral Fellows (Employees) | Two weeks per year with salary and benefits. Additional vacation time may be granted at the discretion of your supervising faculty member. All vacations and leaves must be taken before the end of your appointment. |
| Service Unit Directors (SUD) |
If you have been employed as SUD staff as of December 31, 1977, please contact your HR Advisor regarding your supplemental vacation allowance. The maximum vacation carry-over allowed for SUD staff is two weeks and cannot be compounded year to year. |
Note: Negotiated individual contracts may vary.
How is my vacation calculated if I am on an unpaid maternity and/or parental leave?
Applies to Staff only:
- BCGEU Vancouver (Child Care) and IUOE 115: No vacation accrual during maternity and parental leave.
- BCGEU Okanagan: Full vacation accrual in the first six months of maternity and parental leave.
- CUPE 116: Full vacation accrual during maternity and parental leave.
- CUPE 2950: Full vacation accrual for the first month of leave, and for the remaining maternity leave, vacation is pro-rated based only on the top-up portion of payments. There is no vacation accrual during parental leave.
- Management & Professional: Vacation is pro-rated based on the top-up portion of payments during maternity and parental leave.
- Other staff members: Vacation is pro-rated based on the top-up portion of payments during maternity leave only. There is no vacation accrual during parental leave.
How is my vacation calculated if I am on an unpaid adoption leave?
Applies to Staff only:
- BCGEU Okanagan: Full vacation accrual in the first six months of adoption leave.
- CUPE 116: Full vacation accrual during adoption leave.
- Management & Professional: Vacation is pro-rated based on the top-up portion of payments during adoption leave.
- Other staff members: No vacation accrual during adoption leave.
What if I haven’t used all my vacation?
You are expected to use your annual vacation days each year. If you have not used all your vacation days in a year, some employee groups allow you to carry over a certain number of vacation days into the following year. See the table above for more information or see your collective agreement or employee handbook.
How do I submit a vacation request?
You should arrange your vacation requests with the head of your individual department or unit. Vacation requests can be submitted directly through Workday and be routed to your manager for review and approval. Ask your department manager or director for details about your vacation benefits.
For Workday resources and help visit the Integrated Service Centre.
How is my vacation pay calculated?
Your UBC employee group and your length of employment determine how much vacation you are eligible for. Generally, the longer you have been employed at UBC, the more vacation time you are entitled to receive. For long-time employees, you may qualify for additional vacation days up to a specified maximum.
Vacation pay is calculated in weeks and/or days over a standard calendar year (January 1 to December 31). When you are hired and when you officially resign or retire as a UBC employee will impact how your vacation pay is calculated.
Do I get time off over the Winter holidays?
Some employees are eligible for paid leave over the Winter holidays. You are eligible for paid leave during the period between Christmas/Boxing Day and New Year's Day if you are a member of one of the following employee groups:
- Administrative Executive
- BCGEU Okanagan
- CUPE 116
- CUPE 2950
- Executive Administrative
- IUOE 115
- Management & Professional
See Winter leaves for more information.