DISTRIBUTION: A

REVIEW DATE: October, 1996

POSITION RESPONSIBLE FOR REVIEW: Director, Business Operations

 

PURPOSE: To establish a policy and procedures for requiring attendance during severe weather and emergencies by designations of essential and non-essential FMS staff members, and by specifying shift modification procedures.

BACKGROUND: For both the university and the individuals involved, there is a need, to designate, well in advance of any severe weather or emergency events, the FMS staff members whose attendance either is essential, and the shift modification that will occur during those events.

POLICY: FMS policy is to remain open during severe weather and emergencies in order to provide vital services to the campus community and to the university's facilities.

PROCEDURES:

1. Definitions

1.1. Staff members in essential positions are those people who are required to be in attendance to provide snow and ice control, priority operating, utility, and maintenance services, shift work for 24-hour coverage, facilities monitoring, and services to on-going major construction projects. They shall be notified of their designations in writing. From time to time, other positions or functions may be designated as essential, either in writing from their supervisors or, during an emergency, by verbal notice from the duty foreman.

1.2. Staff members in non-essential positions are those people whose work does not require them to be in attendance during severe weather and emergency situations. While the people in these positions may be advised of their status, this status does not require written designation, and the designation may be changed to essential by written notice from their supervisors, or by verbal notice from the duty foreman during an emergency.

1.3. Shift modifications are temporary alterations to the normal hours of work. These modifications will be communicated to staff members in essential positions via their regular foreman or the assigned duty foreman.

2. Designations Directors and supervisor designate in writing the staff members in their areas who are in essential positions, and who are therefore required to work during periods when the university is closed during severe weather or emergencies.

3. Attendance during Severe Weather or Emergencies During severe weather or emergencies, staff members in essential positions report to work at the earliest feasible time for their regularly scheduled shifts.

4. Shift Modifications Directors, supervisors or the duty foreman notify staff members in essential positions as soon as they have established the need for shift modifications in order to provide vital services during severe weather or emergencies. Shift modifications may involve starting before the beginning of normal hours of work, or continuing beyond the end of normal hours of work, including remaining continuously at work or on campus or on call throughout the severe weather or emergency.

5. Compensation Directors and supervisors will rely on REFERENCES 1 and 2 and on direction from Human Resources for guidance regarding compensation and related matters for staff members in essential and non-essential positions who report and do not report for work, according to or contrary to the requirements for their positions, during severe weather and emergencies.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Essential Employees: Each director or supervisor shall designate in writing employees in their areas who are in essential positions, and who are therefore required to work during periods when the university is closed during severe weather or emergencies. Essential employees report to work at the earliest feasible time for their regularly scheduled work shift. They should only abide by local media announcements that release the essential employees from reporting to work. Exemptions or excused absences may only be granted by an employee's normal supervisor or a higher level supervisor/manager having cognizance over the employee's work area.

2. Non-Essential Employees Each Director/Manager/Supervisor shall also designate in writing, employees within their division/office who are non-essential and therefore not required to report to work during periods when the University is announced as closed during severe weather or emergencies. Non-essential employees are excused from work during this period and will be paid for time missed providing the University has been declared closed. During recent closings related to severe weather, the university has awarded an additional day of PTO across-the-board, to balance the interests of non-essential employees who came to work with the interests of those who did not work and therefore were charged with PTO usage.

3. All supervisors of essential and non-essential employees are encouraged to give advance instruction to these employees regarding anticipated inclement weather/emergency duties including shift modifications and possible changes in status.

4. Each employee is responsible for monitoring the local news media to determine his/her status. These media include, but are not limited to, television stations WTAE, KDKA, and WPXI and radio stations KDKA, KQV, WSHH, WBVP, 3WS, B-94.

5. The immediate supervisor or a higher level supervisor/manager may change, as necessary, the status of an employee provided that the employee has been given advance notice of that option and that the change in status is based upon factors relating to the need or lack of need for services to be performed. This change in status may be done the day/night of the severe weather emergency requirement, or as soon as the need or lack of need is determined.

6. The Human Resource Office will provide guidance to all supervisors on time keeping for severe weather emergencies.

 

REFERENCES:

1. Human Resources: A Guide, dated September 1, 1994

2. AGREEMENT between CMU and SEIU Local 29, dated February 10, 1994

CANCELLATIONS: None

SIGNATURE:

 

 

Gary E. Robinson

Director, Business Operations

ATTACHMENTS: None