Per the message from President Gold on December 11, 2025, the University of Nebraska will be closed beginning Tuesday, December 23, 2025 through Friday, January 2, 2026, except for essential designated operations. University offices will open on Monday, January 5, 2026, for regular business hours. The scheduled holiday closing dates and posting determinations are as follows:
Regular Employees Eligible for Holiday/Floating Holiday Leave
| University Closed Dates | Posting Determination |
| December 23 and 24 | Declared Leave (Regular and Temporary Leave Eligible Employees qualify for DECL) |
| December 25 | Holiday (In observance of Christmas Day) |
| December 26, 29, 30, and 31 | Floating Holiday (or Vacation, Banked Holiday Used, Comp Time Used, or Unpaid Leave) |
| January 1 | Holiday (In observance of New Year's Day) |
| January 2 | Floating Holiday (or Vacation, Banked Holiday Used, Comp Time Used, or Unpaid Leave) |
Regular Employees are eligible for holiday and earned floating holiday pay, prorated according to FTE. A regular employee will receive pay for a holiday if the employee is in pay status for the full work shift on the last scheduled workday prior to the holiday AND the first scheduled workday after the holiday.
If an employee does not have enough paid leave accrued to use for the closedown, including floating holidays, they may work with their supervisor to discuss leave usage which may include options for working all or part of the closedown. Consultation is available with Employee Relations to assist supervisors and units with options.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I don’t use all of my banked Floating Holiday Leave during the Holiday Shutdown?
Any banked Floating Holiday Leave not used during the Holiday Shutdown will be carried forward and available to use in 2026. Please note, employees can accrue a maximum of 40 hours of Floating Holiday Leave during the calendar year.
For Example: An employee was required to work one day during the Holiday Shutdown and thus only used 32 of their 40 banked Floating Holiday hours. Eight (8) hours will carry forward into 2026. Because the employee is starting the 2026 year with a balance of 8 hours, the employee must use 8 hours of Floating Holiday Leave on or prior to November 10, 2026 in order to accrue all of the 40 Floating Holiday hours in 2026.
I am planning to retire at the end of the year. How do I ensure I am paid for the New Year’s Day holiday?
You can use a day of vacation, floating holiday, or comp time (if applicable) leave after your last day worked to be paid for a holiday occurring after the last physical working day. You can use a day of vacation, floating holiday, or comp time (if applicable) leave on January 2, 2026 to receive holiday pay on January 1, 2026.
Can I retire with my final day on January 1, 2026?
If you choose to retire on January 1, 2026, you will need to enter leave on January 1, 2026 unless you are planning to work a full day on January 1, 2026. You are not entitled to holiday pay because you must be in active pay status on the working day prior to and after the holiday in order to be receive holiday pay.
Can I retire with my final working day on Saturday, December 27, 2025?
Your final working day must be a scheduled working day.
Am I able to resign during the University Holiday Shutdown?
The last day you work will be the resignation date and it must be a day you physically worked. You may not use vacation, floating holiday, or sick leave to be paid for a holiday occurring after the last day worked. Payment for accrued and unused leave will be included in your final paycheck. This does not apply to separations due to retirement or disability.
How is my salaried pay calculated when I retire or resign on a day other than the last calendar day?
Salaried employees are paid a prorated amount when they separate within the month.
Formula:
Monthly amount ÷ the total number of working days within that month (this number does not include Saturdays or Sundays; however, it does include holidays which is how you receive holiday pay) = Your daily pay.
Your daily pay × the number of days you worked during the month (this number does not include Saturdays or Sundays; however, it does include holidays which is how you receive holiday pay) = Prorated salaried amount for the month.
For example, if you are retiring on December 19, 2025 and earn $10,000 per month...
$10,000 ÷ 23 = $434.78 December daily pay
$434.78 × 15 = $6,521.70 December pay prorated from December 1-19
How do I ensure I will have health benefits for the entire month?
As long as you are active for one day within the month, you will receive benefits for that entire month. Should you choose to retire on January 1, 2026 or January 2, 2026, you will see benefits deductions for the full month and your benefits will end on January 31, 2026. Should you choose to retire on December 31, 2025, you will again see benefits deductions for the full month of December and your benefits will end on December 31, 2025.
Likewise, if you resign from the university with a resignation date of January 2, 2026 you will have benefits deductions for the full month and your benefits will end on January 31, 2026. Should you choose to resign on or prior to December 31, 2025, you will again see benefits deductions for the full month of December and your benefits will end on December 31, 2025.