Christmas Closedown

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Christmas Closedown

2008/2009

The University has declared an annual closedown for the 2008/2009 Christmas/New Year period. This action is sanctioned by the Annual Holidays Act. The period covers Monday 22 December 2008 to Tuesday 6 January 2009, detailed as follows:

Primary Objective of the Christmas Closedown

The primary objective of the Christmas closedown is to reduce leave accruals. In doing so the University does not wish to penalise staff with already low leave accruals or to prevent important research and operational work from being completed. Pro Vice-Chancellors and Heads of Division have discretion regarding exemptions to the closedown, and priority will be given to staff with low accruals when providing skeleton staffing in areas of the University, particularly where there are operational needs that must be met.

Leave Without Pay

The University will not force staff to take Leave Without Pay to cover the annual closedown. However, if a staff member has no Annual Leave but has significant Long Service Leave they will be encouraged to use the Long Service Leave.

Flextime and Time Off In Lieu (TOIL)

If a staff member has a large amount of Flextime and TOIL these may be used during the period in addition to Annual and Long Service Leave. Further information on flextime available from this link and TOIL from this link.

Hardship

Any staff that feel they may suffer undue hardship due to the closedown are encouraged to raise this issue with their immediate supervisor in the first instance. If concerns continue staff are welcome to contact their HR Officer for assistance.

Leave Applications

As the closedown will not affect all staff in the same way and staff will choose to access either Annual Leave or Long Services Leave (where applicable), staff must apply for leave taken over the annual close down. HRonline applications should be submitted in the usual manner for this leave.

Out of Office Messages

Please ensure that an out of office message is placed on all phones and email addresses, along the lines of the following:

"As part of University’s Christmas closedown, the ‘(name of work area)’ will be closed from Monday 22 December to Tuesday 6 January inclusive. If your call is urgent please call (name of contact) on (full external phone number). Otherwise I will return your call/message on (date of return)."

Considerations

During the Closedown

The campus will be operating on an out of normal hours basis:

• Staff cannot assume that airconditioning will be switched on, or doors unlocked.
• Security Services will continue as normal over the close down.
• Mail services will be operating but at the reduced rate of one delivery per day and may be made to the central administrative areas rather than distributed through buildings.
• Whilst the central stores will be open it would be appreciated if staff do not order items that would need delivery during the close down unless this is unavoidable.
• Maintenance staff will be on campus as maintenance projects are being carried out.

Notification of Attendance

• Pro Vice-Chancellors and Heads of Division must notify HR Services of the names and locations of staff that will be attending work during the closedown period.

Occupational Health and Safety Considerations

Line management must consider the following:

• Supervision for both staff and research students, particularly those working in hazardous areas such as labs and engineering
• Emergency response including evacuation and first aid.  Supervisors must ensure that staff are aware of evacuation procedures in case of an emergency.
• Supervisors of Postgraduate students should be aware of their intentions over the break – check they have had safety inductions and would know what to do in the case of an emergency. Postgraduate students should not be given automatic access to buildings. Responsibility rests with supervisors to ensure risk assessments have been carried out and appropriate measures are in place.
• Air conditioning may not be switched on in areas where a small number of staff are working during the closedown period.

Support Services -  Christmas Closedown 2008 / 2009

Information to be advised later this year.

Further Information

Further information is available from your Human Resource Officer, Human Resource Services.