Policy 38 – Paid Holidays

Established:​ September 6, 1972

Last updated:​ August 8, 2008

​Class:​ FS

1. General

This policy is intended to serve the following purposes:

  1. to list the specific paid holidays which are recognized by the University throughout the year;
  2. to define eligibility.

The policy of the University, subject to some restrictions, is to provide an eligible employee with the same compensation for the recognized holiday, which that employee would have received had the holiday not been observed.

2. Recognized Holidays

Ten fixed holidays will be as follows:

New Year's Day
Family Day 
Good Friday 
Victoria Day 
Canada Day 
Civic Holiday 
Labour Day 
Thanksgiving Day 
Christmas Day 
Boxing Day 
December 24 will be a paid day off for university support staff when it falls on a working day.

In addition, there will be not less than three nor more than four "floating" days, determined at the discretion of the President, dependent upon the day of the week on which Canada Day, Christmas and New Year's fall.

3. Compensation and Eligibility

A. Employees who are eligible:

  1. Faculty members (as defined in Policy #76) and any full- or part-time staff members employed on a regular or temporary basis (as defined in Policy #54).
  2. A regular part-time employee who does not normally work on a paid holiday will receive a substitute holiday equivalent to the employee's normal workday, at a date mutually agreeable to the employee and the respective supervisor.
    In cases where an individual's hours of work vary, please contact Human Resources for information, in order to ensure compliance with current legislation concerning public holiday entitlement.
  3. An employee will receive compensation for a paid holiday that occurs during an approved sick leave. (Pay for a holiday occurring during sick leave is part of normal sick leave pay). However, in cases where accrued "sick leave credits" have been completely used prior to the paid holiday, the employee will receive no such compensation.
  4. Should a paid holiday recognized by the University occur during the vacation period of an eligible employee, that day may be recognized at a date mutually agreeable to the employee and the supervisor.

B. Employees who are not eligible:

  1. No person who is receiving remuneration in lieu of wages (or salary), such as Workers' Compensation, shall be eligible for "paid holiday" compensation in addition to the Workers' Compensation benefit.
  2. No employee who is receiving "long term disability" compensation is eligible for "paid holiday" compensation in addition to the LTD benefit.
  3. No employee who has been given an approved unpaid leave of absence of more than fourteen consecutive calendar days is eligible for compensation for any paid holiday which is recognized by the University at any time during such leave of absence, except for holiday pay as may be required by the provisions of the Employment Standards Act of Ontario.
  4. No employee who is considered by the University to be on "temporary lay-off" is eligible for compensation for a paid holiday that occurs during the "lay-off", subject to any legal regulations.

4. Hours Worked on Paid Holiday

A staff member, required to work on a paid holiday, will receive normal pay for the day and, in addition, such member will receive compensation at two times the regular rate for the hours scheduled and worked on the paid holiday.

5. Casual and Temporary Employment Authorizations

Persons employed on a casual or temporary basis are eligible for public holiday compensation if they qualify under the Employment Standards Act. To ensure compliance with current legislation concerning public holidays, refer any queries to Human Resources.