The Board of Trustees determines the University recognized holidays and delegates authority to the President of the University of Illinois System to determine other such days to be designated.
The President shall determine or may delegate to the University Chancellors/Vice Presidents the authority to determine the facilities to be open for the University recognized holidays.
Select one of the following links or scroll down for specific information:
Eligibility
Recognized Holidays
Floating Holidays
Schedules
Usage
Benefits Continuation
Compensation
Resources
Eligibility
Civil Service employees in a trainee, apprentice, provisional, learner, or status appointment, and all academic staff members are eligible for holiday benefits.
Civil Service employees must have worked on their last scheduled workday before and the first scheduled workday after the University-observed holiday, or be on an approved leave in pay status.
Recognized Holidays
The University recognizes 12 holidays for all employees, including:
- New Year's Day
- Martin Luther King Day (President delegated)
- Memorial Day
- Juneteenth
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Day
The President has delegated to each Chancellor/Vice President the authority to designate the remaining four holidays to be observed at each University.
Except UI Health and other essential units as approved by the respective Chancellor or system vice president, two of the four holidays are “designated” and are observed on specific days, with the remaining two considered “floating holidays”. UI Health and other essential units (sometimes referred to as “Floating Holiday Group B” at UIC) typically observe the four holidays as floating holidays.
The exact number of “designated” and “floating” holidays for each University and the System Offices will be published along with the full holiday calendar each fiscal year.
Holidays (including floating holidays) are prorated for employees with less than a 100% FTE. Full pay for a holiday is intended to provide a full-time eligible employee with a day’s pay (8 hours maximum) which is defined as one-fifth (1/5) of the weekly schedule of the employee’s class, and a part-time eligible employee with a proportionate share thereof based on the employee’s benefit rate. If, for example, an employee has a 37.5 hour work week and a 50% FTE appointment, they would receive 3.75 hours of holiday leave for each holiday. If the employee's schedule is such that they are scheduled to work more than 3.75 hours on the holiday, but do not work the holiday, then additional leave time (e.g. vacation time) or working extra hours on another day would be required in order to be paid for their full scheduled day. In this example, if an employee is scheduled to work 5 hours on the holiday, but does not work, they would need to use 1.25 hours of leave time or work these hours on another day. Employees should consult with their supervisor about alternate options such as adjusting their schedule for that week.
Additional leave may be required for employees with an alternative work schedule. Any hours beyond the 8-hour maximum will require the use of other leave benefits. For example, if an employee works four 10-hour days, they would receive 8 hours of holiday leave. They would then be required to use additional leave time (e.g. vacation time) to cover the remaining two hours. Employees should consult with their supervisor about alternate options such as adjusting their schedule for that week.
Floating Holidays
Floating holidays must be used in full-day increments only. The scheduling of floating holidays is subject to unit approval. Floating holidays cannot be carried over from one fiscal year to the next. Unused floating holidays are not paid out at the time of separation. Employees will report floating holidays based on their daily work schedule.
Floating holidays may be reduced or ineligible depending on the employee’s percent-time appointment and/or start date. Employees should consult their University or System Human Resources Office for additional information.
Schedules
Holiday schedules are designated by the President and Chancellors/Vice Presidents. Select the location for the appropriate schedule: Urbana FY 2025 | Chicago FY2025 |Springfield FY2025 | System Offices FY 2025
Usage
The calendar holiday shall be observed as the University holiday when it falls on a weekday (Monday through Friday). When a holiday falls on Saturday, the preceding Friday will be treated as the holiday; when a holiday falls on Sunday, the following Monday will be treated as the holiday.
For full-time and part-time employees who work Monday through Friday, a holiday will always be a scheduled workday for eligible employees.
For employees who work schedules other than Monday through Friday, the calendar holiday will be observed as the holiday for both full-time and part-time employees who work other than five days a week, Monday through Friday schedules.
When a shift bridges two calendar days, one of which is a holiday, the shift that begins on the calendar holiday will be recognized as the holiday shift.
Benefits Continuation
While observing a designated holiday, employees continue to receive the same State and University benefits as when actively working. All State-paid contributions continue.
Compensation
Civil Service and Academic Employees
Full pay is received for the designated holidays. Employees with less than 100 percent appointment will receive a pro-rated share based on their appointment.
Prevailing Rate Employees
Prevailing rate employees are compensated in accordance with provisions of the appropriate multi-employer area agreement for any of the six University-wide holidays, which may be specified in such multi-employer agreement.
Prevailing rate employees will be paid as other eligible University employees for designated holidays. They will receive no holiday compensation for University-wide holidays unless such University-wide holiday is specified as a paid holiday in the appropriate multi-employer area agreement. Such employees shall be extended the option of charging any unpaid holiday to earned vacation and personal leave.
Resources
Additional Gift Day 2021 - System Communication
Select the appropriate university and/or employee group for specific policy information.
University System Policies
General Rules Concerning University Organization and Procedure, Article IV
Policy and Rules for Civil Service Staff
Holidays
Holiday Pay
Holiday Pay while on Jury Duty
University Policies
Urbana: Please refer to General Rules above.
Chicago: Currently under review.
Springfield: Contact the campus Human Resources Office.