The University has established a Fitness Release Time and Wellness Leave policy, MAPP 02.02.08, to support University of Houston employees in their efforts to improve their health and well-being, and to enhance their work performance and productivity.  This two-part policy is in accordance with the State Employees Health Fitness and Education Act of 1983.

Part one, the Fitness Release Time (FRT) portion of the policy, provides full-time, benefits-eligible employees who have been with the University a minimum of 3 months from date of hire up to thirty (30) minutes, three times per week, to participate in physical fitness activities. The FRT policy may not interfere with an employee’s duties or a department’s responsibilities. Therefore, supervisor approval is required before an employee may commence any physical activity/exercise under the program.  All time (1.5 hours per week) taken under the policy must be recorded in the Time Reporting and Absence Management (TRAM) system.

Part two, the Wellness Leave portion of the policy, provides a wellness incentive of 8 paid hours leave to eligible employees who complete an approved Health Assessment (aka health risk assessment) and receive an annual comprehensive physical exam (or virtual Catapult Health Checkup). The wellness leave may be used for any purpose as two half-days or one full day off.  Wellness leave time must be scheduled with the supervisor’s approval and cannot be used in conjunction with the College Release Program.

To learn more about eligibility for the program, requirements for participation and procedures for application, please review the policy MAPP 02.02.08 in its entirety, as well as the videos and FAQs on this webpage before requesting Fitness Release Time and/or Wellness Leave.

FITNESS RELEASE TIME (FRT) APPLICATION PROCEDURE

To qualify for FRT, an eligible employee must complete the FRT Application and the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire. Please note that in some cases additional documentation such as Medical Clearance may be requested.

FRT Video Tutorial

To request Fitness Release Time, the following steps must be completed:

1. Print the FRT Application requesting up to thirty (30) minutes, three times per week to participate in exercise/physical fitness activities. Complete the form identifying the activities in which you plan to engage as well as the days and times. Discuss the request with your supervisor to determine if the leave is possible. If so, obtain their signature to verify approval of the requested leave for the semester. 

2. If your supervisor approves the request, print and complete the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q) form. You should then scan and email both forms (FRT Application & PAR-Q) to Human Resources at POWERUP@uh.edu. If the request is denied by your supervisor, you may not use Fitness Release Time that semester.

3. Please answer the questions on the PAR-Q honestly. If you answer “Yes” to one or more of the questions on the PAR-Q, you will be asked to obtain a Medical Clearance form from your primary care physician indicating clearance to participate in the exercise program/the physical fitness activity you have selected. This form should also be emailed to HR, along with your FRT Application and PAR-Q.

If all requirements are met, your application will be approved by HR, who in turn will notify you and your supervisor. Please retain copies of the FRT Application, PAR-Q, and HR Participation Approval Email (once received), etc., for your records. The original forms will be filed in Human Resources.

Once FRT is approved, the approval is good for that calendar year. It will be the responsibility of the employee to maintain their supervisor’s approval to continue participation from semester to semester and to reapply at the beginning of the following year.

Remember, FRT may not exceed 30 minutes, 3 times a week, and must be entered in PASS via the Time Reporting and Absence Management (TRAM)  system.

Each FRT session must be entered as it is taken and cannot be entered in advance.

If the days entered for FRT are not sequential, you must submit an Absence Request for each day. (If you do not, the system will reflect FRT taken every day of the week in violation of the policy.)

Note: If you are an hourly employee, you must clock out and clock back in for each 30 minute period you take when using FRT. 

 To Report FRT:

Access PASS

Select Manage Absence

• Enter Start Date
• Under Absence Name – select CDV Fitness Release Time
• Enter an End Date
• Under Partial Days - select All Days (If days are not sequential, be sure to submit an Manage Absence Request for each day)

Click Apply Absence 

• Enter .5 Hours
• Make any comments

Click Submit

Important Note: FRT is a special benefit designed to support employee health and well-being. Adherence to the program guidelines make this opportunity possible. Violation of the policy may result in dismissal from the program as well as corrective action up to and including termination of employment. 

Fitness Release Time FAQs

Can I come in late or leave work 30 minutes early to work out at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center?

No, the FRT policy cannot be connected to the start or end of the workday. Fitness Release Time is intended to be used within the actual workday.

Could I instead take 45 minutes twice a week (still a total of the 1.5 hours granted) to work out? 

The policy is in accordance with the State Employees Health Fitness and Education Act of 1983, which provides employees time away from their desks to engage in physical fitness activity for 30 minutes, 3 times per week.  Longer periods of release time could contribute to operational problems and disrupt University business. 

For Supervisors: 

WELLNESS LEAVE APPLICATION PROCEDURE

To qualify for the incentive, an eligible employee must complete an approved online health assessment (HA) and receive an annual comprehensive physical exam. Please note that while annual physical exams are considered preventive care and typically are covered by one’s insurance plan, one may be responsible for out-of-pocket expenses related to the appointment(s), such as fees charged for additional screens, tests and/or co-pays.

Wellness Leave Video Tutorial

 To request Wellness Leave, the following steps must be completed:

1. Complete a Health Assessment (HA).

1. Visit https://webmdhealth.com/buenavida/ and create your Buena Vida account. Buena Vida is the new online wellness portal powered by WebMD available to all UH state employees. Once you create your account, you will be able to access a variety of benefits including the Health Assessment required to apply for Wellness Leave.
2. Once created, log into your account. When you do, you will be taken to the My Health page. Go to the menu feature (hamburger symbol) located in the top right corner of the page. Click it and then select Health Assessment and complete it.
3. On the same page there is a section entitled TAKE ACTION. Underneath it will be “Certificate of Completion for the Health Assessment” box. Click the DOWNLOAD FORM HERE or gold star in the graphic to be taken to the Completion Certificate.
4. Next, complete the form with your Name and Date of Completion. Next, download the Completion Certificate saving it as: your First and Last Name followed by HA Comp. Cert. and the current year. Ex. John Smith HA Comp.Cert. 2025
5. Then, scan and send the form back to powerup@uh.edu as an attachment along with your fully completed Affidavit of Routine Physical Exam form.

6.  Other Insurance: If you do not have BCBSTX HealthSelect as your medical insurance provider and do not have access to Buena Vida to complete the HA, please contact powerup@uh.edu for additional options.  

2. Obtain an Annual Routine Physical Exam

1. Use SICK LEAVE to schedule your physical exam with your doctor’s office. When you schedule your appointment, ask the physician’s office staff to make note that you will need the physician to sign the designated section of the Completed HA and Physician’s Certification of Routine Physical Exam Affidavit. DON’T FORGET to print and bring the Affidavit form with you to your appointment.  It may be helpful to provide the office staff with the form when you first check in at the doctor’s office.
2. Before your doctor’s visit, review your HA personalized report. Make notes of identified health risks and topics to discuss with your physician. You may find it helpful to print and take the report with you to your appointment. Before you leave your appointment, be sure that your physician has signed the appropriate section of the Completed HA and Physician’s Certification of Routine Physical Exam Affidavit form.
3. Inform your supervisor of having met the qualifications for wellness leave and obtain his/her signature on the Affidavit form. Remember, you are not required to nor should you share with your supervisor or HR any personal medical information from your HA or physician’s visit. Only the documentation listed here should be submitted to HR.
4. Review the Affidavit form to ensure that it is complete. Then scan and email a copy of the HA Completion Certificate (if you haven’t done so already) and Completed Physician’s Certification of Routine Physical Exam Affidavit to HR. Both of these fully completed documents must be submitted via POWERUP@uh.edu to complete the application process for Wellness Leave.

All forms for Wellness Leave should be submitted to HR by 12/10. HR will review the documentation and, if all requirements are met, notify you and your supervisor via email of your successful completion of the requirements for eight (8) hours wellness leave. The notification will provide guidance for both employee and supervisor on how the leave should be documented in TRAM. See instructions below.

To Enter Wellness Leave:

Access PASS

Select Manage Absence

• Enter Start Date
• Under Absence Name – select Wellness Leave
• Enter an End Date
• Under Partial Days - select All Days (If dividing the time into half days, you will need to submit an Absence Request for each block of time)
• Enter 8 Hours (or 4 if taking a ½ day)
• Make any comments

Click Submit

Wellness Leave is an incentive awarded to employees for attending to their health and well-being by receiving an annual routine Physical Exam and completing an online Health Assessment (HA). This is the only purpose for which Wellness Leave may be awarded and used. Using Wellness Leave without completing the requirements and receiving written approval from HR is in violation of the policy. Adherence to the program guidelines is required. Misuse of Wellness Leave may result in a corrective action up to and including termination of employment. 

Wellness Leave FAQs                   

If you have additional questions regarding the FRT and Wellness Leave Policy, please email POWERUP@uh.edu.