With Christmas displays already going up in stores and the holidays just two months away, it’s my pleasure to announce that St. Thomas employees again will receive extra days off this year.
Christmas is a special time to celebrate our faith with family and friends, and we want to provide extended time for everyone to share the joy of the holidays.
Christmas falls on a Friday this year, meaning that our paid holidays are Thursday (Christmas Eve) and Friday, followed by two more paid holidays on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day (also Thursday and Friday). St. Thomas will provide four additional paid holidays: Wednesday, Dec. 23; Monday, Dec. 28; Tuesday, Dec. 29; and Wednesday, Dec. 30.
That means we will be off 12 days in a row – from Wednesday, Dec. 23, through Sunday, Jan. 3 – before returning to work on Monday, Jan. 4, the first day of January Term classes. Some employees, including certain Public Safety officers, Physical Plant workers, IRT server administrators, Food Service workers and athletic coaches, may need to work over the holidays due to the nature of their duties. If you are uncertain whether your services are required during this period, please contact your supervisor.
Regular full-time, part-time and temporary employees who would have been scheduled to work between Dec. 23 and Jan. 3, if these were not university holidays, will be paid for that time period in accordance with our holiday pay policy. Employees who are required to work during the Christmas holidays will be compensated as follows:
- Employees who are represented by a union will be paid according to the terms of their collective bargaining agreement.
- Non-exempt (hourly) employees who are not represented by a union will receive pay for hours actually worked on the holiday in addition to their regular pay for all scheduled work hours that day.
- Exempt (salaried) employees will receive a floating holiday for each holiday worked as arranged with their manager. The floating holidays must be used by June 30, 2016, the end of our fiscal year.
Department heads must notify Human Resources by Dec. 7 if they have employees who must work during the Christmas holidays. Questions about the holiday pay policy should be addressed to Human Resources.
Please join me in cherishing the blessings of faith, family and friends during this holiday season!
