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.
HOLIDAY | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
---|---|---|---|
New Years Day | Mon., Jan. 1 | Wed., Jan. 1 | Thurs., Jan. 1 |
Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday | Mon., Jan. 15 | Mon., Jan. 20 | Mon., Jan. 19 |
Spring Holiday | Fri., Mar. 29 | Fri., Apr. 18 | Fri., Apr. 3 |
Memorial Day | Mon., May 27 | Mon., May 26 | Mon., May 25 |
Independence Day | Thurs., July 4 | Fri., July 4 | Fri. July 3 |
Labor Day | Mon., Sept. 2 | Mon., Sept. 1 | Mon., Sept. 7 |
Thanksgiving | Thurs., Nov. 28 and Fri., Nov. 29 | Thurs., Nov. 27 and Fri., Nov. 28 | Thurs., Nov. 26 and Fri., Nov. 27 |
Winter Holiday Break | Wed., Dec. 25 – Mon., Dec. 30* | Wed., Dec. 24 – Mon., Dec. 29* | Thurs., Dec. 24 – Tues., Dec. 29* |
University Closed** | Tues., Dec. 31** | Tues., Dec. 30 and Wed., Dec. 31** | Wed., Dec. 30 and Thurs., Dec. 31** |
**Update on University Closed Days: In order to provide additional flexibility for employees, the following will be optional work days for employees as opposed to University Closed days, where they would be required to use leave:
- Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024
- Tuesday, Dec. 30 and Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025
- Wednesday, Dec. 30 and Thursday, Dec. 31, 2026
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.
- Bonus Leave policy | Bonus Leave & Special Bonus Leave information page
- Civil Leave
- Community Service Leave
- Educational Leave
- Faculty leaves
- Family & Medical Leave (FMLA)
- FMLA Military Caregiver/Qualifying Exigency Leave
- Family Illness Leave
- Leave Without Pay
- Paid Parental Leave
- Military Leave
- Voluntary Shared Leave
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.
The amount paid to a covered employee who has been employed an aggregate of 24 months or less by one or more State or local governmental agencies is equal to one day for each month worked less the number of days of annual leave taken during the employment period.
- View the Voluntary Shared Leave Policy
- Employees who wish to request shared leave must complete the online Leave Request Form through ConnectCarolina Self Service. For more information, visit the How to Request Leave page on the HR at UNC-Chapel Hill website.