Sec. 1 Purpose
To provide administration of holidays for The University of Texas System Administration.
Sec. 2 Policy Statement
The Texas Government Code provides institutions of higher education the authority to establish their own holiday schedules. U.T. System Administration will establish a holiday schedule that is more compatible with the academic calendars of the institutions it serves while observing the same number of holidays observed by employees of State agencies.
Sec. 3 Eligibility
Employees appointed to work at least 20 hours per week for a period of at least four and one-half months and who are not in a position that requires student status as a condition of employment are entitled to paid holidays proportionate to the hours appointed to work in accordance with State law and the U. T. System Administration holiday schedule.
Sec. 4 Procedures
4.1 The Office of Talent and Innovation (OTI) prepares the U. T. System Administration fiscal year holiday schedule, submits it to the Executive Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs for approval, and publishes the approved schedule.
4.2 A holiday pay eligible employee whose work schedule differs from the normal office hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, will be granted an equivalent number of holidays as though working normal office hours.
4.3 Employees do not need to request time off to observe designated holidays.
Sec. 5 Floating Holidays
A holiday pay eligible employee may use floating holidays (proportionate to the time appointed to work) with the supervisor's approval. The floating holiday should be used in the current fiscal year. Unused floating holiday hours will carry over from one fiscal year to the next.
Sec. 6 Optional Holidays
An employee may observe an optional holiday in lieu of a designated holiday by working on a holiday for which a skeleton workforce is required or by using accrued and applicable personal paid leave. The employee must coordinate with his/her supervisor prior to observing the optional holiday.
Sec. 7 Working on Holidays
7.1 Supervisors will ensure sufficient staffing to conduct official business on holidays for which a skeleton workforce is required.
7.2 An employee who works on a designated holiday records time worked on the electronic timesheet in the Electronic Timekeeping System (ETS). ETS will credit the employee with holiday compensatory time for the amount of time worked on an hour-for-hour basis. The holiday compensatory time earned must be used within 12 months of the holiday hours worked, or it will expire.
Sec. 8 Payment for Holidays
8.1 An individual must be an employee on the workday before and after a designated holiday in order to be paid for a holiday that falls mid-month, unless the holiday falls on the first or last workday of the month. If a holiday falls on the first workday of the month, an individual must be an employee on the workday immediately after the holiday in order to be paid for the holiday. If a holiday falls on the last workday of the month, an individual must be an employee on the workday immediately before the holiday in order to be paid for the holiday. An individual who is on leave without pay for the entire workday is not considered an employee for purposes of this section. An employee who is on leave without pay for a partial workday will receive credit for working the entire day for purposes of holiday pay.
Examples of When Payment for Holidays is Authorized
| IF | THEN |
|---|---|
|
A designated holiday falls after the first workday of the month and before the last workday of the month, such as Independence Day, |
The individual must be an employee on the last workday before and the first workday after the holiday to be paid for the holiday. |
|
The first workday of the month is a designated holiday, such as New Year’s or Labor Day, |
The individual must be an employee on the day after the holiday to be paid for the holiday. |
|
The last workday of the month is a designated holiday, such as Memorial Day, |
The individual must be an employee on the day before the holiday to be paid for the holiday. |
8.2 If a holiday occurs between the dates an employee separates from one State agency or institution of higher education and begins employment with another without a break in service, the agency or institution of higher education to which the employee transfers is responsible for paying the employee for the holiday, regardless of whether that agency or institution of higher education recognizes the holiday.
8.3 An employee who is paid for unused vacation leave upon separation will be paid for any holiday that falls within the period after the date of separation and the last date of the period in which the employee would have used the vacation leave had the employee remained on the payroll.
8.4 An employee who, with the agreement of U. T. System Administration, remains on the payroll after the last day worked to use vacation leave in lieu of being paid in a lump sum vacation payment will be paid for any holiday while remaining on the payroll using vacation leave.
8.5 An employee may be paid on a straight-time basis for hours worked on a holiday when using holiday compensatory time would disrupt normal teaching, research, or other critical functions.
8.6 An employee, including a classified employee within the probationary period, will be paid for unused floating holiday hours upon separation of employment.
8.7 The estate of a deceased employee will be paid for each designated holiday that is scheduled to fall within the period after the date of death and during which the employee could have used vacation leave. Payment will be proportionate to the hours appointed to work. To determine the period during which vacation leave could have been used and the number of designated holidays, the employee's vacation leave balance is allocated over the workdays after the employee's death, and the estate is paid for any designated holiday that occurs during the period.
Definitions
Floating Holiday - a holiday (eight hours for a full-time employee) that may be included in the fiscal year holiday schedule that may be used with prior approval of the employee's supervisor.
Holiday Compensatory Time - equivalent time off earned by a holiday pay eligible employee who works on a designated holiday that must be used within 12 months of the holiday hours worked.
Optional Holidays - Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Good Friday.
Skeleton Workforce - sufficient staffing to conduct official business on specifically designated holidays.
