Resources for Students

Time-Off Requests for RTAs

Graduate Student Exempt Leave System Instructions

Updated February 2026

To implement the leave provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), PhD student bargaining unit members appointed to Research and Teaching Assistant (RTA) positions must submit time-off requests using the Graduate Student Exempt Leave System.

This system is the official mechanism for requesting, routing, approving, and documenting leave covered under the CBA.

This requirement applies to:

• Vacation leave
• Sick leave
• Bereavement leave

For RTAs

If you hold an active RTA appointment and are a bargaining unit member, you must submit time-off requests through the system.

Training & Instructions

• Student Exempt Leave Training Video
• PowerPoint overview (download)

These resources provide detailed guidance for submitting requests correctly.

Questions?

Questions about leave eligibility or CBA provisions:
phdunioninfo@emory.edu

Technical questions about the Leave Tracking System:
RequestHRTS@emory.edu