Northern Arizona University will close for the winter holiday break from Dec. 25 through Jan. 1. The official paid holidays are Dec. 25 and 26 and Jan. 1. NAU will be closed on Dec. 27-29; however, these are not paid holidays.
During this period, many employees do not report to work and do not receive regular pay. Decisions will be made in each vice presidential area as to which operations must continue during this closure. Staff will be notified by their supervisors of the requirement to work during the winter holiday break.
With department head approval, non-essential services employees may be granted permission to work during this period. For any dates during the winter holiday break not covered by holiday pay all regular, benefit-eligible staff will need to make arrangements to report their time off.
For any dates during the winter holiday break when an employee would not be covered by holiday pay and is not working, a supervisor may grant any of the following options:
Use of accrued vacation
Employees eligible to accrue vacation may request to use their accrued vacation time. Vacation is limited to the amount the employee has accrued prior to the end of the last full pay period before the winter holiday break.Use of accrued compensatory time: Fair Labor Standards Act non-exempt classified staff employees only
Non-exempt classified staff employees (in job classifications that qualify for overtime compensation) who have accrued compensatory time prior to the end of the last full pay period before the winter break may request to use hours from their existing balance of compensatory time. A non-exempt employee may be permitted with prior supervisor approval to work overtime based upon business needs in anticipation of that employee taking compensatory time off during the break.Use of flexible work time: FLSA exempt classified staff employees and appointed personnel only
Supervisors may authorize the use of paid release time to exempt employees (in job classifications that are exempt from overtime compensation) who have routinely worked more than their scheduled FTE throughout the year. This option is in accordance with NAU Personnel Policy #2.03 that states exempt employees are not eligible to receive overtime payment or compensatory time off. There are instances, however, when flexible work hours may be permitted at the department head’s discretion to accommodate such things as peak work periods, for example, in the case of the exempt employee who worked an excessive number of hours in a prior pay period or who routinely works more than 40 hours in a workweek. Flexible work time shall not be granted on an hour-for-hour exchange basis, and it may be considered for all or a portion of the winter break according to the guidelines of the program. Guidelines and procedures for this option can be foundonline.Use of absence without pay
Employees may request the use of absence without pay during the winter holiday break. A benefits-eligible employee who uses absence without pay for the winter holiday break must work or be on an approved paid status on his/her last scheduled work day before and the first scheduled work day after the winter closure to qualify for holiday pay for holidays that occur during this period.
It is important that all time not worked be documented appropriately and all leave and time reporting records are subject to audit upon request.
For information, contact the Human Resources Department’s Customer Service Center: (928) 523-2223 or hr.contact@nau.edu.