Adverse Weather

Scope

This policy applies to all Staff and Temporary positions.

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Policy Statement

1. It is the policy of the university to operate at all times; therefore, all Staff and Temporary employees are expected to report for duty unless notified otherwise.
2. It is not expected that the university will close, although there will be times because of weather when certain Staff and Temporary employees cannot travel to work or may need to leave early.
3. Staff and Temporary employees are expected to use their best judgment if adverse weather creates extreme travel hazards when traveling to or from the workplace. They should not endanger themselves nor ignore the statements of local officials about traveling during adverse weather.
4. During an adverse weather event, some essential employees will be required to work on campus in order to ensure immediate and necessary university or campus functions are provided; essential employees will be notified in advance of this designation and requirement by their supervisor.

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Reason for Policy

This policy communicates expectations for work during occasions of bad weather or adverse road conditions and time off for when campus is closed.

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Procedures

Missed work due to extreme travel hazards when the campus remains open

1. If adverse weather conditions create extreme travel hazards for Staff and Temporary employees traveling to or from the workplace, the employees should make every effort to notify the departmental supervisor.  If the employee is unable to make it into work, the advance notice requirements for use of time off will be waived.
2. Support and Service Staff employees
   1. Support and Service Staff employee have the choice of using accrued vacation, accrued income protection time due to or as provided under "emergency" provision, previously accrued compensatory time, or with supervisory approval, the work may be made up on an hour-for-hour basis during the same week so that the employee will not suffer loss of pay.
3. Professional Staff employees
   1. PAO Staff may use accrued PTO, accrued compensatory time, or with supervisory approval, the work may be made up on an hour-for-hour basis during the same week.
   2. PAU Staff may use accrued PTO or, with supervisory approval, make up the work on an hour-for-hour basis during the same week.
   3. PAE Staff may work a different schedule, with supervisory approval, or, if absent for a full workday, use accrued PTO.
4. Other options for all Staff employees
   1. At their option, Staff employees may be absent without pay and still accrue time off; this is in lieu of charging the absence against items listed above.
   2. Staff employees may work from home if approved by the supervisor in advance.
5. For Temporary employees, absences due to extreme travel hazards are without pay.

Campus Closure due to Adverse Weather: Pay for Non-Essential Employees

1. If adverse weather conditions are widespread and extremely severe, designated University senior management may determine that the campus should be closed and announce by means of the Emergency Management and Continuity website and local radio stations that staff will not report to work.
2. For those hours the campus is actually closed, pay for Staff will continue without charge to time-off accruals or make-up of time when the closing occurs on a scheduled workday.
   1. Examples of situations when employees would not receive adverse weather pay include:
      1. When an employee is off work on vacation, sick time, or a leave of absence
      2. When the closing occurs during non-working time or on a non-work day for the employee
3. Non-essential Staff who report to work when the campus is closed will be compensated at their regular rate of pay.
4. All Staff working remotely when the campus is closed will be compensated at their regular rate of pay.
5. The closure of a campus does not necessarily mean the University Adverse Weather policy applies to employees working at locations outside the campus’s immediate area.

Campus Closure due to Adverse Weather: Pay for Essential Employees

1. Prior to the adverse weather event, Supervisors are to notify essential employees of the requirement they report to work on campus in order to meet immediate and necessary university or campus functions. 
2. To better ensure essential employees have access to the campus during adverse weather events, they should contact the Office of Emergency Management and Continuity, 812-856-9014 to be issued an Emergency ID card.
3. Essential Support and Service Staff employees required to report to campus will receive pay for the hours worked plus one of the types of premium compensation listed below. The department head determines which type of additional compensation the employee receives.
   1. Pay at the rate of one and one-half times the hourly rate for those hours the campus is officially closed.
      1. Adverse Weather premium earnings are included in the calculation of the overtime (FLSA) rate.
   2. Time off at the rate of one and one-half times the hours worked when the campus is officially closed.
4. Any Support and Service Staff employee working remotely during a campus closure due to adverse weather will receive their regular pay.
5. Professional Staff (i.e. PAE, PAO, and PAU) who are required to work either remotely or on campus during an adverse weather event receive their regular pay; they do not receive additional pay or time off.
6. Temporary Employees required to work when the campus is closed due to adverse weather receive pay for the hours worked plus additional pay at the rate of one and one-half times the hourly rate for those hours the campus is officially closed.

Obtaining information about a weather closing

1. When it appears that campus may be closed due to weather, employees are requested to listen to their radios or visit the university’s Emergency Management and Continuity website for campus specific information. Employees can also sign up to receive alerts via IU-Notify or call the campus phone number:
   1. At Bloomington: 812-855-4848
   2. At IUPUI: 317-278-1600
   3. At South Bend: 574-520-4111
   4. At Northwest: 888-968-7486
2. For payroll purposes, an official time of closing and reopening will be established by the campus.
3. The closing and reopening of classes for students does not constitute the official closing and reopening times for Staff.

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Definitions

Essential Employee: an employee in a position, previously designated by management, in which s/he is required to work on campus during an adverse weather event in order to meet immediate and necessary campus or university functions.

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Sanctions

Managers, supervisors, and staff who violate this policy are subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

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History

November 2017
Updated to remove PAS salary plan.

September 2017
Updates to the overtime (FLSA) explanation.

December 2016
Revised to add PAS salary plan.

January 2016
Replaces the following policies:

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