Posted 8:31 a.m. Monday, Dec. 1, 2025
Review of the Personal Holiday and Legal Holiday Administration policy
HR will be providing a monthly review of important employment policies and procedures. The following information is a brief synopsis of University of Wisconsin System Administrative Policy 1211, Personal Holiday and Legal Holiday Administration. This review will establish guidelines for the administration of personal and legal holidays. It is recommended to review the policy in full found here: Personal Holiday and Legal Holiday Administration.
Personal Holidays
I. Eligibility for Paid Vacation
University Staff
- All university staff, except those in a temporary appointment, are eligible for paid vacation. Crafts workers are provided vacation in accordance with provisions in this policy, except as indicated in SYS 1238, Craft Workers.
Faculty, Academic Staff, and Limited Appointees (annual basis appointments only)
- All faculty, academic staff, and limited appointees are eligible for vacation if they are: In an annual-basis appointment; and are covered by the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) or expected to work at least 440 hours (21% for annual-basis appointment) for at least one year.
Rehired Annuitant SYS 1229, Rehired Annuitants
- A rehired WRS annuitant is eligible to earn vacation if the eligibility requirements provided for in this policy are met.
II. Accrual of Personal Holidays
Full-time eligible employees are granted 36 hours (4.5 days) of personal holiday hours per year (July 1). Part-time employees are granted a prorated amount based on appointment percentage. The total number of personal holiday hours granted to any employee cannot exceed 36 hours in any given year, even if the employee’s appointment changes over the course of the year.
Legal Holidays
I.The University of Wisconsin System grants eligible employees nine paid legal holidays per calendar year for the following legal holidays:
- January 1 (New Year’s Day)
- Third Monday in January (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)
- Last Monday in May (Memorial Day)
- July 4 (Independence Day)
- First Monday in September (Labor Day)
- Fourth Thursday in November (Thanksgiving Day)
- December 24 (Christmas Eve Day)
- December 25 (Christmas Day)
- December 31 (New Year’s Eve Day)
II. Eligibility for Paid Legal Holidays
- All employees who earn sick leave are eligible for paid legal holidays provided that the employee is actively employed on the date of the legal holiday. See here for additional criteria.
III. Administration of Legal Holidays
Full-time employees earn eight hours of paid leave for each legal holiday. Part-time employees earn a prorated amount based on their hours worked during the pay period that includes the legal holiday. If a legal holiday falls on a Sunday, the legal holiday is observed and the UW System is closed on the Monday following the legal holiday. Faculty, academic staff and limited appointees in an academic-year basis appointment are not eligible for floating legal holidays. All other staff may earn floating legal holidays in the following situations:
- If a legal holiday falls on a Saturday, the employee will be granted eight hours of floating legal holiday (prorated if part-time).
- Floating legal holiday is granted to employees who are required to work on the legal holiday or if the legal holiday is on an employee’s regularly scheduled day off.
An employee may use floating legal holiday hours prior to the date on which the legal holiday occurs. Floating legal holidays must be used by the end of the year in which it was granted.
- University staff, faculty, academic staff, limited – must use on or before June 30 of the end of the fiscal year granted.
- If the hours are not used by the end of the designated year, the hours are lost and cannot be carried into the following fiscal year.
Pay for University Staff Employees Required to Work on Actual or Observed Legal Holidays
FLSA nonexempt university staff employees required to work at any time during a legal holiday (defined as 12:00 a.m. – 11:59 p.m. of the actual legal holiday) will receive either compensatory time or wages, either of which will be at the premium rate of time and one-half, for all hours worked on the holiday, according to SYS 1277, Compensation. The employee will also be granted a floating legal holiday according to the provisions of this policy. A university staff employee required to work on the Monday following a Sunday legal holiday will be paid at their regular wage. The employee will also be granted a floating legal holiday per the provisions of this policy.
University staff temporary employees shall be paid at the premium rate of time and one-half for all time worked on a legal holiday and their regular wage if required to work on the Monday following a Sunday legal holiday. Temporary employees will not be granted a floating legal holiday.
Employee Resources:
UW-La Crosse Office of Human Resources, 608.785.8013, hrinfo@uwlax.edu.
Requesting Time Off in Workday
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Resources: HR employee resources - Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
The University of Wisconsin System provides information regarding UW-System policy