Description of Christmas Closure Benefit

Eligible staff that are not required to work during Christmas Closure are paid for the days at their normal rate of pay, based on their average daily hours.

Exempt staff are paid for Christmas Closure at their normal rate of pay regardless of whether they are required to work.

Nonexempt staff that are required to work during Christmas Closure will have a choice between two payment options:

1. Staff who work during Christmas Closure may be paid for the closure at their regular rate of pay based on their average daily hours of work as well as being paid for actual hours of work on days designated as closure, or
2. with prior supervisory approval, substitute days (limited to the number of days an employee is expected to work and/or has worked during closure), may be taken off with pay in lieu of closure during the week preceding or following Christmas Closure, or
3. the employee may choose to take the days off during another week that is mutually convenient for the employee and department.

Time off taken in lieu of the Closure must be used all at once (not incrementally) and it must be recorded on the employee's timesheet when taken. Unless prior arrangements are made through payroll, Christmas Closure pay will be included with normal pay.

For nonexempt staff, time worked in excess of 40 hours during the work week must be paid at one-and-one-half times their regular hourly rate and time worked in excess of eight hours during a day that is designated as closure will be paid at twice the hourly rate, rather than added to additional paid days off.

Work during Christmas Closure will be rotated within a department, to the extent possible.

Definition of Christmas Closure Terms

• Christmas Closure: The normal work days which fall between Christmas and New Year's holidays, part or all of which may be designated as paid time off for eligible staff.
• Average Daily Hours: The employee's average weekly hours based on appointed annual FTE.

Christmas Closure Benefit Eligibility Requirements

• Pay during Christmas Closure is provided to all regular full and part-time staff who work a minimum of 20 hours per week (.5 FTE).
• Eligible staff must start work by December 15 in order to eligible for pay during Christmas Closure of the same year.
• Staff must work their regular schedule or be on paid leave (e.g., paid vacation, sick leave, maternity leave or short term disability) before and after the period designated as Christmas Closure in order to receive pay for Christmas Closure.

Minimum Staffing Levels During Christmas Closure

During the Christmas Closure, certain offices will be required to maintain a minimal level of service on the non-national holidays (December 26 - December 31) which fall on week days, in order to provide necessary services to students, parents, and other customers. The department head will determine the appropriate level of staffing and will appoint each staff member to work a certain day or days during this time. Work during Christmas Closure should be equally divided, so that staff are not required to work an inequitable share of the time. The offices which are required to remain open will be determined each year by the President's Office during the fall quarter immediately preceding Christmas Closure.

Christmas Closure Benefit Limitations and Exclusions

1. Temporary staff, short hour staff, and staff on unpaid leaves of absence are not eligible for pay during Christmas Closure. Staff on paid leaves of absence will still receive pay during Christmas Closure, however, Christmas Closure will not extend the length of the employee's paid leave (e.g.: A staff member begins a 12 week leave during the first week of December for childbirth, recovery and care of the newborn. The paid maternity leave will end 6 weeks later, at the end of the second week of January (normal physician recommended time for recovery from childbirth) regardless of any encompassed Christmas Closure. The remaining six weeks of leave will be FMLA leave, and either paid through use of accrued vacation or will be unpaid if no accrued vacation time is available.).
2. Regular staff hired after December 15 are not eligible for paid Christmas closure during their first year of employment.
3. Since Christmas Closure is intended for the benefit of continuing staff, unless otherwise agreed to by the University, Christmas Closure pay will not be paid to staff after active employment has ceased, even though salary payments may continue for accrued vacation and other paid benefits.