When and How to Report and Approve Time for Thanksgiving and Winter Recess

Due to the Thanksgiving break and Harvard's winter recess, it is necessary to shift the deadlines for submitting paperwork and the reporting and approving of time.

Important Deadlines

For a full schedule, please visit the Payroll and Time & Labor Closings Calendar.

 

By This Date	Who	This Must Be Completed
Tuesday, November 21st by 5:00 pm	Reporters	Time and absence entry deadline for the weekly period of 11/19-11/25: weekly check of 12/01 biweekly check of 12/01
Wednesday, November 22nd:  Approve absences by 3:30 pm and the timesheet by 5:00 pm	Approvers	Time and Absence approval deadline for the period of 11/19-11/25.
Thursday, November 30th by 5:00 pm	Reporters	Time & absence entry deadline for the weekly period of 11/26-12/02: weekly check of 12/08 biweekly check of 12/15
Friday, December 1st: Approve absences by 3:30 pm and the timesheet BEFORE 5:00 pm	Approvers	Time and absence approval deadline for period of 11/26-12/02.
Thursday, December 7th by 5:00 pm	Reporters	Time & absence entry deadline for the weekly period of 12/3-12/09: weekly check of 12/15 biweekly check of 12/15
Friday, December 8th: Approve absences by 3:30 pm and the timesheet by 5:00 pm PeopleSoft Release system going down at 5:00 pm until Mon 8:00 am	Approvers	Time and absence approval deadline for period of 12/03-12/09.
Wednesday, December 13th by 5:00 pm	Reporters	Time & absence entry deadline for the weekly period of 12/10-12/16: weekly check of 12/21 biweekly check of 12/29
Thursday, December 14th: Approve absences by 3:30 pm and the timesheet by 5:00 pm	Approvers	Time and absence approval deadline for period of 12/10-12/16.
Friday, December 15th by 5:00 pm (OPTIONAL*Report time early if not working winter recess, but time must be reported no later than 12/27/2023)	Benefits eligible reporters only	If not working the recess weeks, enter HOL for the period of 12/25 -12/29.
Monday, December 18th (OPTIONAL*Approve time ahead of winter break or no later than 12/28/2023)	Approvers	Advance approval for managers (approvers) who would like to approve their employees’ hours before recess break.
Tuesday, December 19th by 5:00 pm	Reporters (who do not report hours in advance of recess break or work over recess).	Time & absence entry deadline for the weekly period of 12/17-12/23: weekly check of 12/29 biweekly check of 12/29
Wednesday, December 20th: Approve absences by 3:30 pm and the timesheet by 5:00 pm	Approvers	Time and absence approval deadline for period of 12/17-12/23.
Wednesday, December 27th by 5:00 pm	Reporters (who do not report hours in advance of recess break or work over recess).	Time and absence entry deadline for the weekly period of 12/24-12/30: weekly check of 1/5 biweekly check of 1/12
Thursday, December 28th: Approve absences by 3:30 pm and the timesheet by 5:00 pm	Approvers	Time and absence approval deadline for the weekly period of 12/24-12/30.
Week of New Year’s returns to the normal reporting/approving schedule of Thursday/Friday

*Managers (approvers) can request their time reporters to report their time in advance for the recess period starting in the second week of December. The manager can approve that time as soon as it is reported. The optional reporting/approving deadlines noted in the grid can be used by the schools/units to formalize a communication to their reporters/approvers a deadline for reporting/approving the recess break hours.

Paydays for overtime-eligible/admin professionals during the holiday recess will be as follows:

This Group	Will Be Paid
Student and non-student temporary workers, service and trades workers	Thursday, December 21 for the week of 12/10-12/16
Overtime eligible and admin professional	Friday, 12/29 for the weeks of 12/10-12/16 and 12/17-12/23
Student and non-student temporary workers, service and trades workers	Friday, 12/29 for the week of 12/17-12/23

NOTE:  All checks will be mailed to the home address on file as per current processes, checks will not be available for pickup.

Many users have also asked which time types to use when reporting time over the winter recess. Here are some guidelines for clerical/technical workers. (See note 1 below)

Date	If you do not work	If you work	What are you entitled to if you work
12/22 (Fri) (Half-day Christmas Eve Holiday Observed)	PTO Morning	REG	This is a half-day holiday, if you do not work in the morning, PTO must be entered.
12/22 (Fri) (Half-day Christmas Eve Holiday Observed)	HOL Afternoon	HWK	Time-and-a-half for the hours worked, reported as HWK-Holiday Worked.  You are also entitled to one of the following: FHE- Floating Holiday Earned for the hours worked (see note 2 below) that you can bank and use as time off later on by reporting Floating Holiday Taken (FHT). OR Floating Holiday Pay (FHP) for the hours worked. (See note 2 below).
12/23 (Sat)	N/A	REG	Your regular pay, but not a floating holiday. (See note1 and 4 below).
12/24 (Sun)	N/A	REG	Your regular pay, but not a floating holiday. (See note1 and 4 below).
12/25 (Mon) (Christmas Day)	HOL	HWK	Time-and-a-half for the hours worked, reported as HWK-Holiday Worked.  You are also entitled to one of the following: FHE- Floating Holiday Earned for the hours worked (see note 2 below) that you can bank and use as time off later on by reporting Floating Holiday Taken (FHT). OR Floating Holiday Pay (FHP) for the hours worked. (See note 2 below).
12/26 (Tue)	HOL	REG	A floating holiday to be taken later. (See note 3 below).
12/27 (Wed)	HOL	REG	A floating holiday to be taken later. (See note 3 below).
12/28 (Thu)	HOL	REG	A floating holiday to be taken later. (See note 3 below).
12/29 (Fri)	HOL	REG	A floating holiday to be taken later. (See note 3 below).
12/30 (Sat)	N/A	REG	Your regular pay, but not a floating holiday. (See note 1 and 4 below)
12/31 (Sun)	N/A	REG	Your regular pay, but not a floating holiday. (See note 1 and 4 below)
1/1 (Mon) (New Year's Day)	HOL	HWK	Time-and-a-half for the hours worked, reported as HWK-Holiday Worked.  You are also entitled to one of the following: FHE- Floating Holiday Earned for the hours worked (see note 2 below) that you can bank and use as time off later on by reporting Floating Holiday Taken (FHT). OR Floating Holiday Pay (FHP) for the hours worked. (See note 2 below).

Notes:

1. The grid above refers to HUCTW and nonunion, overtime-eligible, clerical/technical employees only. This grid represents the most common, Mon-Fri work schedule. If an employee’s regular schedule provides for them to work on Saturday or Sunday and have a day off during the week, the Saturday or Sunday hours should be treated as above for non-holiday weekdays, the “regular days” off would be treated as Saturday/Sunday above. This is to ensure that all employees receive 4.5 “recess days.”  For exempt employees, temps, or service/trades workers, please refer to the relevant personnel manual, union contract, or your local HR office.
   1. If you have questions regarding the payment of the holiday worked policy as detailed in the grid above, please contact your Labor Relations representative to receive clarification and/or guidance.
2. The maximum value of a floating holiday earned or paid is one-fifth of the employee's scheduled hours for the week.
3. Floating holiday time earned during winter recess cannot be received as pay (FHP). Employees who work on winter break must use this time as time off prior to the end of the fiscal year (6/30). Departments that have their employees record their time as FHE must not pay any unused portion of this time out to the employee at separation or as part any payout of unused floating holiday time at the end of the fiscal year. Departments may elect to have their employees' record these floating holidays outside of the system and then have them report Excused Absences when they are redeeming as time off.
4. Because the actual half day holiday falls on Sunday, special time reporting scenarios may occur, employees may only receive holiday worked time for either the “observed” (Friday 12/22) day or the actual day but not both.

Holiday Worked Time Reporting Scenarios

Extra hours for a holiday worked are not paid automatically. If an employee works on a holiday, they should report HWK to be paid at a rate of 1.5 times their normal pay for the holiday hours worked. The employee is also entitled to their regular pay for the holiday (FHP), or they may bank the time (FHE) and take time off at a later date (up to 1/5 of the employee weekly scheduled hours).

To receive it as pay:

• The employee should report HOL for all hours not worked and HWK & FHP for all hours worked.

To receive as time off:

• The employee should report HWK to receive pay for the hours worked and FHE to bank the time off.  At a later date, when the time is taken, they should report FHT with a comment that it is time owed for working on the holiday. This time must be used prior to the end of the fiscal year (6/30).

Key points to remember about holiday reporting time codes:

HWK – Holiday Worked

• Paid at 1.5 x Hourly Rate
• Adds to Overtime Hours

HOL – Holiday

• Paid at Hourly Rate
• Adds to Overtime Hours

FHP – Floating Holiday Pay

• Paid at Hourly Rate
• Does not add to Overtime Hours
• Maximum value of a floating holiday earned or paid is one-fifth of the employee's scheduled hours for the week.

FHE – Floating Holiday Earned

• Hourly rate hours that are banked and used for time off later on
• Does not add to Overtime Hours
• Maximum value of a floating holiday earned or paid is one-fifth of the employee's scheduled hours for the week.

Working on Holiday Scenarios (all scenarios assume M-F, 7 hours a day schedule)
1. Employee not working on Christmas Eve (Observed) (12/22): Report: 12/22   PTO  3.50                          HOL  3.50
2. Employee works only the morning of Christmas Eve (Observed) (12/22): Report: 12/22   REG   3.50                          HOL   3.50
3. Employee works full 7 hour schedule on Christmas Eve (Observed) (12/22) and elects to receive the afternoon hours as a holiday payout (FHP): Report: 12/22   REG   3.50                          HWK  3.50                          FHP   3.50
4. Employee works 7 hours on Christmas Day (12/25), elects to take a floating holiday on January 5th: Report: 12/25   HWK  7                          FHE   7 Timesheet for next week: 1/05   FHT   7
5. Employee works 4 hours on Christmas Day (12/25) and elects to receive holiday payout: Report: 12/25   HWK   4                          HOL    3                          FHP    4
6. Employee works 4 hours on Christmas Day (12/25), elects to take a floating holiday on January 5th: Report: 12/26   HWK  4                          HOL   3                          FHE   4 Timesheet for next week: 1/05   REG   3                                                     FHT   4
7. Employee works 10 hours on New Year's Day (1/1) and elects to receive holiday payout: Report: 1/1   HWK  10                       FHP    7

 

Examples of how to report if a non-exempt benefited employee is working one of the recess days:

Working on a Recess Day Scenarios (all scenarios assume M-F, 7 hours a day schedule)
1. Employee works a normal shift on Thursday (12/28): Report: 12/28   REG   7                          FHE    7**
2. Employee works a partial day on Thursday (12/28): Report: 12/28   REG   4                          HOL   3                          FHE   4**
3. Employee works 10 hours on Thursday (12/28): Report: 12/29   REG   10                          FHE    7**

** Departments that have their employees record their time as FHE must not pay any unused portion of this time out to the employee at separation or as part of any payout of unused floating holiday time at the end of the fiscal year. The FHE earned by working a recess day cannot be entered as FHP and paid out at a later date. Departments may elect to have their employees record these floating holidays outside of the system and then have them report Excused Absences when they are redeemed as time off.