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Holiday Pay
| Applies to: | Original Policy Date: | Date of Last Review: | Approved by: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-time & part-time faculty & staff (9- & 12-month) excluding adjunct faculty, temporary workers, & student workers | January 1, 2016 | November 16, 2022 May 2026 |
Dr. John Nicklow, President |
Policy Owner: Office of Human Resources
Policy Purpose
This policy outlines the days the university designates as paid holidays and provides guidelines related to holiday pay, including floating holidays and anniversary days.
Policy Scope
This policy applies to full-time and part-time faculty and staff (9-month and 12-month) excluding adjunct faculty, temporary workers, and student workers.
Policy Statement
The university designates holidays during each calendar year as paid time off, including one personal “floating” holiday. Employees who have reached 10 years of service receive one paid holiday per year annually in addition to the university-designated holidays.
Procedures/Guidelines
Holidays align with the Academic Calendar and typically include the following days:
New Year's Day
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Last Day (Friday) of Spring Break
Memorial Day
Juneteenth
Independence Day
Labor Day
Columbus Day
Veterans Day
Wednesday before Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving Day
Friday after Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Eve
Christmas Day
One personal "floating" holiday per calendar year.
Four "extra" holidays, typically the workdays between Christmas Day and New Year's Day
Holidays that fall on a Saturday will normally be observed on the preceding Friday.
Holidays that fall on a Sunday will normally be observed on the following Monday.
Holiday Pay Guidelines
- Eligibility starts upon employment (if in pay status)
- Part-time staff will receive holiday pay pro-rated, based on FTE
- Must be in pay status (e.g., not on unpaid leave) and scheduled to work during the period to qualify
- Example: 9-month staff do not receive holiday pay for summer holidays such as Independence Day
Holiday Pay & Leave Use
| Scenario | Holiday Pay Granted? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Working on a holiday | Yes | Alternative day off within same pay week, if possible |
| Holiday during vacation | Yes | Counts as holiday, not vacation |
| Holiday during unpaid leave or disability | No | Not paid |
| Call off sick on a scheduled holiday | Holiday pay only | No use of other leave types allowed |
| Use of other leave types with holiday pay | Not allowed | No combining with Sick, Vacation, Floating Holiday, or Anniversary Day |
Special Notes by Employee Type
- Non-exempt staff working on a holiday:
- Usually get a substitute day off in the same pay week
- If not feasible, receive straight time pay for hours worked (no overtime unless weekly threshold is exceeded)
- Holiday hours not worked do not count toward overtime
- Exempt staff required to work on a holiday:
- Granted equivalent time off within the same work week, scheduled with supervisor
- Ineligible Groups:
- Adjunct faculty, student workers, temporary employees do not receive holiday pay
Personal "Floating" Holiday
Employees receive one personal "floating" holiday per calendar year. This holiday may be used for any reason and at any time, subject to the approval of the employee's supervisor.
Accrual
The personal holiday is credited during the first full pay period of each calendar year. The number of hours granted is based on the employee’s Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) status at that time. Specifically, the number of hours an employee is authorized to work per pay period determines the accrual amount:
- Employees scheduled to work 80 hours per pay period (1.0 FTE) receive 8 hours of personal holiday.
- Employees scheduled to work 60 hours per pay period (0.75 FTE) receive 6 hours of personal holiday.
If an employee’s FTE status changes at any point after the personal holiday has been credited, the number of personal holiday hours remains unchanged, based on the FTE status in effect at the beginning of the calendar year.
New Hire Eligibility
Employees who are hired on or after November 1 are not eligible for a personal holiday in that calendar year. These employees will become eligible to accrue a personal holiday in the following calendar year.
Usage Guidelines
- Personal holidays must be used in whole-day increments; partial-day use is not permitted.
- The personal holiday must be used by the last full pay period of the calendar year in which it was accrued.
- Unused personal holiday hours do not carry over into the next calendar year and will be forfeited if not used by the deadline.
- Personal holiday hours are not paid out upon separation from employment, regardless of reason.
Anniversary Day
Employees who have reached 10 years of service receive one paid holiday per year annually in addition to the university-designated holidays. Work performed as an adjunct faculty member, student employee, and/or temporary employee does not count towards the 10-year service requirement.
Eligibility:
- Employees with 10+ years of service receive 1 paid Anniversary Day per year.
- Time worked as adjunct faculty, student employee, or temporary employee does not count toward the 10-year requirement.
- Employees who reach 10 years of service on or after November 1 are not eligible for that year's Anniversary Day; they must wait until the next calendar year.
Availability & Usage:
- Becomes available after the first completed pay period following the 10-year anniversary date.
- Can be used for any reason, but requires supervisor approval.
- Must be used in whole-day increments only (no half-days or hours).
Expiration & Forfeiture:
- Must be used by the last full pay period of the calendar year in which it accrues.
- Unused days do not carry over to the next year and are forfeited.
- No payout is given for unused Anniversary Days upon separation for any reason from the university.
- Employees are not guaranteed (or restricted to) taking their Anniversary Day on their actual anniversary date.
Definitions
FTE: Full time equivalent. The calculation of FTE is an employee's regularly scheduled hours divided by the employer's hours for a full-time workweek. For example, a part-time workweek of 20 hours divided by the 40-hour full-time workweek at Florida Tech is 0.5 FTE.
Responsibilities
Floating holidays and anniversary days are managed by the employee and the approving supervisor; the employee is responsible for reporting their time accordingly.