Confirming your Research Leave of Absence

Owned by Marie Garland
Last updated: May 10, 2023
4 min read

Complete these steps no earlier than 30 days prior to the start of your leave.

Begin by logging in to MySlice, then: 

  • If your leave, as proposed, did not include plans for any external funding, and your leave was approved without a contingent or alternate funding option, follow the instructions found in Section 1. 
  • If your leave, as proposed, included external funding (whether or not that external funding was already secured at the time of application, resulting in a contingent or alternate funding option in your approval letter), follow the instructions found in Section 2.

An alternate version of these instructions, with screenshots, can be accessed elsewhere in Answers. Complete the first bullet as described below, then in the HR and Payroll section of Answers, follow from the second bullet (the first bullet as shown in the HR and Payroll section of Answers is no longer accurate). You must be logged in to Answers to access the screenshots: https://su-jsm.atlassian.net/wiki/display/PSHCM/Approve+and+Monitor+a+Faculty+Leave+Request  

Section 1: Research Leaves Proposed without External Funding


  • Navigate to your pending approvals:
    1. Check to make sure that you are in the “Employee Home” section of MySlice.
    2. Select the “HR/Payroll Approvals” tile.
  • Open the request you want to approve:
    1. Select “Research/Admin LOA” from the menu on the left side of the page.
    2. Select your online leave form in the main window.
  • Review the details of your request:
    1. Select “view details.” A new view will open.
    2. If there are attachments that you would like to review, you may need to enable pop-ups in your browser.
    3. To view comments made by others along the approval path, scroll down to the section, “Research/Admin LOA AppChain” and click on “view/hide comments.”
    4. If the terms of your leave are correct, and you wish to confirm without adding your own comments, select “approve” on this page.

To add optional comments or to request changes:

  • To leave comments for others to view:
    1. Return to the main view by selecting “Pending Approvals” in the top left of your browser window.
    2. Reselect the “Research/Admin LOA” approval type on left, if needed, and reselect the leave itself.
    3. Enter your comment in the comment box and select “Approve”. DO NOT select “Approve” if the terms of your leave are incorrect.
  • To request changes:
    1. Return to the main view by selecting “Pending Approvals” in the top left of your browser window.
    2. Reselect the “Research/Admin LOA” approval type on left, if needed, and reselect the leave itself.
    3. Enter a comment in the comment box, and select “Pushback.” Email the leave administrator in the Dean’s office to explain as needed.


Section 2: Research Leaves Proposed with External Funding


  • Navigate to your pending approvals:
    1. Check to make sure that you are in the “Employee Home” section of MySlice.
    2. Select the “HR/Payroll Approvals” tile.
  • Open the request you want to approve:
    1. Select “Research/Admin LOA” from the menu on the left side of the page.
    2. Select your online leave form in the main window.
  • Review the details of your request:
    1. Select “view details.” A new view will open.
    2. If there are attachments that you would like to review, you may need to enable pop-ups in your browser.
    3. To view comments made by others along the approval path, scroll down to the section, “Research/Admin LOA AppChain” and click on “view/hide comments.” DO NOT approve from this page.
  • Return to the main leave window:
    1. Select “Pending Approvals” in the top left of your browser window.
    2. Reselect the “Research/Admin LOA” approval type, if needed, and reselect the leave itself.

Then, select from the appropriate circumstances below:

  • If completing a leave is dependent on external funding (that is, you will take a leave of absence only if funding was secured), and 
    1.    Funding, in fact, was received as proposed: Enter the following in the comment box: “Funding received; leave as planned” and select “Approve.” 
    2.    Funding was received but differs from what was proposed: Enter the following in the comment box: "Funding not received as proposed; please update." Select "Pushback” and email the leave administrator in the Dean's office to explain as needed.
    3.    Funding was not received: Enter the following comment in the comment box: “Funding not received; cancel this leave request.” Select “Pushback” and email the leave administrator in the Dean’s office to explain as needed. 
  • If at least one of the approved circumstances for your leave of absence was not dependent on external funding, and
    1.    Funding was received as proposed: Enter the following comment in the comment box: “Please use primary funding option. Funding was received as proposed.” Select “Approve.”
    2.    Funding was received but differs from what was proposed: Enter the following in the comment box: "Funding not received as proposed; please update." Select "Pushback” and email the leave administrator in the Dean's office to explain as needed.
    3.    Funding was not received: Enter the following comment in the comment box: “Please use the contingent or alternate funding option. Funding was not received.” Select “Approve.”


If none of the above circumstances capture your unique situation, enter the following in the comment box "Please update." Select "Pushback” and email the leave administrator in the Dean's office.