PTO & LEAVE

Holidays

We offer 12 paid holidays to all full-time employees. You can find a full list of City of Boston recognized holidays at boston.gov/holidays.

Vacation

ELIGIBILITY

All City of Boston employees who work at least 35 hours per week are entitled to vacation leave benefits. Employees who work 20 hours or more per week are entitled to vacation leave on a pro-rated basis. 

Once you become eligible, you must work at least 1 (one) day in the following year in order to use vacation leave. You must complete your 6-month probationary period before you can access vacation time. 

Note: For information on how extended leave may affect your vacation eligibility, please refer to the Vacation Eligibility Provision for Extended Leave Info Sheet. 

ACCRUAL

Full-time, benefit-eligible, non-union employees who start work between January 1 and July l are entitled to one (1) week of vacation at the end of their probationary period. If you start work after July 1, you are also entitled to one (1) week of vacation after your probationary period, and you may be eligible for an additional week at the appointing authority’s discretion. 

On January 1 each year, non-union employees* receive vacation leave according to the following schedule:

• An employee who has more than six months of actual work, and up to fourteen (14) years of service, shall receive four (4) weeks vacation. 

• An employee who has more than fourteen (14) years of service shall receive five (5) weeks vacation.

• An employee who has more than thirty (30) years of service shall receive six (6) weeks vacation.

Union employees should reference their CBA to understand how much vacation leave they are entitled to. 

*Please note that vacation accruals may vary for some non-union employees, including those who are Temporary Mayoral Staff (TMS), Fire Cadets, Sworn or Uniformed non-union staff with the Boston Police and Boston Fire Departments, and non-union managers at the Boston Public Library.

Union employees should reference their CBA to understand how much vacation leave they are entitled to. 

If you have worked in public service in the state of Massachusetts, Suffolk County, or certain other types of service, you may be eligible to receive credit toward yours years of service as it relates to vacation accrual. Please reach out to your Department HR Manager or Personnel Officer to assist in this process.

USING VACATION LEAVE

You must provide at least 48 hours notice when requesting to use vacation leave, and approval is contingent upon the operational needs of the department. A maximum of 10 (ten) days can be carried over into the new calendar year and must be used by December 31st. 

If you have any questions about eligibility, accrual, or use of vacation leave, please reach out to your department’s HR Manager/Personnel Officer. 

Sick Days

Benefits-eligible, non-union employees begin accruing sick time immediately upon hire at a rate of 1.25 days per month. They can access that sick time as soon as there is a balance available in the employee’s Employee Self Service (ESS) account. 

Union employees should refer to their collective bargaining agreement (CBA) to understand the rate at which they will accrue sick time, and whether or not they can utilize sick leave during their probationary period. Unused sick time is carried over from year to year.

Sick days may be used in the following circumstances:

• Illness 

• Injury 

• Serious illness in the immediate family 

• Illness or disability resulting from pregnancy or childbirth 

• Exposure to contagious disease 

• Doctor or dentist appointments of the employee or the employee’s immediate family

If you are unable to attend work because of illness, you must notify your supervisor no later than 1 (one) hour prior to the start of your shift. Similarly, if you become ill during the work day, you must give notice to your supervisor before you may leave. 

The City of Boston monitors employee sick leave per the City’s Attendance Policy and takes action accordingly to address any issues.

Personal Days

A personal day is paid time off that can be used for any reason, including personal or family emergencies, medical appointments, etc. Non-union employees earn six (6) personal days per year. These days are referred to as “personal from sick” because the time is deducted from accumulated sick leave. However, personal days are not considered sick leave for City purposes of monitoring sick leave usage or annual redemption of sick leave. Requests to use personal time do not require 48 hours notice, and requests of an emergency nature shall not be unreasonably denied.

Union employees should reference their CBA to understand their personal time benefit. If you have any questions about utilizing personal days, please reach out to your department’s HR Manager/Personnel Officer. 

Bereavement Leave

The Bereavement Leave Policy is designed to support employees during a difficult time by allowing them to take paid time off from work when an immediate family member or someone they live with passes away. This policy recognizes the emotional and logistical challenges that come with losing a loved one, such as needing time for grieving, making funeral arrangements, and handling other personal and family affairs.

For benefits-eligible non-union employees, the Bereavement Leave Policy outlines how to access bereavement leave, ensuring they have the necessary time to cope with their loss without the added stress of losing income.

Employees whose positions are represented by a union have their leave benefits outlined in a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), which might have specific provisions for bereavement leave that differ from the City’s general policy. These provisions could vary in terms of eligibility, the amount of paid time off provided, and which family members' deaths are covered under the policy. Union employees are encouraged to consult their CBA to understand the specifics. 

Cancer Screening 

All City of Boston employees are able to access a certain amount of leave each calendar year for various types of cancer screening. Non-union employees may use up to 4 hours per year. If your position is represented by a union, please reference your CBA to understand how many hours per year you receive. 

You may use this benefit to be screened for the following types of cancer: breast, prostate, colon, skin, thyroid, oral cavity, lymph nodes, reproductive organs, and lung.

Medical Leave

The City of Boston provides additional medical leave to meet the work-life needs of employees, in accordance with laws and regulations as well as to attract and retain talent. 

Depending on your length of service and the specific reason for needing to take a leave of absence, you may be eligible for one or more of the following types of medical leave:

• Family Medical Leave (FMLA) 

• Parental Leave (see next section)

• Reasonable Accommodation for a Disability 

• City of Boston Medical Leave

• Organ Donation Leave

• Unpaid Medical Leave 

BPS School Preview

Four hours of work time may be taken for the purpose of previewing Boston public schools for the first time, or for students who wish to move to a new BPS school.

Boston Public Schools holds school preview time each year from mid-November to the first week in February. 

Additional Leaves Of Absence

The City also grants Military, Small Necessities, Personal, Domestic Violence, Jury Duty, and Education leaves as applicable. The conditions and lengths of these leaves vary according to the applicable collective bargaining agreement.

Depending on your department's operating needs, and with the approval of the Appointing Authority, you may be granted an unpaid personal leave of absence for up to one (1)  year. Requests for personal leave should be initiated at least three (3) weeks before your departure date. Upon returning from a personal leave, you will be placed in the same position or a similar position of equal classification. 

If you are a union employee, consult your collective bargaining agreement to determine if you are eligible for personal leave. Non-union employees should consult with their Department HR Manager/Personnel Officer for specific conditions and  length of leaves.