07-07.30 – Holiday Leave

  1. Policy Statement:

    Regular and contingent II employees earn and may use holiday leave in accordance with the procedures set forth in this policy.

  2. Reason for Policy:

    Towson University has established implementing procedures pursuant to USM Policy VII-7.30, Policy on Holiday Leave for Regular Nonexempt and Exempt Staff Employees; and USM Policy VII-1.40, Policy on Contingent Status Employment for Nonexempt and Exempt Staff Employees that provide guidelines for holiday leave earned and used by Regular and Contingent II employees. Faculty should consult the Faculty Handbook. 

  3. Responsible Executive and Office:

    Responsible Executive:
    Associate Vice President of Human Resources

    Responsible Office:
    Office of Human Resources 

  4. Entities Affected by this Policy:

    All divisions, colleges, departments, and operating units; all regular and contingent II employees except for those contingent category II employees whose positions are funded through a research/service grant(s) and/or contract(s). 

  5. Procedures: 

    1. Earnings – Regular Employees in Non 7-Days-a-Week/24-Hours-a-Day Departments 

      Holiday Holiday EArned University Status
      New Year's Day January 1 TU Closed
      Martin Luther King Jr. Day Third Monday in January TU Closed
      Presidents’ Day Third Monday in February

      Floating 
      Memorial Day Last Monday in May

      TU Closed
      Junteenth June 19

      TU Closed
      Independence Day July 4 TU Closed
      Labor Day First Monday in September TU Closed
      Columbus Day Second Monday in October

      Floating
      Election Day

      First Tuesday in November (even numbered years only)

      Floating
      Veterans’ Day November 11

      Floating
      Thanksgiving Day Fourth Thursday in November

      TU Closed
      Friday after Thanksgiving Fourth Friday in November

      TU Closed
      Christmas Day December 25

      TU Closed

      Three (3) additional University Holiday Leave days are earned each calendar year. These days are designated as “TU Closed” and are assigned by President’s Council to be used typically at the end of the calendar year. 

    2. Earnings – Regular Employees in 7-Days-a-Week/24-Hours-a-Day Departments 

      1. Employees in departments that must provide service on a continuous 7-days-a-week, 24 hours-a-day basis earn holidays on the first day of the month in accordance with the following:

        Month Holiday(s) Earned
        January 2
        February 1
        March 1
        April 1
        May 1
        June 1
        July 2
        August 1
        September 1
        October 1
        November 1
        December 1

      2. During a year of general or congressional elections, an additional day is earned on the first day of November. 

      3. Earnings – Contingent I Employees

        Contingent I employees are not eligible for earned holidays.

      4. Earnings – Contingent II Employees

        Contingent II employees earn the same holidays designated as “TU Closed” in Section B.1 above. 

    3. Usage

      1. Except as otherwise provided in Section C.2 below, holidays designated as “TU Closed” are used on the day they are earned/scheduled. 

      2. Departments not on a continuous 7-days-a-week, 24-hours-a-day basis, which require employees to work on “TU Closed” days, must obtain authorization from the divisional Vice President. The Office of Human Resources shall be notified in advance listing the names of the affected employees along with the Vice President’s approval. If the “TU Closed” day occurs during the break between the fall semester and minimester, the employee will be paid for the “TU Closed” holiday in addition to hours worked via compensatory time for exempt employees and cash payment for non-exempt employees. During the remainder of the year, the day will be earned and available for usage at a later time with the permission of the supervisor. 

      3. Holidays earned by employees in a continuous 7-days-a- week, 24-hours-a-day department are used only with permission of the employee’s supervisor. 

      4. Holidays designated as “Floating” are typically to be held in reserve by the employee to provide paid leave for non “TU Closed” days on which the University is closed at the end of the calendar year. 

      5. The President may schedule the observance of selected holidays on days other than those designated above. 

      6. All Holidays earned in a calendar year must be used by the end of the first pay period ending date of the following calendar year or they will be lost. 

    4. Separation/Transfer 

      1. Regular employees: 

        1. Employees who transfer to another department within the University and/or move from one Regular employment category to another shall retain their holiday leave balance. 

        2. Regular employees who leave the USM will be paid for unused holiday leave earned as of the date of separation. 

        3. Employees who transfer to another USM institution will have their unused holiday leave earned as of the date of the separation from the University transferred to that institution. 

        4. Employees who accept a position with a State of Maryland Agency will be paid for unused holiday leave earned as of the date of separation from the University or have it transferred in accordance with that Agency’s policy. 

      2. Contingent II employees: 

        1. Employees who transfer to another department within the University and/or move from one Contingent II employment category to another shall retain their holiday leave balance. 

        2. Employees converting to a Regular position without a break in service shall retain their holiday leave balance. 

    5. General 

      1. Holidays falling on a Saturday are earned the prior Friday. Holidays falling on a Sunday are earned the following Monday. 

      2. Newly hired employees starting after the date a holiday is earned are not eligible for the holiday. Employees must be in a paid employment status on the calendar date that the holiday is earned in order to be eligible for holiday pay when the holiday is observed. 

      3. Full-time employees earn 8 hours of holiday leave per holiday. Part-time employees who are employed on at least a 50% full time basis earn holiday leave on a pro rated basis. For example, a 50% employee would earn four (4) hours of holiday leave per holiday. 

      4. In addition to the holidays listed above, employees are eligible to earn holidays for special observances as required by the legislature and the Governor. 

      5. The holiday schedule indicating the earning and usage of holidays will be included on the Towson University Significant Date Card published annually. The Card is also located under “Significant Dates Calendar [Year]” on the Office of Human Resources webpage, “Related Links” section. 

      6. An employee may be required to perform duties on a holiday to meet operational needs. 

      7. The University will minimally be closed from December 24 through January 1 inclusive each year at which time “TU Closed” and “Floating” holidays will be used. 

Related Policies:

USM Policy VII-1.40, Policy on Contingent Status Employment for Nonexempt and Exempt Staff Employees

USM Policy VII-7.30, Policy on Holiday Leave for Regular Nonexempt and Exempt Staff Employees

Approval Date: 6/26/2007

Effective Date: 7/05/2007

Approved By: President’s Council 4/6/2007

Signed By: President’s Council

How to Request the Policy PDF

This online version of the policy may include updated links and names of departments. To request a PDF of the original, signed version of this policy, email the Office of the General Counsel, .