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Mark your calendars for upcoming UA Holidays

In preparation for the upcoming holiday season, employees should be aware of both holiday and winter closure dates. Further details on the Winter Closure, including the definitions of Hard and Soft Closure, are available on the benefits website.

Paid Holidays

Fall Break: Thursday, November 28 & Friday, November 29
Winter Holiday: Tuesday, December 24 & Wednesday, December 25
New Year: Tuesday, December 31 & Wednesday, January 1, 2025

Winter Closure

Hard Closure: December 24, 2024 through January 1, 2025
Soft Closure dates are set by each department and generally follow 
December 16, 2024 through January 3, 2025. Please inquire about soft closures with your leadership.

During the Winter Closure, four days are recognized as paid holidays: December 24 and 25, and December 31 and January 1, 2025. However, the Hard Closure days—December 26, 27, and 30—are not paid holidays. On these days, employees are required to use Annual Leave, Leave Without Pay, Faculty Time Off, or a Personal Holiday. Similarly, employees observing the Soft Closure must also utilize Annual Leave, Leave Without Pay, Faculty Time Off, or a Personal Holiday. Actual Soft Closure dates observed are determined by each department individually, and by business needs.

During Hard Closure, certain departments must remain operational. Supervisors and unit leaders are advised to coordinate with their respective leadership — be it the president, chancellor, vice president, chief officer, provost, or vice chancellor — to ascertain the necessary staffing levels to sustain university functions. Employees are obligated to submit their timesheets amidst a Hard Closure, while supervisors are tasked with approving these timesheets. It's advisable to complete these tasks in advance, so planning ahead is crucial. For units considering a partial or complete shutdown during Soft Closure days, it's essential to collaborate with their designated leadership contact. Leadership will then assist the department/unit in ensuring that operational requirements are fulfilled.

After a department's business hours are established and communicated by the supervisor, employees are expected to discuss leave options and scheduling with their supervisor. It is important for employees to note that eligibility for retirement (PERS and TRS) could be impacted if unpaid leave surpasses ten days within a calendar year.

For inquiries regarding UA Holidays, please reach out to your direct supervisor or send an email to ua-benefits@alaska.edu.

Published in UA News 9/20/2024 & 11/1/2024
Distributed via email to all employees 9/18/ 2024