Policies & Contracts

524 - Unscheduled Closings

Subject: Unscheduled Closings

Section: U524

Date: October, 2004


Purpose:

To establish notice and pay procedures for both unscheduled University-wide and non-University-wide instances when unusual conditions such as extreme weather, power outages, and equipment failures make it impracticable to operate the workplace.

Policy:

Certain conditions that affect the safety and well-being of employees may be reason to close an operation.

Guidelines:

  1. In the event of a University-wide condition, procedures can be found in the University's Emergency Management Plan.
  2. In the event of a site-specific condition, the unit administrator at the site is responsible for making a decision with respect to the operation of the site. Factors to consider are the safety of employees, departmental property, and the critical need for the operation.
  3. Some emergency conditions may result in assigning alternative duties or work space to staff employees to avoid loss of work, pay, or accruals. If an assigned staff employee has not received any required safety and performance training, the employee should receive it before beginning alternative duties. Such duties should be as consistent as possible, under the circumstances, with the staff employee's current job duties. In the event that a staff employee's work space at the University is unavailable and an alternative work space is unavailable, a staff employee should be excused with pay.
  4. In the event a site-specific condition occurs before a staff employee reports to work and alternative work or work space is unavailable, a unit may excuse the employee and provide regular pay for the full day. (Note: in such cases, union employees are not paid when advised in advance, unless they use personal or vacation time.)
  5. In the event of a site-specific condition, a unit should enact emergency notification procedures (i.e., phone trees) to advise staff employees where or whether to report for work.
  6. A unit administrator may contact the Employee/Labor Relations Office of Human Resources (702-4411) regarding pay or notification issues, and the Safety and Environmental Affairs Office (702-9999) regarding questions concerning safety processes.
  7. In the event of extraordinary weather conditions, reasonable tardiness should be excused.

Employees represented by a bargaining unit may be governed by the appropriate bargaining unit agreement.