Holiday Closing Period for Faculty and Staff

Jodi D. Gentry, Vice President for UF Human Resources

In keeping with past practice, the University of Florida will be closed Monday, December 25 (Christmas), and January 1 (New Year’s Day), as well as the holiday closing period of December 26 through December 31. This holiday closing period is designed to offer departments the flexibility to close or significantly reduce staffing during the holiday season. The university will reopen on Tuesday, January 2.

All TEAMS employees, 12-month Academic Personnel and postdoctoral associates have been credited with four personal leave days to be used during the holiday closing period of December 26 through 31. Eligible employees who are considered “essential” and will be required to work between December 26 and December 31 may have their work schedules adjusted to use their four personal days between now and June 30, 2018, based on departmental needs. Please note: Essential personnel for this holiday period are not necessarily the same personnel who may be required to work during a campus emergency such as a hurricane closure. As in the past, UF vice presidents – working with deans, directors and department chairs – determine which employees are required to work to support campus operations during this period.

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 due to a department closing or upon supervisory request.

In the event a USPS employee does not have enough vacation leave to cover the closing period, he or she may request 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 vacation leave may be advanced. USPS employees may also elect to use leave without pay during this time.

The UF College of Medicine, UF Health Physician practices and UF Health Shands Hospitals in Gainesville and Jacksonville will remain open for patient care. UF faculty, staff, residents and students with clinical responsibilities who are assigned to the Gainesville and Jacksonville UF Health campuses must check with their respective colleges, departments and clinical leaders to determine their work schedules during the holiday period.
The UF Veterinary Hospital will remain open the entire holiday period.

The College of Dentistry will provide emergency dental care only to patients of record from December 26 through December 28. All other College of Dentistry clinics will be closed for the entire holiday period, reopening January 2.
Additional information on the holiday closing period, as well as the holiday schedule for 2018, may be found on the UFHR website at: http://hr.ufl.edu/benefits/leave/holidays/. For more information, please contact Leave Administration at (352) 392-2477 or central-leave@ufl.edu.

We hope you have a safe and wonderful holiday season!