Time Away from Assistantship Duties
Holidays
Graduate students appointed on assistantships are provided all university holidays that occur during their appointment period. Cornell University holidays (when the university is officially closed) generally include 13 days: Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the following day, and winter break (generally six working days from December 25 through January 1).
If assistants are required to perform assistantship duties on a university holiday, they must be notified in advance, and provisions must be made for them to receive equivalent time off on a non-holiday weekday.
Days on which classes are not in session, but the university is open (e.g., institutionally-scheduled breaks from classes in fall semester, January intersession, or spring semester) are not automatic vacation time nor holidays for graduate students appointed on assistantships, but you may request in advance to take vacation during these times.
Vacation Time for Assistantships
In addition to university holidays, graduate students who are on funded assistantships for the calendar year (August 21-August 20) are eligible for up to 12 days of vacation per year, or if on funded appointments for a portion of the year, vacation eligibility is prorated.
Vacation time is intended to provide time away from assistantship and academic responsibilities. Vacation time should not interfere with completing teaching obligations, including required class time and planning meetings, without the agreement of the teaching assistant supervisor. It is the responsibility of the assistant to coordinate such time away with the approval of both your assistantship supervisor and special committee chair. You will receive instructions on how to track and record vacation time. Vacation time may not be rolled over or accumulated across multiple years, nor will there be any payout of unused vacation time.
Funded graduate students do not automatically receive vacation time for breaks in the academic calendar (fall or spring break, February break, January prior to the start of classes, etc). During these periods, students are expected to continue their own degree-related activities as well as perform normal assistantship duties.
Paid Sick Leave for Assistantships
Graduate assistants (teaching assistants, research assistants, graduate research assistants, and graduate assistants) are eligible for a paid sick time benefit. While students in assistantship positions often have considerable flexibility to adjust their schedules and duties, the policy is designed to provide further assurances.
Eligible assistants accrue 0.2917 days per pay period for a total of seven paid sick days if appointed for a full 12-month calendar year.
Interim Policy 6.9, Time Away from Work: Sick Leave (New York State) has been issued (within University Policy 6.9, Time Away From Work) and will offer additional protections for graduate assistants who become ill and need time away from their duties.
Paid sick leave can be used for:
- Personal or family members’ mental or physical illness,
- Diagnosis, care, or treatment of a personal or family member’s mental or physical illness, or
- Absences related to domestic violence, family offenses, sexual offenses, stalking, and human trafficking.
Full details of the policy are available within the Sick Leave section of University Policy 6.9, Time Away From Work. Leave can be viewed and requested within Workday.