Holidays and Winter Break

Policy Statement

Dartmouth College
Employment Policies and Procedures

Applies to: All employees

Dartmouth provides the following paid observed holidays and one floating holiday to regular employees:

OBSERVED HOLIDAYS
New Year's Day
Memorial Day
Independence Day
Labor Day
Thanksgiving Day and the Friday after Thanksgiving
The day before or after Christmas Day
Christmas Day

Exception: Because of special work requirements, certain departments have historically observed President's Day in lieu of the day after Thanksgiving or a day before or after Christmas Day.  

The one floating holiday is a paid day off for an employee to participate in celebrations of personal significance on days not already established by Dartmouth as an observed Holiday. 
 

• The floating holiday must be used within the calendar year, on a day normally scheduled to work, and as approved by the employee's supervisor.
• Floating holidays will not be carried over to the next calendar year nor cashed out upon termination.
• An employee will receive their normal wages for a scheduled floating holiday.
• Due to the nature of a floating holiday, an employee is not eligible for the premium pay normally associated with working on an Observed Holiday (coded as "Holiday Worked"). 
• Floating holidays can only be taken in full day increments and are prorated for part-time employees.

A non-exempt employee wishing to observe any holiday not part of the College's regular holiday cycle, and in addition to the floating holiday, has at their disposal, the eleven (11) days of Personal Leave per year, as described in the Personal Leave policy.

ELIGIBILITY
Regular employees are paid for holidays as defined above either: a) on the observed holiday itself if normally scheduled to work; or b) on the preceding or following scheduled workday for observed holidays, or c) on the chosen scheduled workday for the floating holiday, and will receive their normal wages for such days. Employees are not eligible for holiday pay while on disability leave, unpaid leave, or the days that begin or end employment.

Temporary employees are not eligible for paid holidays. 

WINTER BREAK
Every year regular employees receive time off between the Christmas and New Year holidays. These days are designated as break days by the Office of Human Resources and are determined on a yearly basis. Employees who are required to work during break are entitled to take alternate break days until June 30. Winter break days are posted on the Human Resources web site: https://www.dartmouth.edu/hr/working_at_dartmouth/policies_procedures/holidays_winter_break.php  

Definitions and Regulations:

Employees who are deemed essential and who are required to work during either an observed holiday or a winter break day can arrange for alternative days off with their supervisors. Salaried employees required to work during break will receive the same rate of pay as other regularly scheduled workdays. Hourly employees will be paid in addition to holiday pay, two times the hourly rate for each hour worked during an observed holiday (this does not include winter break days or the floating holiday).

Procedure:

Hourly employees recording time off on their time sheet should record holiday hours as "holiday" on the time sheet and record break days as "other" on the time sheet.

Documentation:

Please refer to the human resources Web site for yearly updates on winter break and holidays. https://www.dartmouth.edu/hr/working_at_dartmouth/policies_procedures/holidays_winter_break.php