Holidays

Carnegie Mellon's U.S. campuses observe 11 official holidays. The university is closed on these days, and all non-essential personnel are not expected to report to work. Regular, full-time staff members may also take up to three floating holidays per calendar year. On this page:

• Eligibility
• Holiday Schedule
• Floating Holidays
• Early Dismissal
• 2024 Community Appreciation Days

Eligibility

The holiday benefit is available to U.S. regular, full-time staff members. Staff members whose employment terms are for four months or less are not regular full-time staff members. International locations may observe different holidays.

Holiday Schedule

*When a holiday falls on a Saturday, it is observed on the preceding day. (When the preceding day is also a holiday, both holidays are observed on preceding days.) When a holiday falls on a Sunday, it is observed on the following work day.

Find information about this year's Winter Break.

Floating Holidays

U.S. regular, full-time staff members may take three floating holidays during the calendar year. These floating holidays may be taken on days of your choosing, with your supervisor's approval. 

For staff members in California, the use of floating holidays is restricted; staff members must designate the use of their floating holidays to specific events such as observing a religious or federal holiday not observed as an official university holiday, to support child care needs during school closures or breaks, or to celebrate a day of personal significance such as the staff member’s birthday, a family member’s birthday or a relationship anniversary. Floating holidays may also be used contiguous to an official university holiday, scheduled PTO time, or any of the days noted above.

Eligibility

• The floating holiday benefit is available to U.S. regular, full-time staff members. Staff members whose employment terms are for four months or less are not regular full-time staff members.
• Some departments have policies regarding periods when floating holidays must or may not be used. Check with your department to determine if it has such a policy.
• Unused floating holidays do not carry forward to the next calendar year. If they are not used, they will be lost. No payment for unused floating holidays is made to staff members who separate from the university. A staff member cannot a floating holiday on the last day of employment. 
• For new staff members, the number of floating holidays you are entitled to is prorated based on your hire date:
  • Staff members who begin full-time employment by April 30 are entitled to three floating holidays during the remainder of the calendar year in which they are hired.
  • Those who begin by August 31 are entitled to two days in the remainder of that calendar year.
  • Those who begin by October 31 are entitled to one day in the remainder of that calendar year.
  • Staff members hired on or after November 1 are not eligible for floating holidays during the calendar year in which they are hired.
  • On January 1 of the calendar year following their date of hire, the employee's floating holidays will re-set to three for the new calendar year.

University Holiday Early Dismissal*

At the discretion of the president and with the subsequent approval of the vice presidents and deans of each division or college, an early dismissal may be authorized on the working day prior to a university holiday allowing staff members to leave campus at 2 p.m. — provided it is acceptable to their supervisor, all time-critical work is completed and no urgent business is anticipated.

Based on the nature of duties and/or unexpected developments, some non-exempt staff members who are unable to leave early may take off alternate hours during that work week (at days and times designated by their supervisors). If operational demands require that exempt staff members be present after 2 p.m., the possibility of alternative time off will be determined by the employee's supervisor.

Additional guidelines involving the early dismissal are as follows:

• This only applies to employees eligible for holiday pay. Part-time staff and Temporary Employment Service (TES) employees are not eligible for early dismissal.
• When notified and approved by their supervisor, non-exempt employees should record in Workday the time paid yet not worked using the code Early Dismissal Holiday if leaving early on the working day before a university holiday. The early dismissal time plus the time worked should equal the scheduled work hours for that day. Refer to the following Workday guides for instructions:
  • Time Tracking for Employees Quick Guide [pdf]
  • Review Time Task Quick Guide [pdf]
  • Timekeeper Quick Guide [pdf]
• This does not apply to employees represented by unions or contracted by vendors.
• Supervisors should arrange for coverage for their offices as necessary and in a way that does not result in overtime expense.
• Staff members not required to work are paid for the hours they were regularly scheduled to work.
• The time provided for early dismissal is not considered PTO; therefore, a staff member’s PTO does not decrease. The time also does not accumulate, nor is it paid out when a staff member leaves the university.
• Staff members who call off sick on the work day preceding the holiday will be required to take a full day of PTO. Similarly, staff members taking a vacation day will be required to take a full day of PTO. Also, a staff member who takes a half-day of vacation that day will be required to record it as a full half-day off work.
• The early dismissal does not apply to staff members who are on approved leave from the university.

If you have questions on timekeeping, please contact HR Services.

*These guidelines should also be followed when the university leadership team declares and authorizes full or partial day dismissal for situations outside of university holidays. When this occurs:

• Non-exempt employees should report their pay for time not worked in accordance with the Early Dismissal guidelines below.
• Exempt employees do not need to take any action to report the time.
• Part-time exempt, nonexempt benefits-eligible and TES employees will receive separate and specific guidance.

2024 Community Appreciation Days

This year, both Friday, July 5, 2024, and Monday, December 23, 2024, are being designated as Community Appreciation Days, allowing for an additional full day off in July and an extended holiday break in December. Limited campus operations will be open on these days, such as Dining Services, University Libraries and the Cohon Center; the hours of operation will be noted on relevant university websites. Summer classes scheduled on July 5 will proceed as planned.

Employees who must work these days will have the opportunity to take alternate days off. We realize that not everyone can take time off during the designated Community Appreciation Days, given that it is necessary that we maintain some operations and address time-sensitive business, including classes taught on July 5. Therefore, vice presidents and deans will work with their teams to ensure that everyone receives this additional well-deserved time off.