Leave & Holidays
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill recognizes that it is important for employees to have time away from work. Review the information below for more details about our leave programs.
UNC-Chapel Hill Holiday Schedule for 2023-2024:
HOLIDAY | 2023 | 2024 |
New Year’s Day | Mon., Jan. 2 | Mon., Jan. 1 |
Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday | Mon., Jan. 16 | Mon., Jan 15 |
Spring Holiday | Fri., April 7 | Fri., Mar. 29 |
Memorial Day | Mon., May 29 | Mon., May 27 |
Independence Day | Tues., July 4 | Thurs., July 4 |
Labor Day | Mon., Sept. 4 | Mon., Sept. 2 |
Thanksgiving | Thurs., Nov. 23 and Fri., Nov. 24 |
Thurs., Nov. 28 and Fri., Nov. 29 |
Winter Holiday Break | Mon., Dec. 25 – Thurs. Dec. 28* |
Wed., Dec. 25 – Mon., Dec. 30* |
University Closed** | Fri., Dec. 29** | Tues., Dec. 31** |
*Dec. 28, 2023 and Dec. 30, 2024, represent the Veteran’s Day Holiday.
**Update on University Closed Days: In order to provide additional flexibility for employees, Friday, Dec. 29, 2023 and Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024, will be optional work days for employees as opposed to University Closed days, where they would be required to use leave.
UNC employees who wish to work on these days must coordinate with and receive prior approval from their supervisor to do so. For those who receive approval to work, please note that campus services will in general be operating at normal holiday closure levels.
If you have any questions about the holiday schedule, please contact the Benefits & Leave Administration Unit in the Office of Human Resources at 919-962-3071. UNC Health employees may follow a different holiday schedule than the University.
The unscheduled religious holiday and the University’s scheduled holiday must occur in the same calendar year. Alternatively, employees may also use available vacation, bonus, or other available paid time off to take leave on the unscheduled religious holiday.
For more details, view the Alternate Holidays section of the Holiday & Holiday Pay Policy.
For TIM instructions, go to the Training and Development page of the finance.unc.edu website:
- Scroll to the Other Finance Training section.
- Click the TIM tab.
- Scroll to the TIM Administrators and Manager Instructor-Led Training Resources section.
- Click the document titled Alternate Holiday Religious Observance in TIM.
In accordance with Governor Cooper’s June 6 Executive Order 262, UNC System President Hans and Chancellor Guskiewicz have authorized UNC-Chapel Hill to provide paid Personal Observance Leave to ensure that University employees have an opportunity to observe days of personal, cultural or religious importance.
This leave will be available for SHRA and EHRA Non-Faculty staff and for faculty who earn leave. Full-time employees will receive eight (8) hours of Personal Observance Leave each calendar year. Part-time employees who work at least half-time will receive a prorated amount based on their number of hours compared to a full-time schedule. Temporary employees, interns, and contractors are not eligible for Personal Observance Leave.
Personal Observance Leave is available to eligible employees annually on a calendar-year basis and must be taken by the end of that calendar year; it cannot be carried into the next calendar year. All eight (8) hours of this leave must be used in one work shift.
For more details, view the full policy on Personal Observance Leave and the campus message from the Vice Chancellor.
Vacation & Sick Leave for faculty
Twelve-month faculty are entitled to 24 days of vacation leave and 12 days of sick leave per calendar year. The amount of annual leave is adjusted proportionately for part-time faculty members in covered positions who work half-time or more. Leave is earned on a monthly basis. The monthly earnings amount is equal to one-twelfth of the annual leave accrual rate for each month the faculty member works or is on an approved least with pay at least half the working days of the month.
Nine-month faculty members do not earn either vacation or sick leave. They are eligible for paid serious illness and parental leave (see Leave of Absence section for additional details).
Learn more about leave for faculty on the Faculty Leaves webpage.
Vacation & Sick Leave for SHRA Employees
Permanent employees regularly scheduled to work at least 20 or more hours per week, and who are in pay status for at least one-half of the working days in a month, including holidays, are eligible to earn leave. Permanent full-time employees (40 hours per week) earn vacation and sick leave according to the chart below. Employees who work less than 40 hours per week earn leave on a pro-rated basis according to the number of scheduled work hours each week.
Years of Service
|
Vacation Leave
Annual Accrual
|
Sick Leave
Annual Accruals
|
0-5 |
112 hours
|
96 hours
|
5-10
|
136 hours
|
96 hours
|
10-15
|
160 hours
|
96 hours
|
15-20
|
184 hours
|
96 hours
|
20+
|
208 hours
|
96 hours
|
Vacation & Sick Leave for EHRA Non-Faculty Employees
EHRA Non-Faculty Employees are entitled to 24 days of vacation leave and 12 days of sick leave per calendar year. The amount of annual leave is adjusted proportionately for part-time employees in covered positions who work half-time or more. Leave shall be earned on a monthly basis. The monthly earnings amount is equal to one-twelfth of the annual leave accrual rate for each month the employee works or is on an approved leave with pay at least half the working days of the month.
The Chancellor, Provost, Deans and Directors of major centers who are classified as EHRA Non-Faculty Tier 1 Senior Academic and Administrative Officers are entitled to 26 days of vacation leave and 12 days of sick leave per calendar year.
- Visit the Voluntary Shared Leave webpage for details and to download the Voluntary Shared Leave Donation Form
- View the Voluntary Shared Leave Policy