Staff are requested to take note of the following important leave-related information.

a) Deadline for approving leave applications for the period December 2021 to January 2022

We kindly ask that line managers ensure that all leave transactions for December 2021 and January 2022 are approved by 31 December 2021.

b) Half day on 24 December 2021

As the University will be closing at 12:00 on Friday 24 December 2021, leave taken on the day will be considered half a day’s leave. This means that staff members not working the Friday morning must capture half a day’s leave on the system.

If you will be taking a longer period of leave that includes 24 December, please ensure that you reduce your number of days absent from work by 0,5 (half a day) on your application. The system automatically calculates all days as full days. Therefore, each staff member is responsible for ensuring that the correct number of days is captured before submitting their leave applications for approval.

We also request that line managers check the number of leave days reflected on applications before approving leave.

c) Two transactions required for continuous leave over the period December 2021 to January 2022

If you intend taking continuous leave over the period December 2021 to January 2022, your application must be captured as two separate transactions, namely:

· one transaction for leave in December 2021; and

· another transaction for leave in January 2022.

If, when capturing leave for January, you receive a message that your PTO net entitlement will be decreased to less than zero, please proceed and complete your transaction. Simply click on “Next” and “Submit” to finalise your request. The warning message appears because your 2021 leave balance still needs to be carried over to 2022. This will happen on 31 December 2021, when the system will automatically correct your leave balance for January 2022.

The University will officially reopen on Monday 3 January 2022.

d) Leave payouts in January 2022

Because Human Resources calculates the leave balance carry-over to the next year (2022) on the last day of the current year (2021), accumulated balances for 2021 will be available in January 2022 only. Therefore, applications for leave payouts at the end of January 2022 (applicable to permanent appointments whose employment conditions provide for this) should be made in January only.

The option “SUN Accum Leave Encashment JV” on the system has been adjusted to enable automatic approval. Please capture your application on or before 10 January 2022 to receive payout along with your January 2022 remuneration.

· Applications for payout of up to 19 days must be entered on the Oracle SUN Employee Self-Service platform. · Applications for payout of 20 or more days must be made using this form. Employees who complete a paper application for leave payout must ensure that the form reaches Human Resources before 10 January 2022 to allow for timeous processing.

Should you require further clarification of any of the information in this notice, please contact the Human Resources Client Service Centre on 021 808 2753 or sun-e-hr@sun.ac.za.