End-of-year shutdown dates
*This message was included in the Tuesday 22 October 2024 edition of the On Campus newsletter.
On behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, the University is confirming the end-of-year shutdown as Wednesday 25 December 2024, re-opening on Thursday 2 January 2025.
The Vice-Chancellor has endorsed that additional paid leave will be granted to bridge the gap over the Christmas and New Year public holiday period. This additional leave will be provided to staff, at cost to the University, rather than to individual staff members and their accrued annual leave balances. This is in recognition that staff have been gifted these days in prior years, and many individuals will have already planned to take holidays in this period, and not have anticipated an additional three-days of annual leave (27, 30, 31 December 2024). This will cost the University approximately $2.7 million for each non-public holiday day, at a total cost of $8.1 million.
As the University navigates financial stability long-term, the end-of-year period and granting additional leave will be discussed by the Executive for the coming year early in 2025 to allow staff to plan their annual leave. Future access to University paid leave over the end-of-year shutdown period will be a decision made when taking into account the financial position of the University. This is in line with other universities in the sector who incorporate annual leave entitlements into this period for staff wishing to take leave, or staff are able to work in this period.
If you are required, for operational reasons, to work during the closure period of 25 December 2024 to 1 January 2025, you will be provided with time-in-lieu or additional paid leave for the time worked. Outside of the closure period, normal leave provisions apply.
