Academic Winter Recess

The organizational health of The Ohio State University depends on our faculty and staff being able to thrive, and supporting employee well-being is part of that. Based on feedback from faculty and staff, and similar practices at other public institutions, Ohio State is instituting an Academic Winter Recess.

The Academic Winter Recess allows most academic campus faculty and staff members – colleges, business units and regional campuses – to be off during a time when there are no classes and reduced campus operations.

Core Details

Academic Winter Recess takes place Dec. 26–31 each year, starting in December 2025.

  • 2025: Specific dates for 2025 are Dec. 26 and Dec. 29-31 starting at 12 a.m., Dec. 26 and ending at 11:59 p.m. Dec. 31. Section IX of the existing Paid Time Off Policy, 6.27  allows the university to implement alternative paid time off programs.
  • Employees will receive paid time off hours based on their full-time equivalent (FTE) status and the number of business days during the Academic Winter Recess. For example, employees at 100% FTE will be granted 32 hours of paid time off. A part-time employee with a 50% FTE would receive 16 hours of paid time off for the 2025 Academic Winter Recess.
  • Paid time off hours for the recess will appear in an Academic Winter Recess time off balance in Workday. The hours will only appear on paystubs when they are used.
  • University Holidays: Existing university holidays in December and January will remain per the Holidays Policy, 6.20.
  • Academic Winter Recess is not a weather or short-term closure. In the event of a weather or short-term closure event, consult the Weather and Short-Term Closure During an Academic Recess job aid.

Eligibility

Faculty and staff — including regular, temporary, term and seasonal employees — who work in colleges and business units across all academic campuses at the time of the Academic Winter Recess are eligible for paid time off during the recess. If you are unsure about your eligibility, ask your people leader/manager.

  • Seasonal employees must be in an active position at the time of the Academic Winter Recess to be eligible.
  • Employees on a continuous paid leave of absence or preapproved paid time off (such as sick or vacation leave) will not be charged for that time during the Academic Winter Recess. Instead, Winter Recess hours will be applied to cover the period originally designated as paid leave.
  • Employees who are on a continuous leave of absence and are not using paid time off, such as sick or vacation time, are not eligible for paid time off for Academic Winter Recess.
  • Intermittent, contingent and student employees (students paid biweekly and graduate associates) are not eligible for Academic Winter Recess paid time off.
  • Nine-month (9/12) faculty will continue to be paid normally based on their appointment during Academic Winter Recess because it is a scheduled break, and they will not receive an Academic Winter Recess time off balance.
    • Nine-month faculty who apply for off-duty pay and are approved, in accordance with Faculty Rule 3335-5-07, will receive off-duty pay. The rule states “Breaks within a given semester, summer term or session, as well as any days between the end of the exam period and the beginning of the next semester or session, will be considered off-duty days.”
  • Wexner Medical Center employees, including hospitals, health systems, College of Medicine, Comprehensive Cancer Center and Office of Health Sciences are not included in the Academic Winter Recess Program and are not eligible for Academic Winter Recess paid time off.
  • Academic employees who report to a college or campus unit and are assigned to Wexner Medical Center locations are included in the Academic Winter Recess provisions. If these employees are required to work during the recess period, they will receive the appropriate Winter Recess hours credited to their time off balance.
  • FMLA time will not be deducted for employees who are on approved Family and Medical Leave and not expected to work during the Academic Winter Recess.

Questions specific to your college or unit can be directed to your people leader/manager or HR professional.

Work during Academic Winter Recess

Most campus employees will be off during the recess, as this period coincides with unscheduled classes and reduced campus operations. However, some services must continue during the recess. Those in critical services listed below and certain operational services identified as necessary by the employing unit will ensure that essential university functions are maintained.

Employees who do need to work during the recess will receive an equivalent number of hours added to their time off balance in Workday. (See the ‘How to Use Academic Winter Recess’ section below for details.)

HR Connection and Payroll Processes during Academic Winter Recess

HR Connection will be available Dec. 26–31 with reduced hours from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The customer service lobby will be closed, but online support remains available 24/7.

For new hires to start work Jan. 1-6, 2026, they must be fully hired in Workday by Dec. 22, 2025. If they are not fully hired in the system by Dec. 22, the start date will be Jan. 12, 2026.

Employee transactions must be completed in accordance with the university Payroll Processing Calendar and Pay Period Schedule.

How to Use Academic Winter Recess

Academic Winter Recess time off will be centrally loaded in Workday Absence for employees in an eligible position at the time the Academic Winter Recess begins, regardless of whether they are scheduled to work during part or all of the recess period. For those not scheduled to work, the time will be applied as paid time off to reflect the days off.

Responsibilities

For the purposes of Academic Winter Recess, responsibilities below refer to the specific duties and actions required to ensure equitable, compliant and operationally sound staffing and time off planning during the designated recess period.

Frequently Asked Questions