I. Policy

The University of Puget Sound (the “university”) provides paid campus holidays, bonus days, and a floating holiday each calendar year for an eligible staff member. Campus holidays and bonus days are designated by the university and usually announced before each calendar year. The list of campus holidays and/or bonus days may be found on the Human Resources website.

II. Eligibility and Scope

The university observes 13 paid campus holidays and/or bonus days each calendar year. Campus holidays are generally dates observed by the larger community, such as New Year’s Day, Independence Day, and Thanksgiving. Bonus days are dates not generally observed by the larger community, such as the day after Thanksgiving.

Regular full-time and regular part-time staff members are eligible for holiday pay on the first day of employment.

To be eligible for holiday pay, an eligible staff member must be 1) actively employed by the university both before and after the campus holiday or bonus day and 2) must have worked or been on approved paid leave (e.g., vacation leave) during the pay period in which the campus holiday or bonus day occurs. A staff member who is on leave without pay for the full pay period during which the campus holiday or bonus day occurs is not eligible for holiday pay. Eligible staff members who are not on leave without pay and are not scheduled to work during the winter break period between December 22 and January 21 will continue to receive payments for the winter break and Martin Luther King Jr. holidays and bonus days.

Regular Full-Time Staff Members (1.0 full-time equivalent)

A regular full-time staff member will receive eight hours of holiday pay at their regular rate for each campus holiday or bonus day observed. If a campus holiday or bonus day falls on a day not usually scheduled as a workday for a regular full-time staff member, they will receive eight hours of holiday pay for that day. Paid holiday and bonus day hours and floating holiday hours are not included in the calculation of overtime.

Regular Part-Time Staff Members (less than 1.0 full-time equivalent)

A regular part-time staff member will receive holiday pay on a prorated basis at their regular rate. The number of hours of holiday pay for a regular part-time staff member is determined by the staff member’s full-time equivalency (FTE) and the months worked per year. Staff members with positions defined as working less than 12-months per year will be paid for holiday and bonus days falling between September and May. Paid holiday and bonus day hours and floating holiday hours are not included in the calculation of overtime.

Temporary Staff Members

A temporary staff member is not eligible for holiday pay except when stipulated in a written agreement for a long-term temporary appointment, authorized by the appropriate cabinet member and the Associate Vice President for Human Resources or their designee.

III. Work Performed on a Campus Holiday or Bonus Day

An eligible staff member in a non-exempt position who is required to work on an actual holiday recognized by the university (e.g., New Year’s Day or Independence Day, which might fall on a different day of the week) or on a campus holiday or bonus day will be paid for time worked at one and one-half times their regular rate of pay. Hours worked on an actual holiday recognized by the university or on a campus holiday or bonus day will be counted toward overtime hours.

IV. Floating Holiday

The university provides a regular full-time or part-time staff member with one floating holiday each calendar year. The floating holiday supplements paid days off are provided as campus holidays and/or bonus days. The floating holiday is granted on the first day in January following the staff winter break (typically the first business day following New Year’s Day). A staff member hired after that date will receive the floating holiday the following January.

Regular Full-Time Staff Members (1.0 full-time equivalent)

A regular full-time staff member will be granted eight hours of floating holiday leave.

Regular Part-Time Staff Members (less than 1.0 full-time equivalent)

A regular part-time staff member will be granted floating holiday leave on a prorated basis.

Temporary Staff Members

A temporary staff member is not eligible for floating holiday pay except when stipulated in a written agreement for a long-term temporary appointment, which has been authorized by the Associate Vice President for Human Resources or their designee.

If a staff member’s full-time equivalent (FTE) is adjusted in the middle of the calendar year and if a staff member has not used their floating holiday hours, the number of available hours will be adjusted based on the new FTE.

The floating holiday benefit is subject to the following terms and conditions:

  • Floating holiday hours may be used at the discretion of a staff member, subject to advance supervisory approval
  • A staff member must use all of their floating holiday hours on one day
  • Floating holiday hours will not be counted toward the calculation of overtime pay
  • Unused floating holiday hours are lost following the last pay period of the year (December 21 for non-exempt staff and December 31 for exempt staff) and will not be carried over
  • Unused floating holiday hours are not compensable upon the termination of employment.

V. Religious Holy Days

A supervisor and/or department head should make reasonable accommodations in arranging work schedules for a staff member who wants time off for significant events of their faith. A list of major religious holy days is available from the office of Spiritual Life and Civic Engagement or Human Resources.

If a staff member wishes to be paid for time off work for a religious holy day, they may ask to use their floating holiday or accrued vacation leave. A supervisor may also permit a staff member to take time off without pay or adjust their schedule during the week in which the holy day occurs to make up for missed work time.

Origination Date: 9/1958.
Revised: 2001, 7/1/2009, 3/16/2011, 7/1/2011, 1/1/2013, 1/1/2015, 8/22/2017.