Inclement Weather Policy for University Employees

The Governor has delegated to the President the responsibility and exclusive authority to make a Declaration of Inclement Weather for PSU because of severe weather conditions.  NOTE: A Governor's Declaration of Inclement Weather does not affect PSU.  When a Declaration is issued by the President, he/she has the responsibility and authority to maintain essential services and provide for the protection of resident students and University property. Each area administrator (Vice President, Dean, Director, Chairperson and Area Supervisor) must determine their staffing requirements to ensure the maintenance of essential programs and activities.  If it is determined that the weather conditions mandate a decision relative to operation of the University, the PSU President has the following options:

1)   Issue a Declaration of Inclement Weather and close the University.  The University will be considered closed from the time of the Declaration announcement until the indicated time that the University will reopen.

a)   Benefits-Eligible Employees who perform essential services are expected to report to work for their regular schedule or continue to work their regular schedule in accordance with the supervisor's instructions. Non-exempt and Exempt employees who earn annual leave who perform essential services shall be eligible for compensatory time (hour for hour) in addition to pay for hours worked during the Declaration. Some examples of essential services include maintenance of building operations, clearing of walkways, streets and parking lots, student resident hall services and public safety.

(1)  Benefits-Eligible Employees who have been designated as employees who perform essential services by their supervisor for this Declaration and who do not report to work or do not continue to work their regular schedule will not be eligible for inclement weather leave and will be required to use appropriate accrued leave.

b)   Benefits-Eligible Employees who do not perform essential services are not expected to report to work if the Declaration is issued before the start of their regular work schedule.  They are expected to leave work as soon as possible when a Declaration is issued after they have reported to work.

Benefits-Eligible Employees who do not perform essential services and who earn annual leave will receive inclement weather leave based on when the Declaration is issued and on their regular work schedule. 

Non-essential, Benefits-Eligible employees who had been approved to use accrued leave will receive inclement weather leave and not be required to use accrued leave in accordance with this section.

Example 1:   if the employee is already at work for his/her regular work schedule and the University closes at 10 a.m., any time prior to 10 a.m. would be reported as regular hours and any hours after 10:00 a.m. until the end of the regular work schedule would be reported as inclement weather leave.

Example 2:  if the employee did not report to work for his/her regular schedule because of the weather and the University closes at 10 a.m., any time prior to 10 a.m. would be reported as appropriate accrued leave and any hours after 10 a.m. until the end of the regular work schedule would be reported as inclement weather leave.

Example 3:  if the employee did not report to work for his/her regular schedule because he/she had been approved to use vacation leave and the University closes at 10 a.m., any time prior to 10 a.m. would be reported as vacation leave and any hours after 10 a.m. until the end of the regular work schedule would be reported as inclement weather leave.

c)   Temporary Non-Benefits Eligible Non-exempt (hourly) employees are only paid for hours worked.  They would not receive inclement weather leave during a Declaration.

d)   Teaching faculty (Benefits-Eligible and Non-Benefits Eligible) will be paid their regular salary for the pay period in which a Declaration has been issued.

If the President issues a Declaration of Inclement Weather, it is important that essential employees are able to perform their duties so that the campus can be reopened as soon as possible.  Non-essential employees should leave campus when a Declaration  of Inclement Weather is issued and not return until the University is reopened to ensure that essential employees responsible for cleaning sidewalks, parking lots, and other University property have unobstructed access to these areas.  A Benefits-Eligible, non-essential employee should work during a Declaration only with the approval of their immediate supervisor.  If approved, the non-essential employee will report time worked as regular hours and inclement weather leave to total the hours in their regular work schedule.

Example:  if the employee reports to work during a Declaration and works from 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and does not take a lunch break, he/she would report 5.50 regular hours and report 2.5 hours of inclement weather leave.  Total hours reported are 8 hours.

2)   Keep the University open and classes in session.  When the University is open, offices should also remain open.  Benefits-Eligible Employees who earn annual leave and are unable to travel to work, arrive late or leave early must use accrued leave as appropriate. Employees should notify their supervisor as soon as possible if they are unable to work their regularly scheduled time.

Leave Reporting.   Benefits-Eligible unclassified  and  classified employees who earn leave and do not report to work or  elect to return home after reporting to work during inclement weather (not under a Declaration of Inclement Weather) can select one of the following options for handling the lost time:

1. Use their discretionary holiday, if it is available.  Note that the discretionary holiday may not be used for absences of less than a full day.
2. Use accrued compensatory time (non-exempt employees only).
3. Use accrued holiday compensatory time.
4. Use accrued vacation leave.
5. Use leave without pay.
6. Make up the absent-from-duty hours within the same work week.  Non-exempt employees must make up lost time on an hour-for-hour basis.  Plans for make-up time must be worked out with the approval of the supervisor in advance.  Time not made up within the specified period will be charged to accrued vacation leave or to leave without pay.

Non-Exempt (hourly) Employees report time in .25 hour increments.

Exempt (salaried) Employees report time in whole and half-day increments.

NOTE:  This policy does not apply to the University Holiday Closing scheduled during the Winter Holiday Break.

(October 2009)