Frequently Asked Questions
Holidays
To be on an "approved paid status," an employee must receive pay through the University payroll system based on regular work or approved paid time off scheduled in advance (e.g., vacation time, compensatory time). If the employee is not receiving any pay through the University payroll system, then the employee is not on an approved paid status.
Employees on an unpaid leave of absence: Employees will not be paid for holidays occurring during an excused or unexcused unpaid or any other absence without pay. Academic-year employees do not receive holiday pay for holidays falling within their non-work period.
Employees required to work on a holiday: If an employee's regular day off falls on a holiday or is required to work on a holiday, that employee will receive an alternative day off with pay in the same pay period.
Hourly: A full-time, full-benefits-eligible hourly (nonexempt) employee who is required to work on the holiday has two options:
- The employee may be paid for eight hours of work AND receive eight hours of holiday pay.
- The employee may be paid for eight hours of work on the holiday AND the supervisor shall authorize an alternative day off work within the same pay period in place of the paid holiday. If the alternate holiday is one of the University Closure days, the employee may choose to bank the closure day for later use.
Salaried: A full-time, full-benefits-eligible salaried (exempt) employee required to work on the holiday receives regular pay for the work performed AND the supervisor authorizes a different day off work within the same pay period as an alternative paid holiday.
Employees shall be paid prorated for designated holidays based on their regularly scheduled total pay period hours. To calculate holiday pay for eligible employees whose regularly scheduled pay period hours are at least half-time but less than full-time, multiply 8 hours by the employee's full-time equivalency.
Example: An employee regularly scheduled to work 60 hours per pay period, or .75 FTE, receives .75 × 8 = 6 hours of holiday pay.
At departmental discretion, employees whose normal workday exceeds 8 hours may be paid holiday pay over 8 hours per holiday. However, the maximum holiday pay per fiscal year is 80 hours.
Upon separation from employment, employees shall be paid for any holiday pay earned during the immediately preceding pay cycle and approved by the administrative supervisor but not yet received.
University Closure
No, you do not need to do anything if your unit observes closure. Time will be automatically entered into your time sheet as follows:
Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and January 1 = Holiday Time
The day after Thanksgiving and University closure days = Closure Time
Units whose work requires that they remain open during either or both University closure periods.
Based on critical need, supervisors may request approval from the President or the President's designee to allow their department to stay open, or certain employees within a department may be instructed to remain at work. The supervisor, not individual employees, makes these decisions.
Those working during University closure periods should report normal work hours and work with their supervisor to use University closure days at a convenient time before June 30 of the following year.
Employees who do not observe the University closure will be compensated as they would be on any other scheduled workday. They should work with their supervisor to use the University closure days at a mutually convenient time before the end of the next fiscal year (June 30).
No. A unit's management establishes the work schedules for its employees. Employees are not authorized to make an exception to the University Closure Policy unless their supervisor directs them to work to meet departmental business needs.
University closure time is not payable upon separation from university employment. If you were required to work during a University closure and received University closure time in compensation, you should use those hours before your last day of employment.
No. Student employees must be paid in the same pay period in which they work the hours.