Also, the University will be closed starting at the end of business on Thursday, December 22, 2011 through Monday, January 2, 2012. The University will reopen on Tuesday, January 3, 2012. For employees, this means that in addition to the holidays already offered, Temple employees will have paid days off on December 27, 28, 29, and 30 this year. Any employee required to work during this period will receive compensatory time rather than holiday or overtime pay.

Additional Information

Please note that employees of the Office of Campus Safety Services and the Office of Facilities Management will be scheduled off in accordance with the needs of those departments and the applicable collective bargaining agreements. Also, the School of Medicine and the School of Podiatric Medicine may issue separate policies regarding closing days. Personnel at those locations will receive scheduling information from their supervisors. Finally, employees of the Temple University Health System will receive a separate memo from the Health System regarding their scheduled holidays.

The national observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday will be on Monday, January 16, 2012. Since the University does not generally observe federal holidays, including Columbus Day, Presidents Day, Veterans Day, and Election Day, the national holiday observance of Dr. King's birthday will be a regular working day at the University.

Under the terms of their collective bargaining agreement, the members of the District 1199c clerical bargaining unit, including secretarial-clerical staff, are entitled to a paid holiday for the national observance of Dr. King's birthday on January 16. Those who are required to work on January 16 must be paid in accordance with their collective bargaining agreement. Other employees may request to take January 16 as a vacation or personal day with the permission of their supervisor.

Members of the SEIU/BUE Local 612 bargaining unit will be governed by the terms of their collective bargaining agreement and will be entitled to a paid holiday on Monday, January 16, 2012 in observance of Dr. King's actual birthday.

If you have any questions regarding the observance of Dr. King's birthday, please contact Labor Relations at extension 7-2290.

Set forth below is additional information that outlines the University's policies on religious holidays which will occur throughout the year.

Although the official University calendar does not recognize religious holidays, it is important to respect the religious beliefs of faculty, students, and staff. We want to remind everyone that, on some days, some members of the Temple community exercise their constitutional rights and do not meet regular assignments for religious reasons.

If an instructor wishes to reschedule a class session because of a religious holiday, the rescheduling should be consistent with policies of the School or College and following consultation with the students. An instructor who cannot attend a scheduled class session should find a suitable replacement for that session, consistent with School or College policies.

Faculty members who conduct classes on religious holidays should respect the convictions of their students. The scheduling of major presentations or examinations should respect students' religious beliefs and conscience.

Staff members may request use of personal or vacation days for religious holidays, with the approval of their supervisors.

We thank you for your attention and sensitivity to these matters.