| Wednesday, May 29 - Friday, August 9, 2024 |
Each year, the University recognizes summer hours for University staff. Summer hours begin the day after Memorial Day and end in mid-August. The specific end date will be communicated by University Human Resources in the spring in consideration of the fall academic calendar.
Guidelines for Administering Summer Hours
If a department observes summer hours, the guidelines listed below will help managers administer this paid time off. Note: These guidelines do not apply to student workers or seasonal/intermittent employees.
Eligibility for Summer Hours
During the summer, regular and fixed-term full-time staff have the benefit of working 35 hours a week, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m, with an hour for lunch and the same pay. Part-time staff do not reduce their hours in the summer and must work at least 3 hours on each day they work. Employees who work more than 7 hours on a day do not receive summer hours for that particular day since they are paid for the time worked. Summer hours cannot be banked to use on alternative days.
Note: No department is required to work summer hours, and some departments may not observe them at all if their duties and responsibilities are better served by working the standard schedule during all or part of this time period. Individual department observance of summer hours is determined by the department head.
Vacation and Sick Time
Vacation and sick time accrual is fully detailed in our Paid Time Off Policy. As a general reminder, vacation and sick time accrual rates for full-time staff during summer hours are based on the regular schedule of 7.5 hours per day. Part-time employees should consult the policy for information about calculating their monthly accrual rates.
Vacation and sick time utilization for full-time staff is also based on the regular schedule of 7.5 hours per day. Thus, if a full-time employee takes a week's vacation during the summer, that employee's accrued vacation time would be reduced by a full week (37.5 hours).
Vacation and sick time is charged in full or half day increments for exempt staff. Non-exempt staff should have their accruals adjusted based on a 7.5 hour day. For example, if a full-time non-exempt employee works without a lunch break from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. and then leaves for the day, that employee has worked 5 hours and will use 2.5 hours of accrued vacation or sick time that day. Please note that under Rhode Island law, all staff must take at least a 20-minute (unpaid) lunch period if their work day exceeds six hours.