BRIEF

Policy Summary

This policy describes eligibility for holiday pay for Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) employees and the holidays that Berkeley Lab observes.

Who Should Read This Policy

This policy applies to eligible non-represented employees. Represented employees should consult their collective bargaining agreement (CBA). 

To Read the Full Policy, Go To:

The POLICY tab on this wiki page

Contact Information

For more information, employees may contact their division's HR Field.
Feedback on HR policies or procedures is welcomed. Send comments to [email protected].

POLICY

A. Purpose

This policy describes eligibility for holiday pay for Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) employees and the holidays that Berkeley Lab observes.

B. Persons Affected

This policy applies to eligible non-represented employees. Represented employees should consult their collective bargaining agreement (CBA). 

C. Exceptions

Requests that exceed what is allowed under current policy or that are not expressly addressed by current policy are considered exceptions to policy. Any request for an exception to policy requires, at a minimum, the approval of the Chief Human Resources Officer.

D. Policy Statement

1. Berkeley Lab Holidays
   1. Berkeley Lab observes the following holidays:
      • New Year's Day (January 1 or announced equivalent)
      • Martin Luther King, Jr., Day (third Monday in January)
      • Presidents' Day (third Monday in February)
      • Memorial Day (last Monday in May)
      • Juneteenth Day (June 19 or announced equivalent)
      • Independence Day (July 4 or announced equivalent)
      • Labor Day (first Monday in September)
      • Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November)
      • Friday following Thanksgiving Day
      • Winter Holiday (December 24 or announced equivalent)
      • Winter Holiday (December 25 or announced equivalent)
      • New Year's Eve (December 31 or announced equivalent)
      • Administrative Holiday: One floating holiday that may be used, at the employee's discretion, on Cesar Chavez Day (last Friday in March), Veterans Day (November 11 or announced equivalent), or during the annual winter shutdown
   2. A holiday that falls on a Saturday is observed on the preceding Friday, and a holiday that falls on a Sunday is observed on the following Monday, unless an alternate day to observe the holiday is designated by the Laboratory Director (or designee).
   3. Floating Holiday
      1. Supervisors are encouraged to make every effort to grant an employee's request to take Cesar Chavez Day or Veterans Day as their floating holiday. However, since Berkeley Lab will be open on those days, approval will be based on operational needs.
      2. Employees electing to use the floating holiday on either Cesar Chavez Day or Veterans Day will be required to use a third vacation day or leave without pay during the annual winter shutdown.
      3. The floating holiday must be taken during the calendar year and cannot be accrued for future use.
2. Eligibility for Holiday Pay
   1. Employees in the following classifications are eligible for holiday pay: career, term, visiting researcher, and limited and student assistant employees who work fixed time 50% or more.
   2. Full-Time Employees 
      1. Full-time exempt employees are eligible for holiday pay if they are on pay status during the week in which the holiday occurs.
      2. Full-time nonexempt employees are eligible for holiday pay if they are on pay status on their last scheduled workday before the holiday and on their first scheduled workday following the holiday.
      3. Full-time employees are also eligible for holiday pay if the holiday:
         1. Falls on their regular day off (alternatively, they may receive another day off in lieu of holiday pay);
         2. Immediately precedes their appointment date, and the holiday is the first workday of the month;
         3. Immediately follows their last day of work, and the holiday is the last workday of the month; or
         4. Occurs during an approved leave of absence or a work deferment that does not exceed 20 calendar days (including holidays)
      4. Alternate Schedules. Employees on alternate full-time work schedules are entitled to the same number of holidays and the same amount of holiday pay granted to employees on a regular full-time work schedule.
   3. Part-Time Employees
      1. Part-time exempt employees will receive holiday pay for the number of hours in proportion to the percentage of their appointment (e.g., if an employee is scheduled to work for six hours on the Monday upon which Memorial Day falls, the employee would not have to work but would receive six hours of holiday pay).
      2. Part-time nonexempt employees on pay status 50 percent time or more of a month or quadriweekly cycle (excluding holiday hours) will receive holiday pay in proportion to the percentage of time they are on pay status.
      3. New or rehired part‐time employees are not eligible for holiday pay for a holiday that occurs before the first day of their appointment or after they are separated from employment with Berkeley Lab.
3. Special or Religious Holidays. An employee may take time off to observe a special or religious holiday if the supervisor determines that the time off does not cause undue hardship to the division. Employees may use accrued vacation leave or they may take unpaid leave.
4. Additional Compensation for Nonexempt Employees
   1. Compensation for Holiday Work
      1. A nonexempt employee who works on a Berkeley Lab holiday will be paid regular pay, including any shift differentials, for all hours worked. In addition, the employee will receive holiday pay at the regular straight-time rate, including shift differentials.
      2. A nonexempt employee who is scheduled to work on a holiday but takes time off due to illness is eligible only for holiday pay.
   2. Disciplinary Suspensions and Unauthorized Absences. Nonexempt employees who have been suspended for disciplinary reasons for a period that includes or immediately precedes or follows a holiday, and nonexempt employees who have an unauthorized absence immediately preceding or following a holiday, will not receive holiday pay for that holiday.

E. Roles and Responsibilities

F. Definitions/Acronyms

G. Recordkeeping Requirements

None

H. Implementing Documents

Berkeley Lab Holiday Schedule

I. Contact Information

For more information, employees may contact their division's HR Field.
Feedback on HR policies or procedures is welcomed. Send comments to [email protected].

J. Revision History

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

Source Requirements Documents

• DOE Contract DE-AC02-05CH11231, Mod No. M046, Sec. J, Appendix A, "Advance Understandings on Human Resources"
• University of California Personnel Policies for Staff Members (PPSM) 2.21, "Absence from Work"