PG-51 Severe Weather Conditions or Disaster

OFFICIAL CLOSE-DOWNS:

The President or the President's representative may officially cancel classes and/or close, delay or suspend operations because of hazardous conditions caused by severe weather, a natural disaster or emergency.

EMERGENCY EMPLOYEE:

Emergency employees, for the purpose of defining eligibility for compensation in accordance with this policy, are those employees necessary to alleviate a hazardous and/or emergency condition or provide an emergency service. It is the responsibility of each Vice President to designate emergency personnel to report during official close-downs to accomplish the above. Personnel not defined as emergency are not subject to the compensatory compensation provisions of this policy. It is the responsibility of the respective budget unit to address the additional costs associated with the compensation provisions of this policy.

MISSED TIME:

A regular full-time or continuing part-time staff member shall not lose pay for any work time missed during any period that University operations are officially closed, delayed or suspended because of hazardous conditions caused by severe weather, a natural disaster or emergency.

A non-exempt emergency employee required to work during such period shall be granted compensatory time off or, at the discretion of the University and supervising budget unit head, receive compensatory pay.

Emergency exempt staff shall be granted equivalent time off if required to work during such periods.

In the event classes and operations are officially canceled, delayed or suspended, the University may amend its calendar or work day to make up the missed classes, workday(s) or work hours. Time missed from work by a staff member because of hazardous conditions caused by severe weather, a natural disaster or emergency, at times other than an official close-down, is to be accounted for by taking vacation leave or leave without pay if no vacation time is available. In the event an employee does not have sufficient accumulated vacation pay to apply to the absence, the employee's supervisor is encouraged to make reasonable efforts to allow the employee to make up the missed time during the current or next pay period.

NOTIFICATION OF CLOSE-DOWNS OR DELAYS:

When it becomes necessary for the President or designated representative to close the University, cancel classes or suspend operations, notification will be made as soon as possible via MSU email, the MSU website, LiveSafe, EagleAlerts, MSPR, and other local and regional broadcast media.  Employees may also call 783-INFO (4636) to obtain information on class or operational closing.

SUPERSEDES:

This policy supersedes Personnel Policies, PAd-4, PSE-5 and PSNE-6.