Time Off

MIT offers various kinds of time off, most of which are paid. Generally, benefits-eligible employees are entitled to the following time off, though there is a waiting period for some time off benefits (for example, a year of service for paid parental leave). Faculty are generally covered by leaves of absence policies set forth in P&P Section 7.5.2. Schools or academic departments may have additional policies on time off for Other Academic instructional staff. 

Holidays

MIT offers 12 holidays a year. In some years, additional “special holidays” are observed.

• The policy on holidays is at EPM Section 4.1 

• The dates of the current year’s holidays are listed at https://hr.mit.edu/holidays

Vacation

Generally, staff receive 3 weeks of vacation in the first year of employment, and 4 weeks after that up to a maximum accrual of 40 days. Employees with 10 or more years of full-time service will be credited an extra five days of vacation, beginning on each anniversary of 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 etc. years of service. The extra fifth week must be taken within the 5-year period.  Vacation is usually accrued monthly for nonacademic staff. Special rules apply to some staff, as stated in the specific policy section.

• Administrative and Support Staff  EPM Section 4.2
• Sponsored Research Staff  P&P Section 5.2; EPM Section 4.2

  • Principal Research Scientist, Principal Research Engineer, Principal Research Associate P&P Section 5.2.1

  • Research Scientist, Research Engineer, Research Associate P&P Section 5.2.2

  • Research Specialist and Technical Associate P&P Section 5.2.3

  • Sponsored Research Technical Staff P&P Section 5.2.4

  • Research Administrators P&P Section 5.2.5

• Academic Research Staff  P&P Section 5.3

  • Senior Research Scientist, Senior Research Engineer, Senior Research Associate  P&P Section 5.3.1

  • Postdoctoral Associate, Senior Postdoctoral Associate  P&P Section 5.3.2

  • Postdoctoral Fellow, see https://postdocs.mit.edu/postdoc-time-benefits

• Graduate Students  P&P Section 8.3.2

Sick Leave

Support staff and salaried staff (other than faculty) who are benefits-eligible generally accrue 12 sick days per year on a monthly basis. Newly hired staff are credited with 20 days of sick time at time of hire, and begin to accrue monthly after one year of service.  Accrued Sick Time is paid at 100% of the employee’s regular pay.

Accrued Sick Time can be used for time the employee cannot work due to their own minor illnesses, medical and dental appointments, and serious illnesses. When a benefits-eligible employee cannot work due to a serious illness, they may use either their accrued Sick Time (100% pay) or Serious Illness Reduced Pay (SIRP) which is paid at 80% of pay.  

Non-benefits eligible employees working in Massachusetts may also be entitled to up to 40 hours of accrued sick leave (paid at 100%) for illnesses and for medical appointments, and up to 20 weeks of partially paid sick leave for their own serious health condition.

• Faculty, Academic, Research and Administrative Staff  P&P Section 7.5.4
• Administrative, SRS, and Support Staff Sick Leave  EPM Section 4.3
• Sick leave tracking tool 
• All staff working in Massachusetts, including staff not otherwise eligible for employee benefits: Massachusetts Earned Sick Time EPM Section 4.3.8 and Paid Family and Medical Leave Act EPM Section 4.3.6

Parental Leave 

Benefits-eligible staff (full-time, non-faculty) are entitled to 20 days of MIT Paid Parental Leave following the birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child, paid at 100% of pay.   Following the 20 days of MIT Paid Parental Leave, benefits-eligible staff are entitled to up to 8 weeks of Bonding Leave, paid at the state formula rate.

Non-benefits eligible staff working in Massachusetts who have a new child by birth, adoption, or foster placement are also entitled to Bonding Leave of up to 12 weeks, paid at the state formula rate.

• Parental and Bonding Leaves P&P Section 7.5.6, EPM Section 4.4.1 
• Paid Family and Medical Leave Act EPM Section 4.3.6
• Leaves for faculty are found in P&P Section 7.5.2 (Other Leaves) and P&P Section 7.5.3 (Faculty Teaching Relief)

Family Leave

Benefits-eligible employees and non-benefits eligible staff working in Massachusetts may also take up to five days (40 hours) of their accrued sick time to care for a family member who is ill or who has a medical appointment. Effective July 1, 2021, those employees may take up to 12 weeks of partially paid sick family leave to care for a family member who has with a serious health condition. Partially paid leaves are also allowed for exigencies related to a family member in the Armed Forces, or to care for certain Service members.

• Leave for Family Member with Serious Health Condition EPM Section 4.4.2
• Leave for Family Member in the Armed Forces EPM Section 4.4.3
• Paid Family and Medical Leave Act EPM Section 4.3.6

Other Types of Leave (Staff)

• Bereavement  EPM Section 4.7.2
• Family Leaves EPM Section 4.4
• Industrial Accident and Workers’ Compensation EPM Section 4.5
• Jury or Witness Duty  EPM Section 4.7.3
• Leaves of Absence for Victims of Domestic Violence  P&P Section 7.5.7
• Leaves of Absence Without Pay  EPM Section 4.8; P&P Section 7.5.5
• Military Leaves  EPM Section 4.6
• Personal Leave EPM Section 4.7.1
• Religious Observances  EPM Section 4.8.2
• Voting  EPM Section 4.7.5

References to P&P are to Policies & Procedures; references to EPM are to the Employment Policy Manual