Generally, SDSU Research Foundation attempts to follow a calendar of holidays similar to the one established by San Diego State University. The University observes some holidays on their recognized calendar dates and observes other holidays on a different date, such as the day after Thanksgiving and days off during Winter Break. SDSU Research Foundation's calendar of holidays therefore necessitates that employees work on some traditional holidays, but allows employees to be off work on non–traditional dates. There are thirteen and a half holidays a year recognized by SDSU Research Foundation. SDSU Research Foundation's Office of Human Resources publishes the exact schedule of holidays on the web.

If a holiday is assigned by the SDSU Research Foundation to be observed (taken off) on a date that is different from the date traditionally recognized, no holiday time or pay accrues on the holiday date that is traditionally recognized. Holiday time or pay only accrues on the date that the holiday is actually observed by the SDSU Research Foundation.

Holiday pay is based on the employee's percentage of time (i.e., full-time employees who are regularly scheduled to work forty (40) hours per week receive eight (8) hours, half–time employees receive four (4) hours). For an eligible part–time employee to receive holiday pay or credit, the holiday must fall on one of the employee's regularly scheduled workdays.

If a holiday is observed on a scheduled workday during an employee's vacation or sick leave, the employee will be paid holiday pay. The time off will not be charged to sick leave or vacation time. Employees who are absent from work due to an unpaid leave of absence on a day that a holiday is observed by the SDSU Research Foundation shall not be eligible to receive holiday pay or credit.

Holiday Accrual Banks: If an employee works on a SDSU Research Foundation holiday, the employee is paid his or her regular rate of pay for the time actually worked and the holiday time that would have been paid is placed in an eligible employee's holiday accrual bank. Management and other eligible exempt employees may also “bank” personal holiday time for hours worked on the date that a holiday is actually observed by SDSU Research Foundation. Holidays that have been “banked” may be used only with the prior approval of the employee's supervisor. Holiday time may not exceed eight (8) hours in a day.

In addition to the thirteen (13) holidays that SDSU Research Foundation observes, eligible employees are also awarded a Personal Holiday each calendar year to take for any personal reason. Personal Holidays are automatically added to each eligible employee's holiday accrual each January.

Accrued but unused personal holidays and banked holidays will be paid at an employee's end of employment or change in status to an employee class that is ineligible for vacation or personal holiday. However, employees ending employment may not elect to “run out” their time to include imminent holidays.