Floating Holiday Pilot 2023-24

Overview and rationale

In response to employees’ diverse cultural and personal needs, the university is launching a pilot program to offer a floating holiday for eligible employees. The floating holiday may be used to observe a day of cultural or religious significance, remembrance, or other personal value or tradition. Supervisors should support employees in using this holiday between December 1, 2023 and November 30, 2024.

Eligibility and use

  • All Officers of Administration (9-, 10-, and 12-month), classified employees (9- and 12-month), and research and instructional faculty (12-month appointments only) are eligible to use this holiday immediately upon hire.
  • Employees who are not otherwise eligible for holiday pay are ineligible for the floating holiday.
  • The holiday will be prorated for part-time employees.
  • The holiday is offered in addition to all other observed holidays, including the Special Day of Leave.
  • Eligible employees may use the pilot floating holiday on a mutually agreeable workday between December 1, 2023 and November 30, 2024, with supervisor approval.

Eligible employees may use the holiday for any day of cultural or personal significance. Examples might include:

  • A religious holiday
  • A day of community service
  • A cultural festival
  • A family tradition.

The holiday is intended to acknowledge and respect employees’ diverse needs for work-life balance, so these examples are not intended to be all inclusive.

Quiet Period

In 2023, units are also encouraged to observe a “quiet period” between the December 25 and January 1 holidays, as operations allow. The University will not close, but leaders are encouraged to reduce operations as much as possible and invite employees to use their paid time off. An employee could choose to take the floating holiday during the quiet period; combined with the Special Day of Leave, two vacation or other appropriate accrued leave days, and the December 25 and January 1 holidays, this would allow over a week of time to relax, recharge, and prepare for the new year.

Instructions for use

Employees

To use your 2023-24 floating holiday:

  1. Obtain approval from your supervisor via your unit’s usual process. 
  2. Take your holiday. Relax, commemorate, or recharge!
  3. Record use of the floating holiday on your monthly time tracking. 
    • Via UKG -- select the available option for "Floating Holiday."
    • Via timesheets -- add a note to indicate you are using your floating holiday.

Supervisors

  1. Make coverage plans as necessary so that employees can use their time off.
  2. Encourage and remind employees to use their floating holiday. 
  3. Work with employees to approve a mutually agreeable day off in advance. Do not deny use of the holiday unreasonably.
  4. Make sure employees are recording use of the floating holiday in UKG or on their timesheets.