TIME OFF & TIME AWAY
Georgia State University offers a number of options—paid and unpaid—for taking time away from work to manage personal, medical, and family issues.
Georgia State University 2025/2026 Holiday Schedule
Georgia State University observes thirteen (13) paid holidays during a calendar year. Twelve (12) of these are scheduled holidays and one (1) is an unscheduled holiday. Student assistants, graduate assistants, part-time instructors, and temporary non-students are not eligible to receive holiday pay. To receive pay for the holidays, an employee must be in active pay status the day before and the day after the holiday.
Georgia State University has one paid unscheduled floating holiday that may be used by eligible employees at any time during the calendar year 2025. Employees hired on or before January 1, 2025 are eligible for the unscheduled holiday.
These holidays are in addition to earned vacation time and are observed in accordance with the rules and regulations set forth by the university.
- New Year’s Day
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Memorial Day
- Juneteenth
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Friday following Thanksgiving
- Five days winter holiday
Holiday | Day | Date |
Floating Holiday | May be used by eligible employees anytime during calendar year 2025. Employees hired on or before January 1, 2025 are eligible for the unscheduled holiday. | |
New Year's Day 2025 | Wed | January 1, 2025 |
M.L.K Day | Mon | Jan 20, 2025 |
Memorial Day | Mon | May 26, 2025 |
Juneteenth | Thurs | June 19, 2025 |
Independence Day | Fri | July 4, 2025 |
Labor Day | Mon | September 1, 2025 |
Thanksgiving | Thurs - Fri | November 27 - 28, 2025 |
Winter Break Holiday Time Used |
Mon - Thurs | December 22 - 25, 2025 |
Winter Break* Vacation Time Used |
Fri | December 26, 2025 |
Winter Break Vacation Time Used |
Mon-Wed | December 29-31, 2025 |
New Year's Day 2025 Holiday Time Used |
Thur | January 1, 2026 |
Winter Break Vacation Time Used |
Fri | January 2, 2026 |
Georgia State Employee Vacation And Other Leave Times
For the purposes of promoting education in Georgia and supplementing work life balance, each full time, regular employee is eligible for up to eight (8) paid hours of Education Support Leave per calendar year. Such leave is in addition to, and not charged against, an employee’s other leave.
Any full time, regular employee of the University System of Georgia, may request to use and be considered for education support leave. This leave will be available to all eligible employees, both parents of students and non-parents, and may be considered for activities supporting public, private and home school achievement.
Only activities directly related to student achievement and academic support will qualify for education support leave. Such activities may range from early care and learning through higher education.
Activities that promote education in Georgia may include, but are not limited to, some of the following:
- Attend Parent/Teacher conferences
- Participate in classroom activities, such as reading to a class or presenting on career day
- Tutor students without receiving compensation
- Proctor examinations
- Attend award and recognition ceremonies or graduation exercises
- Participate in field day activities or chaperone field trips
- Attend open house functions
Use of Leave:
- Education support leave may not be utilized by the employee for themselves or for their spouse.
- Employees must not receive pay for services they perform while using education support leave.
- Supervisors may approve or deny requests for education support leave based on operational needs, or other reasons, such as conduct, attendance, or unsatisfactory work performance.
- Use of education support leave for any political purpose or agenda is prohibited.
- Education support leave does not accumulate, and unused leave does not rollover into subsequent calendar years. Rather, eligible employees may use education support leave for qualifying absences that occur during their regular scheduled work hours, up to a total of 8 hours in any calendar year.
Employees can use no more than 8 paid hours of education support leave in a calendar year regardless of transfer from one USG institution or office to another. Education support leave carries no cash value if unused. There will be no payout for unused education support leave upon termination.
This policy may also be found on the University System of Georgia website.
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitles eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job protected leave each year. The employee must be employed for at least one year and have worked at least 1,250 hours over the previous 12 months. Employees may request FMLA for the following events:
- Birth of a child
- Adoption of a child
- Serious health condition of the employee, the employee’s child, spouse, or parent
- Any period of incapacity or treatment connected with inpatient hospital care, hospice or residential medical care facility;
- Any period of incapacity sporadic absences from work, school, or other regular daily activities that also involves continuing treatment by a health care provider; or,
- Continuing treatment by a health care provider for a chronic or long-term health condition that is incurable or so serious that if not treated, would likely result in a period of incapacity; and for prenatal care.
On January 28, President Bush signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2008 (NDAA), Public Law 110-181. Section 585(a) of the NDAA amended the FMLA to provide eligible employees working for covered employers two important new leave rights related to military service:
New Leave Entitlement. An eligible employee who is the spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin of a covered service member who is recovering from a serious illness or injury sustained in the line of duty on active duty is entitled to up to 26 weeks of leave in a single 12-month period to care for the service member. This provision became effective immediately upon enactment. This military caregiver leave is available during “a single 12-month period” during which an eligible employee is entitled to a combined total of 26 weeks of all types of FMLA leave.
New Qualifying Reason for Leave. Eligible employees are entitled to up to 12 weeks of leave because of “any qualifying exigency” arising out of the fact that the spouse, son, daughter, or parent of the employee is on active duty, or has been notified of an impending call to active duty status, in support of a contingency operation. By the terms of the statute, this provision requires the Secretary of Labor to issue regulations defining “any qualifying exigency.” In the interim, employers are encouraged to provide this type of leave to qualifying employees.
Handle life’s challenges
If you are enrolled in the long-term disability plan, Employee Connect Services, your free and confidential Employee Assistance Program (EAP) can help you with the challenges of life, including work, family, money, relationships and more. The EAP is available 24/7, 365 days a year.
The Military Family Leave Provisions under the Family and Medical Leave Act
The military family leave provisions of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitle eligible employees of covered employers to take FMLA leave for any “qualifying exigency” arising from the foreign deployment of the employee’s spouse, son, daughter, or parent with the Armed Forces, or to care for a service member with a serious injury or illness if the employee is the service member’s spouse, son, daughter, parent or next of kin.
Forms and Policies
Steps to Request FMLA in OneUSG Connect
Employee Rights and Responsibilities Under the Family and Medical Leave Act
Healthcare Provider Certification Form – For Employee
Healthcare Provider Certification Form – For Family Member
Fact Sheet #28M: The Military Family Leave Provisions under the Family and Medical Leave Act
For FMLA related questions, send and email to [email protected].
Board of Regent Personnel Policy 8.2.7.5 Military Leave with Pay
Ordered Military Duty
For the purpose of this policy, ordered military duty shall mean any military duty performed in the service of the State or the United States, including, but not limited to, service schools conducted by the armed forces of the United States. Such duty shall be deemed “ordered military duty” regardless of whether the orders are issued with the consent of the employee (BoR Minutes, 1990-91, p. 173).
Leave of Absence
An employee who receives orders for active military duty shall be entitled to absent himself or herself from his or her duties and shall be deemed to have a leave of absence with pay for the period of such ordered military duty, and while going to and returning from such duty, not to exceed a total of eighteen (18) workdays in any one federal fiscal year (October 1 – September 30) as authorized by Georgia Law O.C.G.A. § 38-2-279[e]. At the expiration of the maximum paid leave time, continued absence by the employee shall be considered as military leave without pay. The employee shall be required to submit a copy of his or her orders to active military duty (BoR Minutes 1990-91, pp. 173-174).
Emergency Leave of Absence
Notwithstanding the foregoing leave limitation of eighteen (18) days, in the event the Governor declares an emergency and orders an employee to State active duty as a member of the National Guard, such employee while performing such duty shall be paid his or her salary or other compensation as an employee for a period not exceeding 30 days in any one federal fiscal year.
Payment of Annual Leave
After an employee has exhausted his/her paid military leave, an institution may pay the employee for his/her accumulated annual leave (BoR Minutes, 1990-91, p. 174).
Your Rights Under USERRA The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act
Vacation and sick leave hours are accrued based on the status and duration of employment with Georgia State University.
Administrative Faculty: Twelve-month contract faculty accrue 14 hours vacation per month from the employment date at Georgia State University through the duration of the employment period. Sick leave is accrued at the rate of 8 hours per calendar month.
Academic Faculty: Ten-month contract faculty do not accrue vacation hours. Sick leave is accrued at the rate of 8 hours per calendar month. For Summer employment, sick leave will be prorated accordingly.
Staff 100% FTE: Regular, full time employees accrue 10 hours vacation per month for the first five years of employment. After the completion of the 5th year of service, vacation will accrue at 12 hours per month, and after the completion of the 10th year of service, vacation will accrue at 14 hours per month. Sick leave is accrued at the rate of 8 hours per calendar month.
Employees working at least one-half time but less than full time earn and accrue vacation and sick time in an equivalent ratio to their percentage of time employed. Temporary employees, including student assistants, graduate assistants, part-time instructors, and regular employees who work less than one-half time do not earn or accrue vacation time or sick leave credit.
Accrued vacation and sick balances are available at OneUSG Connect.
Lactation and Nursing Areas PDF
You can also find our lactation spaces on our Georgia State campus map.
HR for You!
Here are some upcoming HR events, certificate programs, and Tuition Assistance Program at Georgia State.
Designed to boost your career, these opportunities are perfect for enhancing skills and expanding knowledge. Your participation will enrich both your personal growth and our Georgia State community.

Need More Help?
If you have a question, need assistance, or have a recommendation, please email [email protected] or call 404-413-4747. If our HR service desk associates cannot answer your question, they will connect you with the correct human resources staff and/or Georgia State office.