Holiday Schedule

Paula Varnes Fussell, Vice President for Human Resource Services

In keeping with past practice, the University of Florida will be closed for the holiday period of December 25, 2014, through January 1, 2015. The university will be open on Friday, January 2, 2015.

All TEAMS employees, 12-month Academic Personnel, and postdoctoral associates will be credited with four personal leave days in December to be used during the period of December 26-31. Eligible employees who are considered “essential” and are required to work between December 26 and December 31 shall have their schedules adjusted to provide equivalent paid leave within the timeframe of December 2 and June 30 of the current fiscal year, based on departmental need.

USPS employees are not eligible for the four personal leave days in December and may be required to use vacation or accrued compensatory leave during the holiday closing period if a department is closed, or upon supervisory request. In the event a USPS employee does not have accrued vacation leave to cover the period, he or she may request that vacation leave be advanced to cover that absence, in which case the department is obligated to provide such leave. The holiday closing period is the only time during which vacation leave may be advanced. USPS employees may also elect to use leave without pay during this time.

The UF Veterinary Hospital will remain open the entire holiday period. In addition, all clinical activities within the College of Medicine and UF Health Shands will remain open for patient care. This includes all Shands functions, UF Health Physicians practices, and UF Jacksonville practices and clinical activities. Health Science Center faculty, staff and students with clinic responsibilities who are assigned to the Gainesville and Jacksonville campuses must check with their respective colleges, departments and clinics to determine their work requirements during the December 25 through January 1 time period.

UF vice presidents–working with deans, directors and department chairs–will determine which employees are considered essential personnel and, therefore, will be required to work to support campus operations during this period. For planning purposes, I recommend that you initiate discussions to determine to what extent departments and work units will be closed during the December 25 through January 1 time period, identify those employees who will be designated “essential,” and share this information with employees in your area. Additional information on the holiday closing period, as well as the holiday schedule for 2015, may be found on the HRS website at: http://hr.ufl.edu/benefits/leave/holidays/.

The holiday closing period is designed to offer departments the flexibility to close or significantly reduce staffing during the holiday season. We encourage you to consider allowing employees to use vacation leave around these holiday dates, if requested.
For additional information, please contact Leave Administration at (352) 392-2477 or central-leave@ufl.edu.

Have a wonderful holiday season!