Holiday Procedures

August 10, 2026

When a Holiday Falls on Saturday or Sunday

Holidays falling on Saturday will be observed the preceding Friday. Holidays falling on Sunday will be observed the following Monday.

On occasions where a holiday is observed by the university on a date different than the actual holiday date, holiday pay (time and one-half an employee’s regular rate of pay) will only be applied to hours worked by non-exempt (hourly) employees on the university’s observed work holiday. (E.g., if the July 4 holiday occurs on a Saturday, the university will observe the holiday on Friday, July 3. Non-exempt employees would only receive holiday pay for hours worked on the university-observed work holiday of Friday, July 3. Any hours worked on Saturday, July 4, would be paid at the employee’s regular rate of pay.)

Christmas Day and New Year's Day

Two workdays each will be observed as holidays for both Christmas and New Year’s Day. Holiday schedules generally follow the table below.

Note: Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve may or may not be observed as work holidays depending on what day of the week they occur.

Personnel Required to Work on a Scheduled Holiday

For Non-Exempt Student Employees and Part-Time Staff:

When non-exempt (hourly) student employees and part-time staff work on a scheduled holiday, the time worked on the holiday will be compensated at time and one-half their regular rate of pay. Student employees and part-time staff may only work on holidays when required by management.

For Exempt Student Employees and Part-Time Staff:

Exempt student employees and part-time staff who are paid on contract are exempt from the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Therefore, they will not receive any additional compensation for performing their assigned responsibilities, which may include working on a holiday.

For Full-Time Non-Exempt Staff:

When full-time non-exempt (hourly) staff are required and approved by their manager to work on a holiday, they will be paid for the holiday in addition to any time worked on that day, which will be compensated at time and one-half their regular rate of pay. Holidays are always paid as they occur. Because full-time non-exempt staff have been paid for the holiday, it is not necessary to provide an extra day off. However, management may choose to give an employee another day off without pay to allow the employee a chance to have time away from work. Whenever possible, this unpaid day off should occur during the same pay period as the holiday to avoid any negative impact on the employee’s sick and annual leave (vacation) accruals.

For Full-time Exempt Staff:

Full-time exempt staff are exempt from the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Therefore, exempt staff will not receive additional compensation for performing their assigned responsibilities, which may include working on a holiday. When full-time exempt staff must work on a holiday, management has the discretion to allow the employee a compensatory day off without reporting annual leave (vacation). This day off should occur as close to the missed holiday as is reasonable.

Holiday During Leave of Absence

Full-time staff will not be paid for a holiday that occurs during an approved leave of absence. To receive holiday pay, full-time staff on leave must return to work the day before a holiday occurs (e.g., holiday occurs on Monday, employee returns from leave on Tuesday—employee will not be paid for the Monday holiday). Full-time staff will be paid for a holiday if an unpaid leave begins on the working day immediately following the holiday (e.g., holiday occurs on Monday, employee leave begins on Tuesday—full-time staff will be paid for the Monday holiday).

Holiday During Vacation

When a holiday falls within a full-time staff’s requested time off, full-time staff do not need to use annual leave (vacation) hours for the holiday.

BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY RESERVES THE ABSOLUTE RIGHT TO CHANGE OR DEVIATE FROM THESE PROCEDURES WITHOUT ADVANCE NOTICE.

To see the university policy to which these procedures are associated, please click here.