Additional closure days this January

In recognition of the ongoing hard work across the University, an additional two closure days, Thursday 2 and Friday 3 January, have been added to the University’s winter closure period to give colleagues a longer break.

The additional time has already been applied to annual leave balances, which can be viewed in the Employee Self Service portal.

The closure days are on a pro-rata basis, meaning they apply to part time colleagues in slightly different ways depending on their working hours and days.

An opportunity for rest and a proper break from work is important for everyone, and many colleagues like to add additional days to the winter closure period to give them a longer break over the festive period. The extended closure period will therefore give colleagues a full two weeks off around Christmas and New Year.

As with other closure days, University buildings will be closed, which also allows for further savings to be made on energy costs, and some services will continue with winter closure period hours.

To help understand how the closure days affect your annual leave balance, we have produced the following FAQs.

FAQs

Who do the additional closure days apply to?

The additional closure days apply to all employees who have an annual leave scheme in hours or days on Employee Self Service. Campus Jobs workers and other staff who receive holiday pay are not eligible for any additional payments in lieu of the additional closure days.

When will this be added to my online annual leave balance?

HR have already updated colleagues’ annual leave balances. 

Has this been pro-rated for part time colleagues?

Yes, based on the numbers of hours per week that you work. 

What happens if I have already booked these days off?

You do not need to take any action. Your annual leave balance has automatically been recalculated and increased accordingly to reflect the two additional closure days. You may delete your annual leave booking for these days if you wish, but it will not impact your recalculated annual leave balance.

How can I see how this impacted my annual leave total?

Your leave has been recalculated and if you are part time it has been pro-rated. You can see your new balance on the Employee Self Service. Click ‘View balances’ and you will be able to see this year’s entitlement. You can also use the Annual Leave Calculators on the HR Annual Leave webpages to see how the change impacts your overall annual leave total.

My role (eg. Security Patroller/Catering Assistant/Halls Warden) requires me to work on one or both of the closure days. What does this mean for me?

The additional closure days will be treated the same as any other closure days, for which there are already arrangements in place for people who are required to work. Please discuss this with your line manager.

Can I work on 2 and 3 January and take an extra two days off at another time instead?

2 and 3 January have been designated as additional University Closure Days so it is not generally possible to have these days credited to your annual leave balance instead.  Where colleagues are expected to work, there are specific arrangements in place to cover this.  Granting additional set closure days minimises disruption to the university operations and also provides an opportunity to enhance our energy saving initiatives to further reduce our carbon emissions and costs quite significantly.

I work full time but on compressed hours. What does it mean for me?

As with bank holidays and other closure days, 7 hours or 7 hours 12 minutes (depending on your grade) will be added to your annual leave balance for each additional closure day. Any deduction to your balance will be based on your working pattern. See our compressed hours information page.

I’ve noticed that a small deduction has been made to my annual leave balance that wasn’t there before. Why is this?

The pro-rated annual leave credit for some part-time colleagues, colleagues on compressed hours, or colleagues who joined after 1 October may not cover the whole day(s). This calculation is in accordance with what happens each year with all Bank Holidays and University Closure Days. 

Example: for a full-time colleague on grade 6, the two additional closure days are equivalent to 14 hours (7 hours for each day). If the colleague works compressed hours spread equally over four days a week, their working pattern is 8.75 hours per working day. Therefore, if one or both of the additional closure days fall on their working days, the 7 additional annual leave hours would not cover the whole day. In this case, 1.75 hours would be deducted from their annual leave balance to cover each day. 

I joined the University after the 1 October 2024 or plan to leave before 30 September 2025. Will my additional closure days be pro-rata?

Yes. It has been pro-rated according to the number of days/weeks/months of service you will have completed by the end of the annual leave year (30 September 2025).

How will this be applied for colleagues who work term time only?

The additional closure days will be included in your annual leave entitlement on a pro-rata basis and calculated in the summer as in previous years.

I am on a fixed term contract that ends before or after January 2025. What will the impact be on me?

You will receive a pro-rata credit to your annual leave balance.

When will my annual leave purchase/annual leave carry-over/exceptional annual leave carry-over be applied?

This has already been actioned. Please refer to your ‘View balances’ screen on Employee Self Service.

I have purchased annual leave. Will the additional closure days impact my purchase?

No, annual leave purchase is separate from the additional closure days.

I wish to cancel some or all of my annual leave purchase is that possible?

No, the window for annual leave purchase requests has now closed and deductions have been processed.

In my department I am expected to take any annual leave carried over from the previous year before the start of the spring semester. I now cannot do that as I was planning on taking 2 and 3 January as annual leave. What should I do now?

Line managers should be flexible where such local arrangements are in place. Employee Self Service does not reflect these local arrangements. You should use these days as soon as possible after the closure period, in agreement with your line manager.