Discretionary Holiday

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Traditionally, the Governor's memorandum announcing holidays for the state service has authorized a discretionary holiday. For your convenience in addressing discretionary holiday issues, the following items are provided as general policies and clarification regarding the discretionary holiday:

1. The discretionary holiday is designed to give eligible state employees an additional day off available to use for observation of a religious holiday or other special occasion. This holiday is subject to an employee's advance request and subsequent supervisory approval.
2. For the purpose of the discretionary holiday, an eligible employee is defined as an employee: 1) who is eligible for either the group health insurance program or KPERS, and 2) who has worked for the state in an eligible position for (180 days or) six continuous months.
3. All eligible employees shall receive hours equal to the number of hours regularly scheduled to work for a discretionary holiday.
4. All hours for a discretionary holiday shall be taken on the same day and in no case will an employee earn more than one discretionary holiday in a designated year of SHaRP pay periods.
5. The discretionary holiday must be taken between the beginning of the first pay period of the calendar year and the last pay period of the calendar year. For eligible employees whose last workday of a week is Friday, the last day to use the 2009 Discretionary Day is Thursday, December 24, 2009. Please check with your supervisor when scheduling your discretionary day.
6. An employee shall not be paid for the discretionary holiday in lieu of taking the time off.
7. The appointing authority shall take such steps as may be necessary to ensure that all eligible personnel receive the holiday during the calendar year.

Further questions or recommendations should be directed to the Human Resources Office at 913-588-5080.