5.0.4 Work Schedules Affected by a Weather Emergency
Policy Section: Conditions of Employment
Policy Number and Title: 5.0.4 Work Schedules Affected by a Weather Emergency
Applicable to: All Regular Employees
Effective Date: July 1, 2012
Policy Statement
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Princeton University is a residential community and, as such, is a unique employer. Activities related to teaching and research, which include library and computer services, facilities support, housing and dining services, and health and safety must continue as necessary on a seven-day schedule.
Because these services must be maintained, the University is always open. However, when a weather emergency, e.g., heavy snow, icing, flooding, creates hazardous travel conditions, the University may announce a delayed arrival time, an early dismissal time or remain open for critical/essential services only.
In all cases when there are emergencies, employees must use their best judgment to determine their own safety when traveling to and from work. |
Application of This Policy
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Notification
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Official University notification regarding changes to University work hours because of extreme weather conditions is provided by the University's Weather Emergency Hotline. To access this line, dial (609) 258-S-N-O-W (258-7669).
Employees are expected to follow the notification provided by the Weather Emergency Hotline unless their department has developed other procedures regarding reporting to work during a weather emergency.
During periods of severe weather, the voicemail notification is updated by 5:45 a.m. and throughout the day to reflect any changes in the work schedule. In addition, notification of delayed arrival time is also announced on the following local area radio stations:
- WPRB Princeton University, 103.3 FM
- WHWH Princeton, 1350 AM
- WPST Trenton, 94.5 FM
- WCTC New Brunswick, 1450 AM
- WKXW Trenton, 101.5 FM
- WBCB Levittown, 1490 AM
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Delayed Arrival Condition
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When there is a weather emergency, the University may announce a delayed arrival time and noncritical/nonessential services employees should arrive by that designated time.
Employees should notify their offices within a reasonable amount of time if they are unable to report to work by the official delayed arrival time.
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Early Dismissal Condition
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If weather conditions develop during the day, which create hazardous travel conditions, the Office of Human Resources may authorize an early dismissal for noncritical/nonessential services employees.
Official notification is made through the University’s Weather Emergency Hotline at (609) 258-SNOW, which is updated during the day to reflect any changes in the work schedule. |
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Critical/Essential Services Only Condition
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On rare occasions because of extreme weather, the University may be open for critical/essential services only for the entire workday. Noncritical/nonessential services staff are not expected to report. Announcement of such an opening is made as early as possible on the University’s Weather Emergency Hotline and on local area radio stations as described above. |
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Return to Work Expectations
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In the event of an early dismissal or critical/essential services only condition, regular work schedules normally resume at 5 p.m. that day. |
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Work Schedules Other than the Regular Schedule of 8:45 a.m.–5 p.m.
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Supervisors may also develop particular notification procedures for employees during a weather emergency, especially for those employees who work afternoon, evening or weekend shifts. Those employees who have work schedules other than the regular day schedule of 8:45 a.m.–5 p.m. should call their supervisors to learn if there are any adjustments to their expected time of arrival. |
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Absence
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Employees who are noncritical/nonessential and who are not able, or who choose not to report to work at all when there is a delayed opening or an early closing, must notify their offices or departments within a reasonable amount of time (or follow call-in procedures for their departments) that they will not be reporting to work. With supervisory approval, the absence should be designated as vacation time, personal days or leave without pay. No credit is given for the period of University delayed arrival or early dismissal; employees are expected to use their paid time off to cover the University closure.
If a local municipality declares a snow emergency that explicitly prohibits vehicular travel by its residents, i.e., a travel ban/advisory, impacted employees are expected to report to work once the local snow emergency is lifted. Any request by an employee to credit this additional time off will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the employee’s supervisor and the Office of Human Resources. |
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Vacation, Personal Days, Sick Days
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Employees who, prior to the weather emergency, had designated paid time off, e.g., vacation, etc., on the day on which a delayed arrival, early dismissal or critical/essential services only condition occurs, do not have the paid time off e.g., vacation, etc., restored. No credit is given for the period of a University closure; employees are expected to use their paid time off to cover the University closure. |
Critical/Essential Services Employees
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Definition
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Critical/essential services employees hold positions that are necessary to keeping the basic services of the University operating and support the safety, health and welfare of the University community. Examples include snow removal, dining services, security and power plant, or the academic mission of the University, such as library, research laboratories and computer services.
Critical/essential services employees are expected to follow their regular work schedules when there are conditions of delayed arrival, early dismissal or critical/essential services only.
Critical/essential services employees should notify their supervisors as early as possible if they expect to be delayed in arriving at work. |
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Designation
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Departments responsible for maintaining basic services designate those employees who are considered to be essential in the event of a weather emergency.
Prior to the opening of each academic year, supervisors should review their staffing rosters to determine which of their staff, if any, should be designated as critical/essential services, recognizing that the designation of critical/essential may vary according to the nature of the extreme weather condition.
Staff members who provide the critical/essential services in a weather emergency should be advised at the time of hire and procedures for notification and call-in should be reviewed.
Supervisors should make sure that employees who are hired after the review at the start of the academic year are informed as to whether or not they are critical/essential and, if so, what procedures are to be followed.
Critical/essential services only employees who do not report to work during a condition of critical/essential services only may be subject to disciplinary procedures. |
Compensation
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Critical Services/
Essential Employees
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Work schedules and compensation for these designated biweekly-paid employees are shown in the chart below. The maximum rate of pay, defined as premium pay, may not exceed one and one-half (11/2) times the base rate of pay. As an example of premium pay, a regular hourly pay rate of $20.00 per hour would increase to $30.00 per hour. Employees covered by a union agreement are compensated according to their contract.
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Noncritical/
Nonessential Services Employees
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See chart below.
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Weather Emergency Chart — Biweekly-paid Employees
All premium pay referenced below is equivalent to and may not exceed one and one-half (11/2) times the employee’s base rate of pay.
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Delayed Arrival Condition
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Early Dismissal Condition
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Critical/Essential Services Only Condition (University Closure)
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Regular Employees
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Reports:
By official delayed arrival time
Compensation:
Regular pay; no premium pay for arriving at work early voluntarily
Premium pay or time off on alternate day within the same workweek for arriving at work during delayed arrival period if requested/approved by supervisor
Absence:
Charge to paid time off, e.g., vacation, personal days, etc.
No credit given for period of delayed arrival |
Dismissal:
At official early dismissal time
Compensation:
Regular pay; no premium pay for remaining at work voluntarily
Premium pay or time off on alternate day within the same workweek for remaining at work during early dismissal period if requested/approved by supervisor
Absence:
Charge to paid time off, e.g., vacation, personal days, etc.
No credit given for period of early dismissal |
Reports:
Not expected to report in
Compensation:
If reports in voluntarily: regular pay; no premium pay
Premium pay or time off on alternate day for reporting to work if requested/approved by supervisor
Scheduled Absence:
Charge to paid time off, e.g., vacation, personal days, etc.
No credit given for period of scheduled time off, e.g., vacation, sick days, etc.
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Critical/Essential Services Biweekly-paid Employees
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Reports:
Regular work schedule
Compensation:
Premium pay
Absence:
No pay or with supervisory approval charge to paid time off, e.g., vacation, personal days, etc. |
Dismissal:
Regular work schedule
Compensation:
Premium pay
Absence:
No pay or with supervisory approval charge to paid time off, e.g., vacation, personal days, etc. |
Reports:
Regular work schedule
Compensation:
Premium pay
Absence:
No pay or with supervisory approval charge to paid time off, e.g., vacation, personal days, etc. |
Contacts
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Office of Human Resources
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(609) 258-3300
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Related Documents
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Other Policies
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Other
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Last revision February 1, 2011.
