Support Staff Policies & Procedures

Support Staff Holiday Pay Policy & Procedure

Policy

Applies to: Regular University support staff working half-time or more. Temporary 1585 staff hired to work half-time or more. Temporary Clerical/Technical staff if extended beyond 180 days.
The University grants eligible employees paid holidays from work with no loss in pay.
  1. The University recognizes the following as holidays:
    • New Years (two days)
    • Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day
    • Memorial Day
    • Independence Day
    • Labor Day
    • Thanksgiving Day
    • Friday after Thanksgiving
    • Christmas (two days)
  2. The University recognizes Winter Break (three days) that operate as holidays under this policy.
  3. Each year the University designates the dates on which the holidays are to be observed. The additional days at Christmas and New Years are observed either before or after the legal holiday and are scheduled on the same dates for all employee groups. Winter Break days are observed between Christmas and New Years holidays. Deviations may occur in cases where specifically detailed in individual Collective Bargaining Agreements, and in cases where the University determines adjustments are necessary to accommodate the academic calendar and the University's teaching mission.

Eligibility:

  1. Begins on date of hire, rehire, or change to regular status of half-time or more.
  2. The employee must be actively at work or on leave of absence with pay at the time the holiday occurs. The benefit is not payable to employees who are on:
    • an official leave of absence without pay
    • regular Workers' Compensation
    • layoff
    • disciplinary suspension
  3. Holiday pay is not granted when the holiday falls during a vacation period preceding termination (except when an employee is retiring).
  4. Holiday pay is not payable if the employee has an unexcused absence on either the day before or the day after the holiday.

Amount of payment:

  • A maximum of eight hours pay may be made for each holiday.
  • Each hour paid to an employee shall be paid at the employee's base rate of pay, and shall not include shift premium or other premium payment.

Coordination with other types of pay or benefits: When a holiday falls during an employee's paid vacation or sick leave, the employee will receive holiday pay and no charge will be made to accrued vacation or sick leave accruals.

Other provisions: Except as stated otherwise in Collective Bargaining Agreements:

  • When a holiday falls on an employee's non-work day and no other day is designated by the University, an alternate day off will be given. Regular employees working half time or more are entitled to paid holidays on a proportional basis.
  • For part-time employees, the unit should use this formula to alter the holiday week work schedule: Determine the number of holiday hours the employee will be paid, subtract this from the usual number of hours worked in a week, and then adjust the employee's schedule to make up the difference.

EXAMPLE A - An employee works 32 hours a week. Thanksgiving holiday week Thursday and Friday are holidays. This person will get 6 hours of pay for each day (proportionate to employment percent). Subtract 12 from 32 and the remaining 20 hours of work need to be scheduled for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of that week.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
4 8 8 6 Holiday 6 Holiday
8 8 4 6 Holiday 6 Holiday
8 4 8 6 Holiday 6 Holiday


EXAMPLE B - Employee normally works 20 hours, and Thursday and Friday are holidays. The formula is 20 hours a week normal work schedule, minus 8 holiday hours paid equals 12 work hours that need to be scheduled.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Normal Schedule
Off Off 4 8 8
Adjusted Schedule
4 4 4 4 Holiday 4 Holiday
- OR -
8 2 2 4 Holiday 4 Holiday

EXAMPLE C - If the unit is unable to alter the schedule, and the total number of hours worked and holiday paid hours exceeds the normal number of hours worked in a week, this remainder will be given at a different time. For example: employee works four 10-hour days and the normal schedule is:

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
10 10 10 10  
Adjusted Schedule
8 8 8 8 Holiday 8 Holiday
If Unit Cannot Adjust Schedule
10 10 10 8 Holiday 8 Holiday equals
46* hours

* The 6 additional hours need to be given off on an alternate day.

  • If work is performed on the observance date of the holiday, check appropriate Collective Bargaining Agreement for specific eligibility requirements and payment methods
  • An administrative professional supervisor employee will receive time and one-half (1-1/2) when required to perform work with prior approval of their supervisor, on the observance date of the holiday, and not on the calendar date of the holiday, if different. In addition, an alternate day off will be given.

Refer questions to: MSU Human Resources (telephone 517-353-4434, email) or review the Holiday Pay Guide.

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