Policy Number: 4.15 - Educational Leave
Efft. Date: 9/16/93 Rev. Date: 5/2004

It is the Commonwealth's objective to allow employees to take leave from work to pursue study related to their work or the work of their agencies.

This policy applies to positions covered under the Virginia Personnel Act to include classified, and restricted employees. (See section II (A) of Policy 2.20, Types of Employment.)

• To further education
  Educational leave may be granted, at the discretion of the agency, for the purpose of allowing employees time to further their education through study related to their work or that of their agencies.
• With or without pay
  At an agency's discretion, employees may be allowed to take educational leave with full, partial, or no pay. (The provisions of Policy 4.45, Leave Without Pay, Conditional and Unconditional, apply to an educational leave without pay.)
• Educational aid
  Financial assistance for study related to an employee's work may be available from an employee's agency.  (See Policy 5.10, Educational Assistance.)

Educational leave is limited to 12 months. Extensions to this leave, up to an additional 12 months, may be granted by the Department of Human Resource Management, or by agencies that have decentralization agreements regarding extensions of educational leave.

This policy is issued by the Department of Human Resource Management pursuant to the authority provided in Title 2.2, of the Code of Virginia. This policy supersedes Policy 4.15, Educational Leave, September 16, 1993.

The Director of the Department of Human Resource Management is responsible for official interpretation of this policy, in accordance with §2.2-1201 of the Code of Virginia. Questions regarding application of this policy should be directed to the Department of Human Resource Management's Office of Agency Human Resource Services. The Department of Human Resource Management reserves the right to revise or eliminate this policy as necessary.