Cornell University has a set of very liberal policies for granting staff members paid time away from work. Depending upon years of service, all staff are eligible for 3-5 weeks of vacation per year.
Employees also accrue sick leave.
Sick leave should be thought of as an insurance policy against a long illness or temporarily disabling injury. With the sick leave benefits Cornell provides, a person who needs to be out of work for several weeks or months, need not suffer any loss of pay. Personal leave and Health Care leave do not accumulate. An employee's attendance is a critical factor of job performance and essential to the department's operation. When an employee's attendance is not satisfactory, it is the supervisor's responsibility to review the situation and determine whether disciplinary action is warranted.