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Winter Break and Quiet Days

Winter Break 2026 - 2027 will be from Friday, December 25, through Friday, January 1st, as noted in the September 29 campus-wide communication.  All campus units, with the exception of essential facilities and public safety services, will be closed. There will be no heating or air conditioning for the buildings on the main site, and offices in leased space will be closed during the Winter Break. ÌÇÐÄÔ­´´ will continue to promote wellness and self-care via Quiet Days (December 21, December 22, December 23, January 4, and January 5).  Employees are encouraged to take accrued vacation time for these days, an already quiet period of the year.

• Governor’s Informal Time Off

  In celebration of the 2026 holiday season, Governor Newsom has exercised his discretion to authorize up to four hours of informal time off for state employees. Additionally, President Neufeldt has exercised the discretion granted by Chancellor Garcia to authorize four hours additional informal time with pay on Dec. 24, so the university can close for the entire day.

  Our campus will observe the authorized informal time off on Thursday, Dec. 24, and it’s available to ÌÇÐÄÔ­´´ employees based on the provisions outlined below: 

  • Granted to employees scheduled to work on Dec. 24.
  • Full-time exempt and non-exempt employees are eligible for four hours of informal time off with pay.
  • Employees working less than full time are eligible on a pro-rata basis.
  • Hourly employees (except instructional student assistants, student assistants, work-study student assistants, notetakers and readers) are eligible based on the table below:

  Winter Break & Quiet Week Dates

  Hours Scheduled in December Pay Period	Hours Off
  1 - 43	1
  44 - 87	2
  88 or more	4

  • Employees (i.e., essential workers) required to work on Dec. 24 may be granted the equivalent informal time off on another day prior to June 30, 2026. 
  • Essential personnel or other employees who are required to work on Dec. 24 or employees who would be scheduled to work on Dec. 24 but are on approved vacation, sick leave or compensatory time off (CTO) may be granted the equivalent informal time off on another day prior to June 30, 2026. This informal time off should be tracked by the employees’ manager.
  • Informal time off is not compensatory time off (CTO) and not compensable in cash. 
  • Informal time off is not eligible for use on an official campus closure day (i.e., Thursday, Dec. 31). 

  As mentioned above, President Neufeldt also has authorized four hours additional informal time with pay on Dec. 24, so the university can close for the entire day. The president’s time off is subject to the same provisions provided under the governor’s informal time off, with one exception: it may only be used this Dec 24. 

  For purposes of PeopleSoft absence management, Dec. 24 will be treated as a normal workday, so no entries need to be made for the informal time off and vacation. Sick or CTO balances need not be charged.

• December 31, 2026 Campus Closure Day – General Information & Options for Payment

  December 31, 2026 is not designated as a holiday. Employees may use personal holiday, compensatory time off (CTO) and/or vacation to cover this day. (Note: Personal holiday must be taken in full-day increments).

  Since the personal holiday credit must be used each calendar year or be forfeited, those employees who have not yet used their 2026 personal holiday are encouraged to use it on December 31, 2026. Employees hired in December 2026 will have the 2026 personal holiday available for use on December 31, 2026.

  Options for Payment for Campus Closure Day

  PLEASE NOTE: The provisions for payment of campus closure days differ by employee unit.

  Employees should refer to the appropriate sections in the 2026 Options for Holiday Closure Payment document, which provides options available to employees in each bargaining unit to cover the day of campus closure.

• Quiet Days (December 21, December 22, December 23, January 4, and January 5)

  ÌÇÐÄÔ­´´ is continuing to promote employee wellness and self-care during an already quiet time of the year by supporting Quiet Days around the winter break.  This year, the concept of quiet week will be slightly shifted to Quiet Days on December 21, December 22, December 23, January 4, and January 5. The program is highly encouraged but optional.   

  We know some employees will welcome the opportunity to take vacation leave, while others may desire quieter time to work. Time off, especially extended time, allows us to come back feeling refreshed and recharged with renewed focus for the spring semester. 

  Here is how Quiet Week will work: 

  • Employees are encouraged to take accrued vacation time on Dec. 21, Dec. 22, Dec. 23, Jan. 4, and/or Jan. 5. 
  • To maximize the number of employees able to participate, campus operations will be reduced, although the campus will remain open to offer critical services. 
  • Meetings and collaborative projects should be deferred until Jan. 6.
  • Communications, such as emails and Teams messages, should be limited to only those working that week. 
  • Employees who do not wish to take vacation leave and/or do not have vacation leave accumulated may keep their normal work schedule during this week. 
  • For those areas that must remain open, managers will work with employees to offer as much flexibility as possible. If time off isn’t possible, they will work to identify other days you may take if you would like to use your vacation time.
• Distribution of Paychecks

  December 2026 payday is scheduled for December 31, 2026, which is a campus closure day. Instructions on distribution of paychecks will be provided in a separate communication at a later date.

  Managers and employees are encouraged to contact HR at hr@csusm.edu if they have any questions regarding the information provided in this memo.

• Year End Vacation Accruals

  As a reminder the maximum vacation carryover varies based upon bargaining unit and years of service: â¶Ä¯ 

  Maximum Hours for Vacation Carryover