Campus Human Resources

Similar to last year, UCLA is proposing to observe an extended Winter Holiday Closure during the 2021-2022 holiday season. As we continue to face challenges stemming from the pandemic, this closure period is an opportunity to support personal well-being and a healthy work-life balance. 

It is proposed that the campus closure period begin on Saturday, December 18, 2021, through Sunday, January 2, 2022, with plans to reopen on Monday, January 3, 2022. This period includes four University paid holidays (December 23, 24, 30 and 31, 2021). This year, six days (December 20, 21, 22, 27, 28 and 29) are not paid holidays. Staff employees and those academic employees who accrue vacation leave will need to use either vacation, compensatory time (if available), or leave without pay to compensate for these six work days.

University policy related to curtailment leave allows eligible employees to use three vacation days in advance of actual accrual. We are seeking the Office of the President’s approval for an exception to the vacation leave and curtailment leave policies to allow eligible employees to use up to six vacation days in advance of actual accrual during the campus closure. 

For exclusively represented employees, labor contracts may include similar provisions, and requirements under the Higher Education Employer-Employee Relations Act will be observed.

In accordance with university personnel policies and applicable labor agreements, and consistent with previous years, employees will have the choice of the following options to cover the non-paid holidays during the closure period. 

• Eligible employees may use vacation days in advance of their actual accrual. 
• Newly hired employees, represented and policy-covered, may use their vacation accruals during the closure before acquiring six continuous months on pay status.
• Employees with accrued compensatory time may elect to use it to cover the six days off or to offset the use of vacation time.
• Employees who do not wish to use vacation or compensatory time off may request leave without pay for the six working days based on departmental approval. In this case, employees will still accrue hourly vacation and sick leave for the days they choose to take leave without pay.

The above options may be used in combination. Employees should notify their respective supervisors in advance as to which option or combination of options they propose to use.

During the proposed break period, the UCLA Health System and certain essential-service facilities will continue to remain open and corresponding staff will continue to work. There may also be other employees who will be asked to work during this period related to calendar year-end activities. Deans, Vice Chancellors and Organization Heads to whom this responsibility has been delegated will need to determine if any facilities under their management will need to remain fully or partially open during the closure and, accordingly, arrange for appropriate staffing. Please send copies of these approval decisions to the Office of the Assistant Vice Chancellor, Facilities Management, and to Employee and Labor Relations.

Comments or questions regarding application of personnel policies or collective bargaining agreements during the closure should be sent to Anthony Solana, Director of Employee and Labor Relations in Campus Human Resources, at asolana@chr.ucla.edu or Jane Miller, Director of Employee and Labor Relations in Health Human Resources, at janemiller@mednet.ucla.edu by Friday, October 15, 2021.