Request for Advocacy on December 24th Holiday
Dear Staff Council,
I am writing to address a significant issue regarding our staff holiday schedule: the absence of December 24th as a paid holiday and recognition as a Religious Holiday/Observance. The current Holiday Break is scheduled for December 25th and 26th. Many Christian worship services for Christmas fall on December 24th (Christmas Eve), and those who are also employed by Christian churches are expected to be there the whole day and not just for afternoon/evenings services. However, this day is not even listed on the Religious Holiday/Observances calendar, which prevents employees from requesting leave for religious observance in lieu of having a paid holiday. Moreover, staff who are working that day are expected to be on campus, despite the fact that historically students are rarely ever on campus and using campus services on December 24th. This policy feels particularly misguided, as it requires staff to be in office without any meaningful purpose.
The oversight of excluding December 24th as a Religious Holiday, as well as excluding it from the paid holidays for ASU employees, not only disregards the importance of Christmas Eve for many of us but also creates challenges for employees who wish to spend time with their families and honor their traditions. It is crucial we advocate for the recognition of December 24th as a paid holiday, rather than substituting it with December 26th as it currently stands for 2024 and 2025.
I ask that Staff Council take action to advocate for December 24th to be honored as a paid holiday and to include this on the Religious Holidays and Observances calendar as well. This adjustment would demonstrate a commitment to supporting ASU employee's needs and greatly enhance employee satisfaction and work-life balance. Thank you for your attention to this important request.
Resolution/Notes
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Staff Council is working directly with the Office of Human Resources to address this concern.