Please refer to the table below for information concerning discretionary holidays.

University - Discretionary Holidays

Eligibility

• Duke provides Discretionary Holidays for all university staff who are scheduled to work 20 or more hours per week.
• Discretionary Holidays are accrued but cannot be used during the first 90 calendar days of employment (that is, during the Orientation and Evaluation Period)

Religious Holidays Not Covered by the Policy

With the advance notice of a supervisor, staff may use vacation or Discretionary Holidays to observe religious holidays that are not covered in the holiday policy.

Qualifying for and Scheduling of Discretionary Holidays

All eligible staff on active payroll on the first day of the above listed months will qualify for Discretionary Holiday pay in accordance with the following provisions:

• Discretionary Holidays are to be scheduled at the discretion of the staff member with concurrence of his or her supervisor.
• Discretionary Holiday records must be maintained in the department.
• Discretionary Holidays may be taken in advance of the month in which they are earned; but, if the staff member leaves Duke prior to the month in which they are earned, the advanced payment should be deducted from his or her paycheck.
• Discretionary Holidays may be taken in increments of full day(s) only.
• All Discretionary Holidays must be taken during the calendar year in which they are earned or those holidays not taken will be forfeited.

Compensation for Discretionary Holidays

• Staff will be paid at their regular straight-time rate for Discretionary Holidays (not to exceed eight hours).
• Staff may not work and take a Discretionary Holiday on the same day. Thus, no holiday premium can be paid on the day that a staff member takes a Discretionary Holiday.
• Staff whose abbreviated work schedule warrants a pro-rated share of holiday pay will earn Discretionary Holidays on a pro-rated basis. The formula for pro-rated holiday pay is as follows: [(Regular work schedule)/40] x 8 = Pro-rated share of holiday pay.
• Leave of Absence - Staff who go on a leave of absence after having taken all of their vacation, sick leave, and Discretionary Holidays in advance will have – prior to their going on the leave – pay deductions for these advances from their final check.
• Termination - Upon termination – or prior to beginning an approved unpaid leave of absence – staff will be paid for all earned but unused Discretionary Holidays.

Severe Weather and Emergency Conditions

• If an hourly-paid or monthly-salaried staff member does not come to work, he or she may use accrued vacation or Discretionary Holidays.