UAB employees will receive an additional personal holiday this year following the recognition of Juneteenth as a federal holiday, and they also will be able to keep and roll over any unused personal holidays under an extension approved by UAB and UAB Medicine.
Personal holidays are those provided to employees of UAB, UAB Hospital, UAB LLC and UAHSF to augment, or in lieu of, institutionally observed holidays. In 2020, employees were granted a one-time exemption by UAB and UAB Medicine to keep and roll over any unused personal holidays until June 2021 due to COVID-19 concerns and limitations. Senior leadership for the university and UAB Medicine have decided to extend this exemption for another year, and no unused or excess personal holidays will expire until June 2022.
“Our employees are our most valuable resource and we want to demonstrate our appreciation for their dedication to our mission,” said Brian Burnett, senior vice president for Finance and Administration. “As an institution, we have asked for and received a great deal of commitment and flexibility from those who work at UAB during the past 15 months. With this extension, we hope to reward that commitment by offering the same in return.”
New day
This past week, the U.S. Congress passed legislation to make June 19, or Juneteenth — the date commemorating the day news of the Emancipation Proclamation reached Texas — a federal holiday. President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act June 17 and most federal workers received a paid holiday June 18. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey also issued a proclamation to commemorate Juneteenth as a state holiday.
Due to complex multi facet operations across UAB and UAB Medicine, like many other institutions and corporations, was unable to close with less than a day’s notice; subsequently, eligible employees will be provided an additional personal holiday in recognition of Juneteenth to be used by June 2022.
For this year, regular full-time employees who have completed the initial six-month probationary period are entitled to four personal holidays in addition to the eight designated holidays. Part-time employees receive a prorated amount. Beginning in 2022, Juneteenth will be added to the list of designated holidays for eligible UAB and UAHSF employees, Burnett said, and essential employees will receive equivalent paid time off. Essential employees will have eight (8) hours added to their personal holiday balance, the accrual cap will be raised by eight (8) hours.
With this temporary change in policy, no unused personal days will expire until June 2022. |
Essential employees in UAB Hospital, the UAB Police Department and the UAB Call Center now accrue up to 12 personal holidays per year rather than three personal and nine designated holidays.
UAB Health System employees’ hours will not roll over but will be paid out to employees with any other unused time if not used by December 20.Under existing UAB and UAHSF policy, personal holidays for employees are awarded July 1 of each year and must be used by the end of June the following calendar year. The end date for UAB biweekly employees is the final pay period in June, and monthly paid employees must use them by June 30.
HR Policies will be updated to reflect these changes. A copy of the full UAB holiday policy, can be found in the UAB Policies and Procedures Library.
