Inclement WeatherPolicy

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Policy Administrator: Human Resources
Published: Employee Handbook
Effective Date: January 1, 2018

 

POLICY

As a residential institution, the offices and services at Hobart and William Smith Colleges will remain open and available to students, visitors, faculty and staff during inclement weather. Inclement weather is defined as ice, snow, freezing rain or other events associated with adverse weather conditions.

The Colleges will remain open and adhere to full operation including normal class schedules whenever possible. Commuting students, faculty and staff should exercise their best judgment with regard to road conditions and other safety concerns. 

Further, the Colleges do not expect faculty and staff to take unnecessary risks to report to campus or to remain on campus during severe weather.  If a staff member decides to leave work early or not report to work because of adverse weather conditions, the staff member will be expected to use an earned vacation day, a personal day, or make arrangements with their supervisor to work from home if their job responsibilities allow. 

 

TRANSPORTATION DIFFICULTIES

When inclement weather conditions create transportation difficulties that result in late arrival of employees to work, such lost time need not be applied to leave balances, nor should the employees experience loss of pay, if in the judgment of the department head such lost time was justifiable in view of weather conditions. 

 

ESSENTIAL EMPLOYEES

Any function that has been designated as essential to the continued and safe operation of the campus will be required to report to work as normal. Essential functions may vary depending on the circumstances of the emergency.

Department leaders should prepare for inclement weather by informing those employees (if any), who would perform essential duties, of the expectation to report to work and discuss transportation options if that poses difficulties for the employees. 

 

COMPENSATION DURING WEATHER CLOSING

During a closing or delayed opening, hourly employees will be paid for the time they normally would work.  Hourly employees designated as essential who report and those asked to report by their supervisor, will be paid for the number of hours worked during the emergency closing and will receive additional paid time off equivalent to the number of hours worked.  Time off taken by an employee should be used within 60 days after a weather closing. Supervisors are responsible for tracking this time.

During a closing or delayed opening, salaried employees will be paid for the time they normally would work. Salaried employees designated as essential who report to work will receive their normal pay and  receive additional paid time off equivalent to the number of hours worked. Time off taken by an employee should be used within 60 days after a weather closing. Supervisors are responsible for tracking this time.

Employees who report to work when the Colleges are officially closed or during a delayed opening, who have not  been asked to report, will not be eligible for the additional paid time off.

Employees who do not report to work or who leave work early without an official closing or early release should charge the time missed to accrued vacation or personal time. Employees who do not report following a delayed opening will be required to use vacation for the entire absence. With the supervisor’s approval, an employee may be permitted to make up a limited amount of time missed within the same work week.

During a closing or delayed opening, employees who are on an approved vacation, personal or sick day are not entitled to additional vacation, sick or personal time as a result of the delay or closing.

 

COMMUNICATIONS

The Colleges will make its best effort to announce any closings or delayed starts by 7 a.m.  On days when weather conditions worsen as the day progresses, the Colleges may decide to close early. In such cases, a decision and an announcement will be made as soon as practical. Employees will be expected to remain at work until the appointed closing time, unless their normal work day ends prior to that time, or unless they receive permission from their department head to do otherwise.

Weather announcements will be made using the following modes of communication: