Ohio State to close three additional days in December
Closure to support health, safety and well-being of faculty and staff
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The Ohio State University |
Ohio State University President Kristina M. Johnson sent the following message to faculty and staff today (Dec. 10) as part of her regular Notes from a Fellow Buckeye email.
Dear Colleagues,
As the semester draws to a close and we look forward to the holiday break, I want to thank you for your dedication and excellence this semester and beyond. The past two years have brought historic challenges for our university and, as members of our incredible faculty and staff, you have time and again demonstrated remarkable commitment and resilience. So many of you have put aside personal time and made sacrifices to support our teaching, learning, research and service missions.
We must now – more than ever – emphasize the health, safety and well-being of the people who are working every day to support our students – and each other.
With this focus in mind, I am pleased to share that the university will be closed Dec. 23 through Dec. 29 and on Dec. 31. The additional days of Dec. 27, 28 and 29 are to extend the long holiday weekend and provide you with additional opportunities to rest, recharge and spend time with your families, friends and loved ones. Employees who wish to request a vacation day on Dec. 30 may also consider this option.
As is the case regarding regular university holidays, services that are critical, as determined by unit and college leadership, will continue during this time. Employees required to work during the closure will be paid. In addition, non-exempt employees will be eligible to earn compensatory time and exempt employees will be eligible for flex time.
Our deep and sincere gratitude goes to those employees who fulfill these services – on holidays and every other day of the year as well. For additional information about implementation and eligibility, please see the Office of Human Resources website.
Thank you, Buckeyes, and I hope that you are able to use this time to focus further on your health and wellness.
The full text of President Johnson’s Dec. 10 Notes from a Fellow Buckeye is available on the Office of the President.
What you should know:
Here are the most relevant questions for this short-term closure. A complete list of frequently asked questions is available on the Office of Human Resources webpage.
Can I take vacation time on Dec. 30, 2021?
Yes. You may take vacation on Dec. 30, 2021, if the time off is planned and approved by your manager in accordance with the university’s paid time off policy.
If I have already arranged for paid time off (e.g., vacation, sick or parental time off) during the closure dates, will that time be deducted from my time off balance?
If you are eligible for the short-term closure, you will not be charged accrued vacation, sick or parental time off during the closure. Pending time off requests can be canceled in Workday or denied by the approver. Any time off for eligible employees approved by Thursday, Dec. 9, will be removed centrally by Monday, Dec. 13.
Non-exempt employees will be required to enter “short-term closure benefit” on their timesheet in Workday. The timesheets for that week will open on Monday, Dec. 13, earlier than normal. Instructions on how to add this benefit to your timesheet will be added at a later date.
Exempt employees do not need to take further action.
Will student, intermittent, term and temporary employees be paid for the closure period?
- Per the university’s short-term closing policy, student, intermittent and temporary employees will not be paid during the winter closure.
- Per university policy, term employees and graduate associates will be paid for the closure.
Can my unit change my essential designation for purposes of this closure?
Yes, deans and unit vice presidents may determine who is critical to work for purposes of this closure. Deans and vice presidents are encouraged to identify only those who must work to complete critical work during this time.
This includes, but is not limited to, services that provide safety and security, prepare and serve meals, provide utilities to university buildings and properties, hospitals, law enforcement and public safety, snow removal, transportation and critical research initiatives. If you have questions about your designation contact your manager or HR business partner.
