WashU relies on faculty and staff volunteers to make commencement successful each year. Employees who volunteer to work a WEEKEND commencement ceremony will receive one additional paid vacation day to be used by the end of the fiscal year (June 30, 2025). Note: employees who work the university-wide commencement on Monday, May 12, are not eligible for the additional paid vacation day if this is normally schedule work time.
See below for details on how to request and record this time off.
Commencement parking information
Parking and Transportation anticipates a high volume of traffic on campus during commencement activities.
Non-Exempt employees (biweekly):
- Non-exempt employees are paid for hours worked and are required to record all time worked. Time worked during commencement should be entered as Regular Time.
- If the commencement time worked in combination with the employee’s work schedule will result in overtime, the employee must seek approval from their manager before incurring overtime.
- When a non-exempt employee who worked a weekend commencement ceremony (i.e., an unpaid day they are not typically scheduled to work) uses the additional paid vacation day, they should enter the day off as “Department-approved paid time off” and it will not reduce their vacation balance.
Exempt employees (monthly):
- Exempt employees are paid a set amount per pay period that does not vary based on hours worked. Working at commencement will not add to or subtract from regular monthly pay.
- Exempt employees who work a weekend commencement ceremony (i.e., a day they would not otherwise be scheduled to work) should work with their manager to determine when they can take an extra vacation day. It can be taken during the same work week, but it is not required. It should be recorded in Workday as “Department-approved paid time off” and it will not reduce their vacation balance.
- Employees must request permission from their manager to work at commencement. The university does not provide employees any special pay such as additional pay or bonus pay for working commencement.