Winter Closure Time Off

Northern Arizona University will close for this year's winter holiday break from December 26 through January 2, reopening on Tuesday, January 3.

The official paid holidays are December 26, 27 and January 2. NAU also will be closed on December 28, 29, and 30, but these are not paid holidays and employees must account for that time off in one of several ways.

Vice presidents will decide which operations must continue during this closure. Staff will be notified by their supervisors of the requirement to work during the winter holiday break.

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. 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 when an employee is not covered by holiday pay and is not working, a supervisor may approve 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 (comp) 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.

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 normally scheduled hours throughout the year or during peak work periods. Flexible work time shall not be granted on an hour-for-hour exchange basis, but it may be considered for all or a portion of the winter break according to the criteria found in the Evaluation Tool for Flexible Time Off.

Use of absence without pay
Employees may request the use of absence without pay during the winter holiday break.

No matter how it’s accounted for, all time not worked must be documented appropriately using record of absence forms, flex time option forms and timesheets (non-exempt employees).

For more information, contact Human Resources at (928) 523-2223 or hr.contact@nau.edu.