Holidays

A. Traditional Holidays

The University of Richmond recognizes 14 paid holidays per year as follows:

• Floating holiday(s) * - to be taken any time during the calendar year, with prior supervisory approval (the number of days will vary according to the Winter Break calendar).
  Note: floating holiday(s) may not be used until the six (6) month probationary period has been satisfied. If you are hired after June 1st, then you will not be provided any floating holiday(s) until the next calendar year.
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• The Wednesday before Thanksgiving Day 
• Thanksgiving Day
• Friday after Thanksgiving Day
• Winter Break Days * - the University will be closed Christmas Day through New Year's Day (the number of days will vary according to the day of the week of the traditional holiday).

* There may be years in which the use of a floating holiday may be necessary to complete the time period of the Winter Break. This will vary according to the day of the week of the traditional holidays.

Some of the observed holidays may fall on a weekend, therefore an annual schedule will be published to designate the holidays for the given year.

B. Eligibility

To qualify for holiday pay, an Employee must be in an approved pay status the day before and the day after the holiday. In addition, he/she must meet (or be officially excused from) his/her last assigned work shift prior to the holiday and meet (or be officially excused from) the next assigned work shift following the holiday.

No holiday pay is granted when a holiday occurs during leave without pay, while using donated time, an unpaid leave of absence, layoff status or a suspension.

Part-time Employees are eligible for holiday pay based on a pro-rated basis of hours scheduled per the Employee's base schedule.

C. Holiday Work

Due to the nature of working at a residential university, you may need to observe your paid holiday(s) at times different from the official recognized University holiday schedule. If a University observed holiday falls on a day when students are on campus or when the University has work of an essential nature, then Employees may be asked to work during a scheduled holiday. Department supervisors will decide if that department must provide services on holidays. In such instances your supervisor will either provide you with equivalent compensatory time off (observe the holiday at another time), or in rare instances that have been pre-approved by the Associate Vice President for the Department of Human Resource Services, a non-exempt Employee will be paid in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act guidelines. If you and your supervisor determine that it is appropriate to observe your holiday at another time, then you must take this substitute day within the same calendar year the holiday occurred. If an Employee works a portion of a holiday, a pro-rated share of the day (depending on the number of hours worked) will be given.

In addition, when an Employee takes a holiday and is then required by his/her supervisor to work beyond a normal eight (8) hour work day during that same workweek, or is required to work on his/her scheduled day(s) off during that same workweek, the time taken as holiday hours will, in these cases only, be counted as time actually worked for the purposes of computing overtime eligibility.

The University will make reasonable accommodations to Employees who wish to observe religious holidays that do not fall on one of the traditional holidays by allowing Employees to take such a day off. The floating holiday(s) are designed to allow Employees some flexibility to take time off at their discretion (with supervisory approval) for such instances.

Floating holiday(s) are excluded from overtime calculations. In addition, if floating holiday(s) are not used by the end of the calendar year, then they will be forfeited.

Various campus departments may need staff to work during Winter Break holidays. The Winter Break holiday concept is one that was designed to allow Employees a set break time to relax with family and friends during a time when no work will be created or generated due to the University being essentially closed. It is expected that staffing will be kept at a minimum and that supervisors will ensure that Employees take Winter Break holidays well in advance of the end of the calendar year.

D. Termination

All holidays earned, but not taken during the calendar year, will be paid to the Employee except floating holiday(s).