As we enter the winter season, the potential for inclement weather increases, sometimes warranting adjusting working hours or closing administrative offices. Because Lafayette is a residential college, the College will close only under the most adverse conditions.
When regularly scheduled work hours are adjusted because of inclement weather or emergency conditions, employees whose responsibilities allow for adjusting hours will be paid for their normal workday and should work remotely, if possible.
The nature of some particular responsibilities may require certain support employees to be at their workplace to perform essential tasks despite inclement weather or emergency conditions. Some examples of essential tasks include important work subject to a deadline, circumstances where a department or office workload is such that a supervisor cannot release certain staff members, or where a necessary service must be sustained.
Office, Library, Technical, and Service staff employees who are required to provide essential services will receive compensatory time off equal to the time they worked while others were released. Administrative Staff, Administrative Assistants, Nurses, etc., are expected to fulfill their responsibilities, at the discretion of their supervisor, without extra compensation.
POSITIONS DESIGNATED AS “ESSENTIAL”
The nature of some Facilities Operations and Public Safety positions requires employees in these roles to be at their workplace to perform necessary tasks. These employees are considered “essential” employees. Some examples of services that cannot be curtailed are security protection, snow removal, and steam generation. If there is any question about your specific responsibility, your supervisor will provide clarification.
In the event of anticipated inclement weather that might necessitate closing the College, or delayed opening, essential employees may not request a waiver of the usual five-day advance notice of their intentions to use vacation time, unless vacation has been pre-arranged and approved.
The basic pay of employees who perform essential tasks incorporates considerations of the need for their services during emergencies. Thus, no Facilities Operations or Public Safety employees, who perform tasks designated as essential, will receive extra pay or time off for work performed during normal work hours when an emergency has been declared for others. However, any hours worked in excess of normal hours will, of course, be paid according to overtime rules.
DELAYED OPENING OR CLOSURE OF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES
Announcements of any delayed opening time or closure of administrative offices are distributed via campus-wide email from the Communications division. In addition, advisories can be obtained via WFMZ.com’s Stormcenter or by tuning to WFMZ 69 News (Channel 69). You may sign up to receive text alerts from WFMZ by completing their online form and checking “Lafayette College” in the School Notices & Closings section.
Employees must inform their supervisor when they will be late or unable to report for work. Office, Library, Technical, and Service staff employees who are prevented from reporting to work may charge the absence against accumulated banked time when appropriate, or have their pay reduced accordingly.
In the event of a delayed opening, non-essential employees may prefer to use vacation time rather than come to campus for the remainder of the day. In that case, Department Heads may allow the request by waiving the usual five-day advance notice of an employee’s intention to use earned vacation.
EARLY DISMISSAL
If adverse weather conditions develop during the workday, early dismissals during the workday will be communicated via campus-wide email from the Communications division. Department Heads and Supervisors should not release their staff from work for winter weather conditions without authorization.
Employees not required by their supervisors to perform essential services who voluntarily stay beyond the early release time will not be able to receive extra compensation or additional compensatory time off.
If you have any questions, please email the Office of Human Resources at hroffice@lafayette.edu or call extension 5060.
Thank you for your assistance.
If you supervise employees who do not have routine access to email, please print and post a copy of this announcement so they will easily see it. Thank you.