Working Hours, Holidays, Leave and Absence

Working Hours, Holidays, Leave and Absence

Information on Working Hours, Annual Leave, Absences and other types of leave can be found below.

Related Policies

There are also a number of family friendly policies aimed at supporting staff to achieve work/life balance and meet demands faced when caring for dependants e.g.:

Holidays

Leave Year

The University’s leave year runs from 1 October to the following 30 September. Holidays are arranged in agreement with the Line Manager, taking into account School/Administrative Sectional requirements, in accordance with School/Administrative Sectional procedures.

Additional guidance for staff and managers in relation to annual leave is available here.  

Harmonisation of Terms and Conditions of Employment – including annual leave (update March 2024)

Negotiations are ongoing to finalise a collective agreement to harmonise terms and conditions of employment, including all staff having annual leave entitlement as per the current arrangements for Grade 5-9 staff from the 2024/25 annual leave year. As part of this it has been agreed that staff in posts grade 1-4 be given an additional 2 days’ leave to be used between March 2024 and the end of September 2024.   More information about Harmonisation and updates to policies/procedures will be announced in due course.

Public Holidays

The University is normally open throughout the year from Monday to Friday, except for the period between Christmas Eve and the first working day following January 1st. 
 

On the following local holidays, while the University is open for teaching purposes, the Office and other support services will normally be either closed completely or offer a reduced level of service:

  • Third Monday in April (local holiday)
  • First Monday in May (May Bank Holiday)
  • Second Monday in July (local holiday)
  • Last Monday in September (if within the published dates of term)

Public Holidays 2024

  • Monday 1 January 2024 - New Year Public Holiday 
  • Tuesday 2 January 2024 - Public Holiday 
  • Monday 22 April 2024 - Spring Local Monday Holiday
  • Monday 6 May 2024 - May Day Holiday
  • Monday 8 July 2024 – Local Summer Monday Holiday
  • Monday 23 September 2024 – Local Autumn Monday Holiday
  • Tuesday 25 December 2024 - Christmas Day
  • Wednesday 26 December 2024 - Boxing Day
Academic and Academic Related Staff

For full details please read the following document:

Members of the Academic and Academic Related Staff (Grades 5 and above) are, in any one leave year, entitled to 41 days (Monday – Friday) as holidays with pay. The 41 days entitlement shall normally include:

  • 30 days for annual leave
  • 8 days when the University is closed for public/statutory/local holidays as follows
    • Christmas Day
    • Boxing Day
    • New Year’s Day
    • 2 January
    • Aberdeen Spring Holiday
    • May Day
    • Aberdeen Summer and Autumn Holidays
  • 3 University closed days to be taken at times determined by the University (presently during the Christmas and New Year vacation) after consultation with the relevant Trades Unions (*or days in lieu if these fall on a Saturday or Sunday)

Calculating Annual Leave Entitlement

A part-time employee who is employed throughout the whole year shall be entitled to holidays with pay, the rate of pay being proportionate to his/her shorter working period. An employee (either whole or part-time) who is employed regularly for only part of a year shall be granted holidays proportionate to his/her total period of actual service in the leave year.

The pro rata calculation to establish his entitlement will be based on the overall holiday entitlement (41 days).

Please download the Annual Leave Calculator to calculate your entitlement.

Support Staff

For full details please read the following document:

Support Staff (Grades 1-4) shall be entitled to 35 working days as holidays with pay as set out in their Statement of Particulars of Terms and Conditions of Employment. Within the 35 days entitlement there shall be:

  • 21 days for annual leave
  • 8 days for Public/Statutory/Local Holidays as follows
    • Christmas Day
    • Boxing Day
    • New Year’s Day (or days in lieu if these fall on a Saturday or Sunday)
    • 2 January
    • Aberdeen Spring Holiday (normally in April)
    • May Day
    • Aberdeen Summer (normally in July)
    • Autumn Holiday (normally in September)
  • 3 University closed days to be taken at times determined by the University after consultation with the relevant Trades Union (presently at Christmas/New Year) and
  • 3 days to be taken at the discretion of individual members of the Support Staff after prior agreement with the Line Manager concerned.

Calculating Annual Leave Entitlement

An employee (either whole or part-time) who is employed regularly for only part of a year shall be granted holidays proportionate to the total period of actual service in the leave year. The pro rata calculation to establish his/her entitlement will be based on the overall holiday entitlement (35 days).

For example, if an employee works full time for only five months of the year, then holiday entitlement would be calculated thus:

  • 5/12 x 35 days = 14.5 days

The individual would receive full pay for these 14.5 days (5 days per week).

Please download the Annual Leave Calculator to calculate your entitlement.

Service Days

Non-Academic Staff will be entitled to additional holidays after the following continuous service milestones:

  • 5 years - 1 extra day (total entitlement = 36 days)
  • 7 years - 1 extra day (total entitlement = 37 days)
  • 12 years - 1 extra day (total entitlement = 38 days)

Please note your holiday entitlement will increase in the leave year after the date of your anniversary.

Purchase of Annual Leave Scheme

The Purchase of Annual Leave Scheme has been introduced as a benefit for staff to increase the degree of flexibility in planned time off.

For more information go to to the Purchase of Annual Leave Scheme page

Sickness Absence

The University places a high value on the health and wellbeing of all its staff. We are keen to ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place to maximise the welfare of staff, limit the consequences for staff and the University when absences due to illness occur and to support staff through such periods with the aim of securing their return to work and ensuring appropriate support after that return.

Please refer to the Sickness and Attendance Management Procedure for full details.

Reporting Absence

Should you be prevented by illness from attending work, you should contact your line manager/Head of School as early as possible on the first day of your absence, ideally before your normal starting time or within 60 minutes of it. The reason for your absence should be given, with an estimate of its probable duration, in order that alternative arrangements within the School/Section can be made where necessary. If you cannot give an indication of your estimated date of return to work, initially you should contact your Line Manager every morning within the timeframe noted above to advise them of your continuing absence or to provide a probable return date when you have a clearer view of when this might be.

For all periods of absence, including part days of absence, you are required to provide your line manager with a completed Self-Certification Form. In addition, a doctor's medical certificate is required from the 8th calendar day of absence.

For further information on reporting absence please contact your HR Adviser.

Sick Pay

Entitlement to payment for a period of absence due to illness is calculated on a rolling twelve-month period.  This means that any paid sickness absence in the previous twelve months will be taken into account when calculating your entitlement to University sick pay.

For Support Staff (Grades 1-4) entitlement to payment for a period of sickness absence in accordance with the University Sick Pay Scheme will be on the following Scale:

Service Full Pay Half Pay
Up to 6 months Statutory Sick Pay only Statutory Sick Pay only
6 months to One year 2 months 2 months
Second/Third Year 3 months 3 months
Fourth/Fifth Year 5 months 5 months
After Fifth Year 6 months 6 months

For Academic and Academic Related staff (Grades 5 and above) the following entitlement will apply:

Full salary for any period up to six months; followed by a further consecutive period of up to six months on half salary, during any rolling 12 month period.

The calculation of sick pay is the responsibility of the Payroll Office. Every Monday, each Section must return a report on sickness in respect of the previous week. Reports should list all staff within the Section and can now be submitted electronically by authorised personnel.

If you require further information regarding the calculation of sick pay, please contact Payroll.