HILLCREST EDUCATIONAL CENTERS EXTENDED VACATION TIME AWAY POLICY

Time away from work under the Company’s Vacation Policy generally may not be taken in increments greater than two weeks, unless permitted in accordance with this policy.  A full time employee with at least one year of service (“Qualified Employee”) may submit a request to his/her Program/Department Director (“Director”), in accordance with the procedures outlined in this policy, requesting continuous time away from work in excess of two weeks (“Extended Time Away”).  The Director and the Company’s Human Resources Department shall have discretion to decide whether to grant a Qualified Employee’s request for Extended Time Away.  They shall consider the factors outlined in this policy.

Any grant of Extended Time Away shall not exceed four weeks.  In order to be eligible for Extended Time Away, a Qualified Employee must be able to cover at least 75% of the Extended Time Away with accrued, unused vacation time and/or floating holiday time, allowing up to one week of unpaid time.  Prior to any unpaid time being granted, the employee must have exhausted their vacation and/or floating holiday balances.  Sick or personal time may not be used to cover Extended Time Away.  Extended Time Away requests must be submitted, in writing, at least 90 days in advance. No more than one Extended Time Away request will be granted in an eighteen-month period.

Time away in excess of four weeks will be considered for other reasons, as may be required by law, and may be considered a personal leave subject to any and all of the conditions of such leave in regard to prior approval, notice period, job protection, and benefit eligibility.  Employees requesting a personal leave should refer to the Personal Leave Policy.

Hillcrest Educational Centers reserves the right to identify Prime Time Vacation periods. Extended vacation requests will not be considered during Prime Time Vacation periods. Prime Time Vacation is between the dates of December 15th through January 15th. Vacation requests during these dates may not exceed two weeks and seniority will determine access to time away during these periods.

Procedure for applying for extended vacation time:

1. Requests for Extended Time Away must be made via email to the Qualified Employee’s Director with a copy to Human Resources and should indicate the reason, dates and length of the time away requested.
2. The Director and Human Resources shall review and act upon a request in a timely manner considering the following factors:
   • The purpose for which the time away is requested
   • The length of time the employee will be away
   • The effect the time away will have on the ability of the program to carry out its responsibilities
3. All Extended Time Away must be approved by the Director and Human Resources in their sole discretion.
4. Approval or denial of requests for Extended Time Away must be sent via email from the Director to the employee with a copy to Human Resources.  Should a request be denied, a reason must be stated for this decision.

Provisions

1. Employee health insurance benefits will be continued in the same manner as received prior to the Extended Time Away.  Payroll deductions will be made for time away covered by benefit/vacation time.  The employee will be expected to remit payment for the employee’s portion of the health insurance premium prior to departing on the Extended Time Away for any part of their time away that is unpaid.
2. An employee is required to return from the Extended Time Away on the originally scheduled return date. If an employee who fails to do so, they will be considered to have voluntarily resigned from his or her employment.

Please see Personal Leave, FMLA, MPFL and similar policies required by law for additional information on other forms of extended time away.