Carnegie Mellon University

Winter Break 2023

The weekdays of December 27, 28 and 29, 2023, are designated as Winter Break days. Carnegie Mellon University will be closed, and non-essential personnel should not report to work. The Winter Break is designed to provide the campus community with additional time off during the winter holidays.

The Winter Break is for 2023 only and is not an addition to the university's official holidays. Likewise, the Winter Break days are not Paid Time Off, Vacation Days or Floating Holidays, and are not subject to the accrual, use, payout or other terms of those benefits.

Coupled with the official Christmas and New Year holidays, this means Carnegie Mellon University will be closed from December 25, 2023, through January 2, 2024.

Full-Time Staff Members Full-time staff members will be paid for the Winter Break days as if they had reported to work.
Full-Time Temporary Employment Service Staff Members Full-time Temporary Employment Service staff members will be paid for the Winter Break days as if they had reported to work.
Part-Time Staff Members Part-time staff members are not expected to work on the Winter Break days. They should work with their managers to make arrangements, if possible, to make up the missed work hours during the weeks preceding or following the Winter Break days. Because they are not otherwise eligible for holiday pay or PTO, part-time nonexempt benefits-eligible staff members will receive a payment of $300.
Staff Members on Leave The Winter Break days are not applicable to staff members who are on leave.
Essential Employees

Individual departments will determine which employees are essential and must report to work during the Winter Break. Essential employees who work on any of the Winter Break days will be given an equal number of paid days off to take during the period of January 3 through December 23, 2024. Such days off must be scheduled in advance, submitted through Workday, and are subject to supervisor approval. Refer to the Winter Break Time Off Procedures System Guide [pdf] for instructions. 

Union Employees
  • Members of the Carnegie Mellon Campus Police Association and International Union of Operating Engineers Local 95 are expected to report to work as scheduled.
    • Union workers who work on any of the Winter Break days will be given an equal number of paid days off to take during the period of January 3 through December 23, 2024.
  • Members of Teamsters Local 249 affiliated with International Brotherhood of Teamsters are not expected to report during Winter Break and will be paid for these days off if they had been normally scheduled to work on them. There will be no shuttle or escort services on the Winter Break days. 
  • Additional information on how the Winter Break affects union workers will be provided by management to bargaining unit representatives.