06:21:00 Holidays

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to establish the criteria and process regarding holiday observance at the institution.

Policy

I. Introduction

Walters State Community College, under the governance of the Tennessee Board of Regents, will observe a maximum of eight holidays per year and six additional days to be recommended by the president and approved by the chancellor. The following days are designated as official holidays:

When a recognized holiday falls on Saturday, the Friday preceding the holiday shall be substituted. This includes New Year’s Day and can result in December 31st of the previous calendar year being substituted. When a recognized Holiday falls on Sunday, the Monday following the holiday shall be substituted. Where work schedules or duties make it necessary for an employee to work on a holiday, a corresponding amount of time off shall be granted.

All campuses shall hold observances for Veterans’ Day on or near the day recognized as a national day of observance. Students, faculty, and staff who are veterans shall be afforded the opportunity to participate in the campus observances without adverse action or absence. Employees who are veterans shall be permitted to use annual leave to observe Veterans’ Day, or if they do not have sufficient annual leave, to observe Veterans’ Day as an unpaid holiday.  The veteran employee must provide at least one month’s notice.  A college may deny a request for time off if the veteran employee’s absence, either alone or in combination with other veteran employee absences, will negatively impact public safety or cause significant operational disruption.

II. Eligibility

1. All regular full-time and part-time employees in an active pay status will qualify for holiday pay for the days listed above. Regular part-time employees receive the holiday benefit on a pro rata basis.
    
2. The following provisions apply:
   1. Employees who are in an active pay status on the work days immediately preceding and following a holiday will receive payment for the holiday.
   2. AAny holiday falling within a period of an employee’s sick, annual, or other leave with pay shall be considered holiday leave and recorded as such.

III. Emergency Closing

1. At times it may be necessary for the President to declare specific hours as emergency closing as the result of inclement weather or other emergency situations.

1. In such cases, regular full-time and regular part-time employees on the active payroll who are scheduled to work during the declared times of closing will be granted time off from work with pay.
2. Employees who are not scheduled to work will not be paid for the emergency closing.
3. Employees who were previously approved for leave for the duration of the emergency closing will be considered not scheduled to work and will be charged the appropriate leave.
4. Employees who were previously approved for leave for a portion of the emergency closing will be considered not scheduled to work for the portion of the time that was approved as leave. The employee will be considered scheduled to work for the remainder of the closing.

2. If an emergency closing has not been declared due to inclement weather and an employee is prevented from reporting to work for normally scheduled working hours, annual leave or leave without pay will be charged; or, the employee may be allowed with institutional approval to make up the time lost.
    
3. Regular part-time employees will be affected on a pro rata basis in each of the provisions listed above.

IV. Exceptions

Any exceptions to this policy shall be submitted to the Chancellor for approval.

02/95; 08/04; 10/13; 05/16; 7/23; 06/24