2025 Winter Closure Checklist
This year’s winter break is Dec. 22 - Jan. 2, with regular operations resuming on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. The following dates have been designated as university holidays:
Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025
Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025
Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026
Here’s what else you’ll find in this article. You can click any of the links below to jump to the section you want:
Before winter closure
✓ Submit final timecards for 2025
✓ Complete required trainings
✓ Obtain a permit if you need to park on campus
✓ Update StanfordYou, set your out-of-office message
✓ Opt in for online delivery of your W-2 form
✓ Unplug computers and appliances, turn off all lights, turn down thermostats, and close windows
✓ Make Stanford Contributory Retirement Plan (SCRP) contribution changes and distribution requests
During and after winter closure
✓ Use your FSA funds
✓ Learn about new medical ID cards
✓ Review your first paycheck of 2026
Need support during winter closure?
✓ Mental wellness support
✓ Benefits questions
✓ Disability & Leave Services
✓ University IT support
✓ Watch out for phishing scams: Here’s what you can do
Before winter closure
✓ Submit final timecards for 2025
For the first pay period in December (Dec. 1–15): Submit and approve your timecard by 11:59 p.m. PT on Dec. 15. Your last payday of the calendar year is Dec. 19, which includes this pay period. Managers: Approve your employees' timecards by 12 p.m. PT on Dec. 16, and be especially careful for this pay period to minimize the pay corrections needed from your department, as payday falls within the winter closure.
For the second pay period in December (Dec. 16–31): Submit and approve your timecard prior to leaving for winter closure by Dec. 19. Your first payday of the calendar year is Jan. 7, 2026, which includes this pay period. Managers: Approve your employees’ timecards by 9 p.m. PT on Jan. 1. Payroll will be open through the end of business on Dec. 19, and will reopen Jan. 5. Emergency support will be provided during this period and should be directed to Payroll by submitting a Support Request through ServiceNow.
Visit Fingate for timecard entry instructions and other financial deadlines
✓ Complete required trainings
- Stanford Workplace Violence and Abusive Conduct Prevention Training
- This required training provides guidance on what workplace violence is, strategies to prevent workplace violence, and what to do if an incident occurs. All employees have been assigned to complete this training by Dec. 31. Visit the “All Learning” section in STARS to launch the training.
- Sexual Harassment Prevention Compliance Course
- The SHARE Title IX and Title VI Office launched new 2025 Sexual Harassment Prevention compliance courses on Nov. 17, in STARS. All faculty and supervisors will be assigned the AB1825 training by Dec. 31, 2025. Newly hired non-supervisory employees and postdocs will be assigned to the non-supervisory harassment prevention course with a 30-day due date. These courses adhere to the California State-mandated training requirements outlined in Assembly Bill 1825. For more information, visit the SHARE training website.
✓ Obtain a permit if you need to park on campus
Parking enforcement on the Stanford campus and the Stanford Redwood City campus will continue during the university’s winter closure, except on the official university holidays: Dec. 24 - 25 and Jan. 1.
While the Stanford Transportation office is closed (Dec. 22 - Jan. 2), you’ll still be able to:
- Buy a parking permit online through Stanford Transportation's parking permit management system.
- Access the pre-tax transit and commuter benefits portal.
- Call regarding parking enforcement requests.
✓ Update StanfordYou, set your out-of-office message
Before you leave, verify your mailing address in StanfordYou. While you are there, you can maintain your directory and emergency contact information to ensure you stay informed about campus news and notifications. Please note that setting up automatic replies is now handled in Stanford email.
Update your settings and information in StanfordYou
Set up an automatic reply in Stanford email
✓ Opt in for online delivery of your W-2 form
If you have not previously opted into electronic delivery of your W-2 tax form, log in to Axess and complete the Consent Form. Your W-2 will be available in Axess by Jan. 15. To have your W-2 mailed instead, verify your mailing address in StanfordYou by Dec. 31.
Read about W-2 Forms on Fingate
✓ Unplug computers and appliances, turn off all lights, turn down thermostats, and close windows
While you are away for the holidays, give Stanford buildings a break, too. Support a sustainable Stanford and help maximize energy savings. Unplugging your devices in campus buildings is just one of several simple actions you can take to help conserve resources over winter closure.
✓ Make Stanford Contributory Retirement Plan (SCRP) contribution changes and distribution requests.
Now is the time to review your year-to-date contributions to your SCRP and plan ahead for 2026.
Check your year-to-date contributions to the SCRP by logging into My Retirement Savings or calling a Fidelity representative at 888-793-8733. The deadline to make 2025 contribution changes and have them reflected on your last paycheck of the year is Dec. 10, at 5 p.m. PT.
*New for 2026*
- All employee Pre-tax contributions will be eligible for in-plan Roth conversion through Fidelity and TIAA.
- Employees age 50 and older who earned more than $150,000 in 2025 will need to make their catch-up contributions as Roth.
Stay tuned for more information in the new year.
Your first paycheck for 2026 is paid on Jan. 7, 2026. If you wish to increase or change your contributions, log in to My Retirement Savings or call a Fidelity representative at 888-793-8733 and make your election changes between Dec. 11 and Dec. 24 by 5 p.m. PT. View the 2026 contribution limits on Cardinal at Work.
To request a SCRP distribution:
- From Fidelity: Log in to My Retirement Savings or call a Fidelity representative at 888-793-8733.
- From TIAA: Log on to the TIAA website, or call a TIAA representative at 800-842-2776.
In order to receive a distribution in 2025, you must submit completed distribution paperwork to either Fidelity or TIAA by the following deadlines:
Type | Eligible Population | Deadline | Applicable Taxes |
|---|---|---|---|
Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) | Terminated plan participants who are age 72 (70 ½ if you reach 70 ½ before Jan. 1, 2020, 73 if you reach 72 after Dec. 31, 2022) | TIAA and Fidelity Accounts – 11 a.m. PT, Wednesday, Dec. 31 | Ordinary income |
Hardship withdrawals | Active plan participants | Fidelity Accounts – 11 a.m. PT, Wednesday, Dec. 31 Hardship distributions are not available through TIAA accounts | Ordinary income taxes and 10% excise taxes for participants under age 59 ½ |
In-service withdrawals | Active plan participants who are age 59 ½ or older | TIAA Accounts – 5 p.m. PT, Friday, Dec. 12 Fidelity Accounts
| Ordinary income |
Loans | Active plan participants with a minimum Fidelity account of $2,000 | Fidelity Accounts
| Not applicable |
Full Distribution | Terminated plan participants | TIAA Accounts – 5 p.m. PT, Friday, Dec. 12 Fidelity Accounts – 11 a.m. PT, Wednesday, Dec. 31 | Ordinary income taxes and 10% excise taxes for participants under age 59 ½ |
Please note that if there is a problem or missing information on the distribution forms, it may require additional time and cause your distributions to be delayed until January 2026.
Fidelity and TIAA will be closed on Dec. 25, 2025, and Jan. 1, 2026.
During and after winter closure
✓ Use your FSA funds
The deadline to use the balance of your 2025 health care or dependent care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) is Dec. 31. Although you can submit claims for reimbursement through April 30, 2026, the services need to have occurred by the end of December.
- Carryover amount for Health Care FSA: You may carry over up to $660 in unused 2025 Health Care FSA funds to 2026. Rollover funds will be automatically added to your Fidelity account; no action is required. Any unused dollars from your Dependent Care FSA will be forfeited after Dec. 31, 2025, per IRS rules.
- Dependent Care FSAs: You cannot carry over unused money from year to year. Your 2026 elected amount is divided over 24 pay periods, and the per pay period deductions are deposited within two business days after each pay date.
✓ Learn about new medical ID cards
If you switched medical plans or enrolled in a new plan during Open Enrollment, you’ll be issued a new medical ID card. Kaiser members will receive a physical card in the mail by Jan. 1. Aetna members will receive a letter with instructions to download an ID card. Dental and vision plans do not provide ID cards.
✓ Review your first paycheck of 2026
Your first paycheck of 2026 is paid on Jan. 7. With this paycheck, your 2026 benefits deductions and retirement contributions will begin, and Social Security and Voluntary Disability Insurance (VDI) taxes will be withheld again for employees who reached the maximum in 2025.
Closely review your first pay stub to confirm your deductions are correct for the health benefits you elected. If you have any questions, contact the University HR Service Center. See holiday hours below.
Need support during winter closure?
The Stanford University Occupational Health Center will be closed from Dec. 19, 2025, at 2 p.m. PT until Jan. 5, 2026, at 8 a.m. PT.
The SLAC Occupational Health Clinic will be closed for Stanford from Dec. 19, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. PT until Jan. 5, 2026, at 7:30 a.m. PT.
✓ Mental wellness support:
The holiday season can bring added stress. To help you get needed support, view mental and emotional health resources on Cardinal at Work.
Additionally, visit BeWell for wellness tips to stay healthy during the winter closure and holiday season.
✓ Benefits questions:
For all medical and retirement benefits questions, contact the University HR Service Center, but please note their modified schedule during winter closure:
- Dec. 22: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.
- Dec. 23: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.
- Dec. 24: Closed
- Dec. 25: Closed
- Dec. 26: Closed
- Dec. 29: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.
- Dec. 30: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.
- Dec. 31: Closed
- Jan. 1: Closed
- Jan. 2: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Regular operation hours will resume on Jan. 5, 2026.
✓ Disability & Leaves Services:
If you have an urgent matter relating to a medical leave claim, contact AbsenceOne at 866-566-1906. If you have an urgent matter relating to your medical leave pay, submit a ServiceNow request. Tickets will be monitored for urgent matters, and callbacks will be made by the next business day. Regular operation hours will resume on Jan. 5, 2026.
✓ University IT Support:
- During the break, the UIT Service Desk staff will be available by phone from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Urgent after-hours calls will be handled by the 24x7 IT Operations Center.
- Requests submitted through services.stanford.edu will be monitored throughout winter closure from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT, with the exception of weekends and Dec. 24, 25, and Jan. 1. Priority response will be given to urgent requests related to system outages.
- To report an emergency or a critical need at any time during the break, call 5-HELP (650-725-4357). Responses to all other help requests will be handled as quickly as possible, but you may experience longer-than-normal response times until we return to full staffing levels on Jan. 5, 2026.
✓ Watch out for phishing scams: Here’s what you can do
- Be alert when checking emails. Always verify the sender’s address carefully. Watch out for messages that appear to come from Stanford colleagues but are sent from personal or unfamiliar accounts. If a trusted business partner is using a new or unexpected email address, treat it with extra caution. If anything feels off, do not reply. Instead, confirm the message’s legitimacy through another method, such as a quick phone call or Zoom chat, to ensure the sender’s identity.
- Use the Report Phishing button. If you suspect a phishing attempt, use the Report Phishing button in Outlook or forward the email to phishing@stanford.edu.
- Never provide financial information. Don’t provide credit card, bank account, cryptocurrency, or other financial details in response to suspicious emails.
- Approve only Duo pushes that you have initiated. Deny any unexpected notifications and report them immediately via a ServiceNow ticket.
- Immediately report the suspicious activity. If you have encountered this scam and shared personal information, been introduced to another individual through this contact, or acted on any financial instructions they provided, submit a HelpSU ticket as soon as possible so ISO can assist you with remediation. During holidays and after-hours (outside of 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. PT weekdays): Contact IT Operation Center (ITOC) via the #itoc channel on Stanford’s Slack AND also submit a ticket with the University Privacy Office.
