This information summarizes Bayer’s paid time off benefits and related processes. For the full terms and conditions of those benefits, you should refer to the applicable Bayer U.S. HR Policies – Section 4 Time Off. To the extent there is any conflict between this overview and any applicable HR Policies, those formal documents will control over this summary. If you have additional questions not addressed below, please contact HR Operations at 1-888-473-1001, option #5.
Policy 4.2 U.S. Employee Vacation (except California)
The Company provides paid vacation time off for employees to have time away from work for recreation, relaxation, travel and other pursuits of personal interest. Vacation time off is based on length of service and grade level.
How Vacation Time Off is Earned
Vacation time off is earned, also referred to as “accrued”, and taken in the same calendar year and accrues according to the vacation eligibility schedules that follow. For each full month an employee works or is on a paid leave of absence for up to six months during a calendar year, 10% of vacation eligibility is earned, up to 100%. Once an employee works 10 full months in a calendar year, they earn all of the vacation time off for that year. Employees who are away from work due to an unpaid leave of absence, such as FMLA leave or any other type of unpaid leave, will not accrue vacation time off.
When figuring earned vacation, a full month is any calendar month in which an employee works, or is on a paid leave of absence or paid vacation, through the 16th calendar day.
Vacation Eligibility
During an employee's first calendar year with the Company, vacation eligibility is earned according to date of hire.
Date of Hire |
VS 2.0 & Below |
VS 3.0 |
VS 4.1 & Above |
Hire 1/1 - 1/31 |
120 hours |
160 hours |
200 hours |
Hire 2/1 - 2/29 |
108 hours |
144 hours |
180 hours |
Hire 3/1 - 3/31 |
96 hours |
128 hours |
160 hours |
Hire 4/1 - 4/30 |
84 hours |
112 hours |
140 hours |
Hire 5/1 - 5/31 |
72 hours |
96 hours |
120 hours |
Hire 6/1 - 6/30 |
60 hours |
80 hours |
100 hours |
Hire 7/1 - 7/31 |
48 hours |
64 hours |
80 hours |
Hire 8/1 - 8/31 |
36 hours |
48 hours |
60 hours |
Hire 9/1 - 9/30 |
24 hours |
32 hours |
40 hours |
Hire 10/1 - 12/31 |
12 hours |
16 hours |
20 hours |
For an employee's subsequent years of employment with the Company, vacation eligibility is determined by his or her length of continuous service and grade during the year. Eligibility for the next higher level of vacation entitlement is effective on January 1 of the year the employee's anniversary reaches the next level of continuous service.
Length of Continuous Service |
VS 2.0 & Below |
VS 3.0 |
VS 4.1 & Above |
1 but less than 10 years |
120 hours |
160 hours |
200 hours |
10 but less than 20 years |
160 hours |
200 hours |
200 hours |
20 but less than 30 years |
200 hours |
240 hours |
240 hours |
30 or more years |
240 hours |
240 hours |
240 hours |
Vacations must be approved by the supervisor so that vacations do not interfere with departmental operations. Employees should utilize all of their allotted vacation time during the calendar year in which it is earned. Except as required by applicable laws, regulations, or collective bargaining agreements, employees will not be permitted to carry vacation time not used into the following year. Terminating employees, however, will receive a lump-sum payment for applicable vacation time in the year of employment termination.
Note: The Company has a vacation policy applicable to California employees. That policy incorporates a vacation accrual cap as required by applicable law. California employees should consult HR Policy 4.2 California Vacation Policy for details. In the event the vacation rules stated here are otherwise inconsistent with either state and/or local laws, the state and/or local laws will govern.
Policy 4.1 Holidays
Regular full-time, part-time and temporary Bayer employees (including Co-Op, Summer Seasonal, Interns and Graduate Scholars) are eligible for Company scheduled holidays. Each year, the Company designates the scheduled holidays; typically, these will be the most commonly observed holidays. The Company will publish the list of scheduled holidays for each year by December 1 of the preceding year on myServices.
Policy 4.1 Holidays (Discretionary Holiday)
Each year on January 1, the Company provides up to three discretionary holidays to all regular full-time and regular part-time employees. Temporary employees (including Co-Op, Summer Seasonal, Interns and Graduate Scholars) are not eligible for discretionary holidays. Part-time employees or employees with other flexible work schedules are eligible for discretionary holidays on a prorated basis.
Eligible employees may schedule discretionary holidays during their initial calendar year of employment and after completing four months of employment with the Company as follows:
Date of Hire |
Discretionary Holidays |
Hire Jan 1 - Feb 28/29 |
3 Days |
Hire March 1 - April 30 |
2 Days |
Hire May 1 - June 30 |
1 Day |
Hire July 1 - Dec 31 |
0 Days |
Employees hired on or after July 1 may not schedule any discretionary holidays in their year of hire; however, they become eligible for three discretionary holidays in the following year after completing four months of employment.
Illness Hours
Illness may be used for occasional employee absences due to Illness. This absence does not deduct from any quota and is generally paid but it may also be counted as an absence or occurrence under a no-fault absenteeism policy or for general disciplinary purposes. Certain illness-related absences may constitute protected leave under the Company’s Family and Medical Leave Act policy (HR Policy 4.4) or paid sick leave policy (HR Policy 4.8, summarized below).
Policy 4.8 Paid Sick Leave
The Paid Sick Leave policy provides that a specified amount of existing paid time off (vacation, discretionary days) may be used for Paid Sick Leave eligible purposes. Such purposes include time off : (1) for diagnosis, care, or treatment of an existing illness, injury, or health condition (including pregnancy, childbirth, and post-partum care) of, or preventive care for, an employee or an employee’s family member; (2) for matters impacting an employee or employee’s family member who is a victim of domestic violence, harassment, sexual assault, or stalking; (3) for closure of an employee’s place of business or a school of an employee’s child by order of a public official due to a public health emergency; and (4) for any other purpose required under state or local paid sick leave statute or ordinance applicable to the employee or a covered family member.
An employee may begin using Paid Sick Leave following the sixtieth (60th) day of employment; employees rehired within one year shall not be subject to this waiting period. Employees are eligible for a maximum entitlement of Paid Sick Hours per year, dependent on the state in which they live and/or work:
State |
Maximum Annual Paid Sick Hours |
California |
80 hours |
Washington |
108 hours |
All Others (and D.C.) |
56 hours |
Paid Sick Leave is not a grant of additional paid time off—employees must have available discretionary holiday and/or vacation hours in order to use Paid Sick Leave. If an employee uses vacation time for Paid Sick Leave (HR Policy 4.8), the employee’s paid time off balance will be reduced. Usage of Paid Sick Leave is not mandatory, but an employee who want to use paid time off for Paid Sick Leave purposes must designate the time off using the “Paid Sick Hours” (as opposed to “Illness Hours”) in myServices. An employee may choose to use Paid Sick Hours in order to (a) avoid discipline under a no fault or occurrence based attendance policy for a necessary absence; or (b) obtain approval for time off for a necessary absence following a supervisor’s discretionary denial of a request for normal paid time off, such as a discretionary holiday or vacation day.
Policy 4.3 Temporary Absences
Absence hours can be used for a variety of Temporary Absences. Examples include: Funeral or memorial service for a family member or close friend; Visits to a doctor, dentist or medical facility that can't be scheduled outside working hours; Emergency personal business; Appearance in court or at a government office as a summoned juror or subpoenaed witness; Blood test for a marriage license; Duty on an election board. These absences can be paid (up to three consecutive workdays) or unpaid at the supervisor’s discretion.
Policy 4.7 Volunteerism
Time spent by employees volunteering with qualified organizations outside of the work site and during an employee’s regular work hours may be paid time off. This includes time serving on the boards of non-profit organizations.
Full-time employees may receive up to 16 hours of paid time for volunteering with qualified organizations per year. Part-time employees may receive to a prorated benefit for volunteering with qualified organizations per year; the number of paid volunteer hours is determined based on hours worked, rounded to the closest hour.
Any time for volunteering will not be included in calculation of overtime pay. In addition, time for volunteering will not be carried over at the end of the year and will not be paid to the employee upon separation from the Company.
Recording Absence Time
Supervisors and employees are responsible for keeping accurate and current records of absence time taken. Employees should first have supervisor approval for their vacation or discretionary holiday. After approval, employees must record absence time in myServices; hourly employees may have their supervisor enter absences for them in Time Manager Workplace (TMW).