Faculty Rights Tip: Personal Holiday

We are living in times of intense stress and grief, as we navigate the crises of the COVID-19 pandemic and its attendant losses, systemic racism, and climate catastrophe. Many faculty are not only teaching, counseling, and coaching students, but also trying to improve our communities, challenge injustice, and keep our families healthy, educated, and nurtured. 

As we proceed through the second year of this pandemic with mounting responsibilities, it is important to know that our Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) entitles every faculty member to one Personal Holiday each calendar year. If you are feeling the need to take a day for self-care, community organizing, protest, or family time – or any personal reason at all – take the day!  If you don’t use your annual personal day before December 31, you lose it.

Article 33.3 of our faculty contract states:

A faculty unit employee shall be entitled to a Personal Holiday, which may be taken on one (1) day during the calendar year. If the faculty unit employee fails to take the Personal Holiday before the end of the calendar year, the holiday shall be forfeited. CSU and CFA shall endeavor to inform a new faculty unit employee of his/her Personal Holiday. Scheduling of the Personal Holiday shall be by mutual agreement of the faculty unit employee and the appropriate administrator.

Want to learn more? Become active with your local CFA chapter Faculty Rights team. Find your representative here. 

• Browse the faculty contract here.
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