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5.1 Holidays

Revised October 1, 2009
Changes indicated in red font.

Staff covered by this policy
This policy applies to Service Maintenance employees at South Bend.

A. Observed university holidays

1. The university observes these nine holidays and closes all offices except where continuous service is essential.
   • New Year's Day
   • Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
   • Campus Holiday
   • Memorial Day
   • Independence Day
   • Labor Day
   • Thanksgiving Day
   • Friday after Thanksgiving
   • Christmas Day

B. Other holidays

1. Special holidays other than these may be granted only by action of the Board of Trustees or the President of the university.
2. For religious holidays not included in the nine mentioned above, reasonable accommodation to bona fide religious observances and practices should be made in work scheduling. The use of Income Protection Time may be considered when absence from the work schedule is regarded as necessary to attend religious services.
3. The Chancellor shall determine whether the Campus Holiday shall be observed by all campus employees on a date designated by the Chancellor or shall be a floating holiday that may be observed at the employee’s option provided prior approval is obtained. The Campus Holiday accrues on March 1 of each year and is available to use on or after that date.

C. Eligibility for paid holidays

1. Employees on appointment (50% FTE or greater) prior to a holiday are excused from work and are paid for these days. Each holiday is considered to be eight hours for full-time appointed staff and is a lesser amount, as prorated by FTE, for part-time appointed staff.
2. In order to be eligible for the holiday benefits described within this policy, an employee must have worked the entire last scheduled full work day preceding the holiday and the first regularly scheduled work day following the holiday unless an authorized vacation day, campus holiday, compensatory day, or Income Protection Time day has been approved, or unless the employee is ill or injured and provides a doctor’s statement within 24 hours of the absence certifying that the employee was unable to work.
3. Employees appointed or returning from a leave of absence on the day following a holiday do not receive pay for the holiday. Appointments should not be made effective for the day on which a holiday is observed.
4. See the Separation Pay policy for information regarding terminal pay for holidays for employees who are terminating employment.
5. In order for an employee to be eligible for the Campus Holiday, he/she must be on appointment and in pay status the workday before or following March 1.
6. If an employee does not work on the holiday, the current holiday must be used for that day. A previously accrued holiday or other paid time off can not be used in lieu of the current holiday.

D. When holidays are observed

1. If a legal holiday falls on a Sunday, the holiday is observed on the Monday immediately following the holiday.
2. If a legal holiday falls on a Saturday, the holiday is observed on the Friday immediately preceding the holiday.
3. The Campus Holiday is earned on March 1 of each year.
4. Employees who are scheduled off on the day on which the university observes a holiday, but who are scheduled to work on the day on which the legal holiday falls, will have the day on which the legal holiday falls as the premium paid day. If an employee is scheduled to work both days, the day on which the legal holiday falls will be the premium paid day.
5. If the Campus Holiday is determined to be observed on a designated date, the following procedure shall apply:
1. The Chancellor shall designate the date that the Campus Holiday shall be observed and employees shall be notified of the designated date of the observance.
6. If the Campus Holiday is determined to be observed at the employee’s option with prior approval, the following procedure shall apply:
   1. Employees shall be notified that this holiday shall be observed at the employee’s option with prior approval, and when eligibility is met.

E. Compensation when observed holidays are worked
When it is necessary for employees to work on a holiday, the following principles are applicable.

1. Excluding the Campus Holiday, Martin Luther King Day, and the Friday After Thanksgiving, staff, in addition to their regular pay, are granted time off at a time and one-half rate, or are paid at a time and one-half rate.
   1. The decision on payment or time off is left with the Department Head.
      1. Time off must be used by the end of the last full pay period in December of the next year and is not paid if not used.
2. Campus Holiday, Martin Luther King Day and Friday after Thanksgiving: These holidays are not premium days for pay purposes. Any appointed employee required to work on any of these days is allowed at a mutually agreeable future date, eight hours off with pay (prorated by FTE for part-time staff).
   1. The eight hours off with pay (prorated by FTE for part-time staff) must be used by the end of the last full pay period in December of the next year and is not paid if not used.

F. Special provision for the Campus Holiday

1. Employees may request a postponement of the Campus Holiday, providing the date selected does not work an undue hardship on the department, and they must use the time accrued by the end of the last full pay period in December of the next year and is not paid if not used.
2. If a department closes for the Campus Holiday, Service-Maintenance staff who are required to work may take the campus holiday at a later time, but not later than the end of the last full pay period in December of the next year and is not paid if not used.

G. Advance holiday time off

Time off for a holiday should not be given in advance of the pay period in which the holiday falls. Hours accumulated must be used by the end of the last full pay period in December of the next year and are not paid if not used.