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Work Schedules
If your question is not answered below, please contact a member of the Employee Relations Team at 258-3304 or hr@princeton.edu. We're here to help you!
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- Weather Emergencies
- 1. How are decisions made regarding delayed openings, early dismissals, or opening for critical services when there is severe weather?The safety of University employees traveling to and from the campus is a priority concern when there is a weather emergency. The Department of Public Safety begins monitoring road conditions as soon as there are reports of weather conditions which affect commuter travel.
Reports are received from the New Jersey State Police, local police departmen, and weather services. The Director of Public Safety, the Vice President for Human Resources and other University officers review these reports to determine if a change in the work schedule should be announced.
- 2. What happens with an early dismissal?
If you are not designated as a critical or essential services employee and the University announces an early dismissal during the day due to hazardous road conditions develop, you may leave the workplace at the designated early dismissal time without charging the time.
Individuals designated as a critical or essential services employee are required to stay and are compensated accordingly.
- 3. What happens with a delayed arrival time?
If you are not designated as a critical or essential services employee and the University announces a delayed arrival time during a weather emergency, you should arrive at the announced arrival time. You do not have to charge the time.
Individuals designated as a critical or essential services employee are required to report to work as instructed by the supervisors and are compensated accordingly. - 4. How will I know if the University has a delayed arrival, early dismissal or is requiring only critical or essential services employees to report to work?
The official notification to the University community is the SNOW voicemail line. To access this line, dial (609) 258-S-N-O-W (7669).
This announcement is normally updated at 5:45 a.m. during periods of severe weather conditions, or during the day if conditions change to reflect any changes in the work schedule.
In addition, the following radio stations are notified to make regular announcements of work schedule changes due to weather conditions:
- WHWH Princeton, 1350 AM- WBUD, 1260 AM- WBCB Levittown, 1490 AM- WPST Trenton, 97.5 FM- WKXW Trenton, 101.5 FM - 5. If I had scheduled a vacation day and the University announces a delayed opening, early dismissal or opening for critical services, how should I charge the time?
If you had previously scheduled a vacation day, the entire day must be charged to vacation.
- 6. What is expected of critical or essential services employees?
Critical or essential services employees hold positions that keep the basic services of the University operating. Departments responsible for maintaining basic services designate those employees who are considered critical or essential in the event of a weather emergency.
Critical or essential services employees are expected to follow their regular work schedules when there are conditions of delayed arrival, early dismissal or critical services only. Critical services employees should notify their supervisors as early as possible if they expect to be delayed in arriving at work.
- 7. I do not work the regular 8:45 a.m.–5 p.m. work schedule. How will I know if and when I need to report to work if the University had an early dismissal or did not open?
If the University has an early dismissal or opens only for critical or essential services, we will normally reopen officially at 5 p.m.
In departments where employees have alternate work schedules, supervisors should develop procedures for notifying staff during a weather emergency.
You can also obtain information on work schedule changes due to severe weather from the SNOW voicemail line, 258-SNOW (7669). If you are designated as a critical or essential employee, you are expected to report to work and follow your regular schedule.
- 8. What should I do if I do not come to work?
You should notify your supervisor as soon as possible if you cannot or choose not to report to work at all. The entire day is charged to leave without pay or, if your supervisor approves, to vacation, optional holiday or compelling reason time.
- 9. If I arrive at my regularly scheduled time, do I receive extra pay?
You do not receive extra pay if you choose to arrive at your regularly scheduled time.
- 10. I was unable to travel to work because there was a snow emergency in my town which required all cars to stay off of the roads. How do I charge the time?
If you provide documentation confirming a snow emergency was declared by your local police authority, you do not have to charge the time.
When the snow emergency is lifted you are expected to report to work.
- 11. How is time charged if I leave work before the designated closing time?
If you choose to leave before the announced early dismissal time, the entire time out of the workplace is charged to leave without pay or, if your supervisor approves, to vacation, optional holiday or compelling reason time.
- 12. If I decide to stay after the designated early dismissal time, do I receive extra pay?
If you choose to stay after the announced early dismissal time, you do not receive extra pay for the time worked.
- 13. If my supervisor asks me to stay after the designated early dismissal time because of a specific project, do I receive extra pay?
If you must stay after an announced early dismissal time because your supervisor requests you to do so, you may receive extra pay or compensatory time off, as appropriate.
- 1. How are decisions made regarding delayed openings, early dismissals, or opening for critical services when there is severe weather?
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