Severe Weather & Emergency Conditions Policy

Policy Statement

Duke University and Health System must maintain essential services and operations during any severe weather or emergency condition while providing for the protection, safety and health of all patients, students, staff and faculty. Essential services include maintaining hospital operations, supporting students in residence, operating research facilities and providing necessary support and administrative services. Duke and its staff must be prepared to safely operate and serve during these extraordinary conditions.

Policy Details

• Job Categories
• Conditions
• Declaring Severe Weather
• Notification Process
• Communication
• Compensation Guidelines
• Support Services
• FAQs
• Checklists

Job/Work Categories

Every Duke staff member performs important services and work. During extraordinary times of severe weather or emergency conditions, some positions require on-site presence to continue operations of patient care, student support and research functions. To ensure continuous operations during these conditions, all jobs are categorized into one of three service levels in support of the policy:

• Essential Service: jobs that are required to maintain essential services and operations during any severe weather or emergency condition while ensuring for the safety and health of all patients, students, staff and faculty. During Severe Weather/Emergency Conditions or when a State of Emergency has been issued, essential service employees:
  • Report to or remain at work
  • Transportation services may be provided determined by department

• Reserve Service: jobs that are not immediately required to provide service but function as "Delayed Service" during severe weather or emergency conditions and may be upgraded to "Essential Service" based on the needs of the department/organization. During Severe Weather/Emergency Conditions or when a State of Emergency has been issued, reserve service employees:
  • Category assigned at time of each severe weather/emergency condition event

• Delayed Service: jobs that can be delayed until severe weather/emergency conditions have passed.
  • Do not report to or remain at work
  • No Transportation services provided

Conditions

Severe Weather/Emergency Conditions: are defined as heavy snow or ice accumulations, flooding, hurricane or tornado damage that significantly effects the normal operations of Duke. Regardless of the severe weather/emergency condition event, the Hospitals and University must remain open in support of patient care and residential support. However, classes and clinic appointments may be canceled. Positions assigned to the Essential Service category must report to or remain at work.

State of Emergency: Only the Governor and/or Mayors of affected areas can declare a state of emergency. In the event that a state of emergency is called, all Duke staff members should contact their supervisor for instructions. Positions assigned to the Essential Service category must report to or remain at work as scheduled or directed.

Hazardous Conditions: There are some weather or emergency conditions that occur when the local school systems are closed and the Health System and University offices are open and services continue. During these conditions employing units will provide operating and attendance guidelines.

Declaring Severe Weather: Decision-Making Process

Because of the diverse and numerous customers served by Duke and the multiple locations at which services are delivered, efficient discussion of the weather conditions is required to enable appropriate and coordinated decisions for each locale and work shift.

The following criteria will be considered in declaring a severe weather or emergency condition for each shift:

• Condition or anticipated worsening condition of local streets and highways in the general locale of each campus/entity.
• Other conditions that may pose a threat to the safety of students, patients, faculty, staff and visitors.

The decision to activate or deactivate the policy is made within the context of the Duke University Emergency Management Plan. Duke Police confers by conference call with the Executive Vice President, Provost, DUHS Executive Vice President, Emergency Coordinator and Deputy Emergency Coordinator, and the University Executive Vice President will make the decision on activating and/or terminating the severe weather/emergency conditions policy for each shift. Once implemented, the policy will remain in force for the duration of the work shift.

Where the policy is activated or terminated, institutional communication procedures will be followed. Staff members will also need to implement communication steps, as appropriate, with their supervisors.

NOTE: On rare occasions the Marine Lab will need to evacuate students from the campus in anticipation of dangerous weather (such as the imminent arrival of a hurricane). The director of the Marine Lab will decide when evacuation is necessary. The Maribe Lab website will provide ongoing updates regarding student residential status.

Notification Process

Institutional Notification Steps

The University Executive Vice President will determine whether to activate or terminate the severe weather/emergency conditions policy and authorize communication as early as possible before the start of each shift. Once activated, the policy provisions will remain active for the duration of the work shift.

Notification Actions

Once a decision to activate or terminate the severe weather/emergency conditions policy has been made, the following actions will take place:

• The University Executive Vice President will ensure notification of the following:
  • Vice President for Human Resources, who will notify the following:
    • AVP of News & Communications, who will coordinate announcement for university and medical center, contact media
    • AVP for Facilities Management, who will coordinate facility support needs (clearing of roads, parking areas, etc.) as needed
    • Director, Parking, Housekeeping & Transportation, who will coordinate busing, transit routes, housekeeping, as neeeded
    • VP for Student Affairs, who will notify residential staff, student activities, dean of students staff, and coordinate dining services and event management as needed
  • Provost, who will notify the following:
    • Deans of schools, who implement severe weather plans for respective schools
    • Registrar, who will implement severe weather plans
    • Librarian, who will implement severe weather plans

• The DUHS Executive Vice President will ensure notification of the following:
  • DUHS Chief Human Resources Officer, who will notify the following:
    • Presidents of Acute Care Division, who will notify hospitals and other acute care units to implement severe weather plan
    • Associate Vice President for Communications for Duke Health who will:
      • coordinate announcements with the Associate Vice President of News & Communication
      • notify the Health System communication officers, especially those at Duke Hospital, Durham Regional Hospital and Duke Raleigh Hospital,
    • President of Ambulatory Care Division, who will notify ambulatory care units to implement severe weather plan
    • Vice President for DUHS Administration and Heads of Corporate Services, who will coordinate with the Chancellor's office, administration, and corporate services

It is the responsibility of senior unit/division/entity/department administrators to develop a process that ensures that all faculty and staff members are appropriately notified of the activation and termination of the Severe Weather / Emergency Conditions policy.

Communication Guidelines

Institutional Responsibility

The Associate Vice President of News and Communications or his/her designee will:

• Coordinate media announcements with the Associate Vice President of Communications at Duke Health
• Notify the news media of the severe weather announcement, update the Duke web page, and update the toll-free 684-INFO telephone system.

The Associate Vice President of Communications at Duke Health will coordinate media announcements with the communication officers at Duke Hospital, Durham Regional Hospital and Duke Raleigh Hospital. Each hospital's communication officer will contact the news media with the appropriate announcement.

Once a decision has been made: The hospitals/clinical facilities Presidents and the Deputy Emergency Coordinator for the University will activate the appropriate operations centers.

The following Duke locations will receive and provide current information:

• DukeALERT
• Toll-free Duke Information Line - 684-INFO (684-4636)
• Duke Cable TV
• Duke Employee TV (Duke Hospital)
• www.duke.edu

Faculty: If classes are not canceled but a faculty member is unable to get to campus, he/she should notify students using one of the following options (in decreasing order of preference):

1. Post a notice on the Blackboard course web site. All Duke faculty, with the exception of Fuqua, have access to a web site through Blackboard and can use the "Announcements" section or the group email feature. Instructions for activating these sites are provided at http://blackboard.duke.edu. Fuqua faculty have an alternative web site system.
2. Send an email notification to students. For those without a course web site on Blackboard, access to individual emails of students is provided through the class listings on ACES web site
3. Call the appropriate departmental or school personnel to get the word out in the rare case of cancellation of individual courses.

Department/Manager Responsibility

Planning: Each department head is responsible for:

• Completing a department preparedness plan and reviewing the plan twice each year before the hurricane and winter seasons.
• Identifying and notifying staff members of their Severe Weather job/work category designation and departmental expectations (i.e., transportation, childcare, meals, lodging, notification, compensation, etc.) during the orientation process and, then, twice each year before the hurricane and winter seasons.

Review with Staff: Each manager is responsible for the following:

• Reviewing the department plan and the staffing contingency plan with the department head at least twice each year (before the hurricane and winter seasons).
• Explaining and providing each staff member with the policy, clarification of entity designation (university, medical center, hospital, etc.) work/job category designation, the department plan and staffing contingency plan, an information card and the Staff Member Preparedness checklist. This document should be reviewed with each staff member twice per year or when staff members are hired, transferred, promoted or otherwise change status (see Orientation website).

Imminent Severe Weather: The department head and manager should review the policy, department plan and staffing contingency plans if severe weather is imminent.

Policy Activation: The department head activates the pre-planned department communication steps as outlined on the department plan and individual staff member's severe weather/emergency conditions information card.

Staff Member Responsibility

Planning: Each staff member shall be responsible for the following during the New Employee Orientation Period and twice each year before the hurricane and winter seasons:

• Reviewing the Severe weather/emergency conditions policy.
• Clarifying responsibilities and expectations with his/her supervisor.
• Pre-registering for transportation services.
• Completing the Staff Member Preparedness Plan and discussing specific needs with his/her supervisor.
• Receiving a Severe weather/emergency conditions information card.

Imminent Severe Weather: Each staff member should review the policy and staffing contingency plan with his/her manager if severe weather is imminent.

Policy Activation: Once the policy is activated, follow directions on personal preparedness plan and severe weather/emergency conditions information card.

Compensation Guidelines

Essential Service - Non-Exempt

These staff members are paid on an hourly basis for all work performed during the pay period. During severe weather and emergency conditions, non-exempt employees will receive the following compensation adjustments.

• A 10 percent base pay differential will be applicable for all hours worked on-site during any shift in which the policy is activated. 
  • The differential is calculated by multiplying 10% of the base hourly rate times the number of hours worked.
  • All payments will be calculated automatically by the payroll system and will be included in the employee's payroll check one pay period later.
  • This supplement to base pay will not be included in determining overtime or other premium pay for eligible employees. 
• When a non-exempt staff member arrives within one hour of the start of the shift, pay will be provided from the shift start time.
• If a non-exempt staff member does not come to work, he/she may use accrued vacation, discretionary holidays or Paid Time Off from the short-term bank.
• However, any absence incurred during a severe weather/emergency condition event will be considered an unscheduled absence.
• With prior approval from the non-exempt staff member's supervisor, he/she may make up the work time within three (3) months.
• If a non-exempt staff member is away from work on an approved sick leave request the day before the severe weather/emergency conditions policy is activated, he/she may continue to use sick leave/PTO while the policy is active.

Essential Service - Exempt

These staff members are paid a fixed monthly salary as required by the Fair Labor Standards Act. This salary provides compensation for duties performed rather than hours or days worked. During severe weather and emergency conditions, exempt employees will receive the following compensation adjustments.

• There is no 10 percent base pay differential available for exempt staff members. 
• An exempt staff member is expected to make advanced arrangements with his/her supervisor to perform essential job functions during a severe weather/emergency condition event. 
• In some cases and with prior approval, an exempt staff member could be authorized to perform essential job functions off site when a severe weather/emergency condition event occurs. 
• If work cannot be performed off site and the staff member does not come to work, he/she may use accrued vacation, discretionary holidays or Paid Time Off from the short-term bank. However, any absence incurred during a severe weather/emergency condition event will be considered an unscheduled absence.
• If an exempt staff member is away from work on an approved sick leave request the day before the severe weather/emergency conditions policy is activated, he/she may continue to use sick leave/PTO while the policy is active.

Delayed Service

• Non-exempt and exempt staff members not scheduled or not required to work during a severe weather/emergency condition event should not report to work unless instructed to do so by their supervisor. 
• With prior planning and approval from their supervisor, non-exempt and exempt staff members may select one of the following options to cover an absence due to a declared severe weather/emergency condition: 
  1. use accrued vacation, discretionary holidays or Paid Time Off from the short-term bank, 
  2. perform job functions off site, or 
  3. make up the lost time/work within three (3) months.
• If a non-exempt or exempt staff member is away from work on an approved sick leave request the day before the severe weather/emergency conditions policy is activated, he/she may continue to use sick leave/PTO while the policy is active.

Bargaining Unit Positions

Staff members covered by collective bargaining agreements will be paid consistent with contract provisions.

Support Services

Childcare - Essential Service Category Only

Because instances of severe weather or emergency conditions may dictate the need for alternate childcare, staff assigned to the Essential Service category should plan in advance to address childcare needs. Your supervisor is available to assist in planning and the Staff Member Personal Preparedness Plan should be utilized in this effort.  

Parking Arrangements - Essential Service Category Only

All Duke parking garages will be made available to staff assigned to the Essential Service category, free of charge, for the duration of the severe weather / emergency condition event. Spaces will be given on a first-come, first-served basis.

Parking lots will be cleared as quickly as possible to provide access to Duke's facilities during periods of severe weather. You can view a list of the priority status for the clearing of parking lots during severe weather. Priority for clearing is given to lots near critical operational areas and lots where large numbers of people need access (e.g. patient care facilities).

Road/Path Clearing Priority:During severe weather, roads and paths on Duke's campus will be cleared as quickly as possible to provide access to buildings and facilities. Priority for clearing is given to roads and paths providing access to critical operational areas where large numbers of people need access (e.g. patient care facilities).

Busing & Transportation - Essential Service Category Only

Each Duke organization/entity is responsible for developing transportation arrangements based on need. Contact your supervisor for specific guidelines.

During severe weather, every effort will be made to continue transit services. Schedules may be adjusted based on road conditions and available parking. See the real time transit system for up to date information on routing during a severe weather event.

Transit service during severe weather will be provided as a priority for the following routes:

• H2: Hospital Loop
• H6: Remote Lot-Hospital
• PR1: Bassett-Research
• C1: East-West
• CCX: Central Campus Express

Transit service to outlying parking lots will be provided once the routes have been cleared. As conditions improve, all campus and hospital routes will resume their regular schedules as quickly as possible.

Tips for Driving in Severe Weather/Emergency Conditions

• Avoid low-lying areas and underpasses.
• Know safe alternate routes, along high ground, between home and work.
• Beware of downed power lines and debris
• Do not cross flooded roads. You can get stranded even in shallow water.
• Do not enter areas that are posted or blocked with emergency signage.
• If you must evacuate, disconnect electrical equipment if it is safe to do so.
• Take your keys and valuables.
• Drive slowly and cautiously.
• Be careful of "black" ice on highways.
• Clean debris, snow and/or ice off of car windows, bumpers and roof before driving.

Home Preparations

Make sure to secure the following:

• Flashlight, battery-operated radio and/or television.
• Batteries (AAA, AA, C, D and 9-volt).
• Sturdy shoes, blankets and extra clothing.
• Back-up eye glasses, medications, and sanitation supplies.
• Bottled water (one gallon per day for people and pets).
• Emergency food for at least three days (people and pets).
• Manual can opener.
• Special items for infants, elderly or disabled household members.
• Candles and matches.
• Tools: crescent wrench, crowbar, shovel, heavy work gloves.
• Heavy tape and plastic sheeting.
• Batteries (AAA, AA, C, D and 9-volt).
• Address book to include emergency phones numbers such as physician, power company, phone company, gas company, etc.
• Cell phone and car charger.
• Cash and important documents.

Dining

During severe weather, Duke University Dining Services will open as many units as possible. The initial focus will be to open the two larger venues, The Great Hall on West Campus and the East Campus Marketplace.

Duke Stores will open the three convenience stores, Office Products and Computer Repair. Should the severe weather occur at the beginning of each semester, every effort will be made to open the University Store and related stores (Computer Store, Medical Center Store, Textbook Store, and the Gothic Bookshop) and to provide other related services to the university community.

For information on Dining Operations and University Stores, please visit on the following sites:

• Dining Services Web Site
• Duke Stores Web Site

Meal Passes - Essential Service Category Only

Duke University and Health System will provide beverage and meal passes to staff members assigned to the Essential Service category who work multiple shifts or must stay on the premises overnight. Transportation volunteers will receive beverage and meal passes as designated by the entity's transportation plan.

Safety Tips

• Report police, fire and medical emergencies to 911.
• Report service interruptions to telephone and/or power companies.
• Replenish emergency preparedness supplies when it's all over.
• Do not handle electrical equipment in wet areas.
• Use flashlights, rather than candles or kerosene lanterns for emergency light.

Sleeping Arrangements - Essential Service Category Only

Duke University and Health System will provide sleeping arrangements for staff members assigned to the Essential Service category who work multiple shifts.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Policy
• Reporting to Work
• Making Up Time/Work
• Recording Time/Compensation

Policy

Who approves the activation of the Severe Weather and Emergency Conditions policy?
The Duke Chief of Police is responsible for the early gathering of information on the criteria to be used by those responsible for declaring severe weather/emergency conditions. The Chief will advise the University Executive Vice President and the DUHS Executive Vice President of the present or worsening conditions, for each shift. The Executive Vice Presidents will confer and the University Executive Vice President will make the decision on activating and/or terminating the severe weather/emergency conditions policy for each shift. Once implemented, the policy will remain in force for the duration of the work shift.

Who decides if classes are in session and how does this affect staff, faculty and students?
The Provost, in consultation with the deans, will make a decision for all schools. Each school should have a severe weather plan developed that should include a communication process to provide accurate information and instructions for staff, faculty and students.

Who is responsible for maintaining severe weather plans?
Each entity, school, department and/or unit is responsible for developing and maintaining a severe weather/emergency conditions plan based on Duke's policy. As part of the departmental preparation, supervisors should review the severe weather policy including service category assignments with faculty and staff and ensure they understand how they will be notified of the activation and termination of the severe weather policy. In addition, each department is responsible for determining what support services it will provide staff assigned as essential service when the severe weather policy is activated. Support services can include meal passes, sleeping arrangements, parking and transportation.

Who should inform staff members if they should report to work and what is expected of them when severe weather is called?
That is a decision that should be communicated by supervisors to staff members during department orientation. Supervisors should also review their departmental preparedness plan with staff twice a year during hurricane and winter seasons and also at the time of imminent severe weather to ensure staff members understand how they will be notified of the activation and termination of the severe weather policy.

How should supervisors inform staff members if the department is closed, if the building is without power or if the severe weather policy is not activated for all of the University and Health System?
As part of the departmental preparation, a notification process should be developed and communicated to all staff members. Supervisors should have an updated list of department staff members' home telephone numbers, pagers and cellular phone numbers in order to reach them during this type of event.

How does the severe weather policy affect union members?
Staff covered by collective bargaining agreements will be paid consistent with contract provisions.

What does it mean when there are hazardous conditions?
There are some weather or emergency conditions that occur in which local school systems are closed, but Duke offices are open and services continue. During these situations each entity, department and/or school will provide operating and attendance guidelines to staff. As part of the entity, school or department planning, guidelines should be developed (1) as to whether or not "hazardous conditions" will be implemented and (2) if so, define the expectations for staff members.

Reporting to Work

Are all staff members required to work during a severe weather or emergency condition situation?
In a severe weather or emergency situation, only positions classified as essential service are required to report to work or remain at work.If a staff member's position is not designated as essential, then he/she should not report to work or remain at work while the severe weather policy is in effect, regardless of his/her ability to report to work.

Who defines what positions are designated as essential service?
Supervisors should coordinate with their department managers to ensure appropriate staffing during severe weather or emergency conditions. Staff members should be notified by their supervisors about their service category.

What happens if a staff member identified as essential fails to report to work?
This will be considered an unscheduled absence. While Duke must maintain essential functions throughout any severe weather or emergency condition, each department will review staff specific issues, taking into account the circumstances surrounding any absences that may have occurred. The entity/department Human Resources representative and Staff and Labor Relations should be consulted to determine what, if any, corrective action may be appropriate.

If Duke is following the severe weather policy, does that mean classes are canceled?
Not necessarily. Duke treats decisions about "severe weather" and "classes" separately, although the people who make these decisions do work together closely. The Provost makes the call about holding or canceling classes during severe weather. With rare exceptions, this decision applies to all of Duke's schools, although the Provost may decide that one school will remain open while another is closed. If you want to know whether your class is canceled, pay attention to the announcement about classes, not about "severe weather."

If the severe weather policy has been activated but classes are still being held, should a faculty member report to work or stay home?
In most cases, faculty are expected to attend their classes if these are held, regardless of whether the university's severe weather policy is active. If you are a faculty member and you do not have class when the severe weather policy is active, you should follow your best judgment, understanding that the severe weather policy's implementation indicates that it is inadvisable to undertake unnecessary travel. 

Making Up Time/Work

How do non-exempt staff members account for time off due to severe weather?
Non-exempt staff members can account for time using PTO (short term bank), vacation, discretionary holidays or time off without pay. With prior approval from the non-exempt staff member's supervisor, staff designated as delayed or reserve service may make up time within 3 months. If the staff member is away from work on an approved sick leave request the day before the severe weather policy is activated, he/she may continue to use sick leave/PTO while the policy is active.

How do exempt staff members account for time off due to severe weather?
Exempt staff members can account for time off using PTO (short term bank), vacation, or discretionary holidays. With prior approval from the exempt staff member's supervisor, staff designated as delayed or reserve service may make up work within 3 months. If the staff member is away from work on an approved sick leave request the day before the severe weather policy is activated, he/she may continue to use sick leave/PTO while the policy is active. Exempt members cannot account for time off using time without pay. Exempt staff members are paid a fixed monthly salary as required by the Fair Labor Standards Act. This salary provides compensation for duties performed rather than hours or days worked.

Are supervisors required to let staff members make up time/work?
Supervisors have the discretion to allow time/work to be made up based on circumstances and type of work. If the staff member and supervisor agree that the time/work can be made up, the time/work should be made up within 3 months of the severe weather event.

Recording Time/Compensation

Does the one-hour grace period and 10% premium apply to both exempt and non-exempt staff members?
The one-hour grace period and the 10% premium only apply to non-exempt staff members. When a non-exempt staff member arrives within one hour of the start of the shift (within the one-hour grace period), pay will be provided from the start of the shift time. A 10% premium will be applicable for all hours worked on-site during any shift in which the policy is activated. Exempt staff are paid a fixed monthly salary as required by the Fair Labor Standards Act and are not eligible to receive the 10% premium.

If a non-exempt staff member assigned to essential service arrives during the one-hour grace period and leaves early, would he/she still receive pay for the grace period and the 10% premium?
When a non-exempt staff member arrives within one hour of the start of the shift (within the one-hour grace period), pay will be provided from the start of the shift time. The 10% premium should be applied for all hours worked on-site during any shift in which the policy is activated.

If a non-exempt staff member who has been assigned to delayed service comes to work when severe weather has been called, is he/she eligible for the one-hour grace period and 10% premium?
Only non-exempt staff members whose positions are classified as essential service will receive the one-hour grace period and the 10% premium. Any exceptions to this policy for a particular weather event will be made on a case-by-case basis by the entity/school/department leaders in concert with the entity/department Human Resources representative and Staff and Labor Relations. When Duke officials activate the severe weather policy, only staff members in positions designated as essential service are to report to work unless instructed to do otherwise by their supervisor. If a staff member's position is not designated as essential, then he/she should not report to work or remain at work while the severe weather policy is in effect, regardless of his/her ability to report to work. If a school/department/unit is unsure of the need to call in staff during severe weather, supervisors should classify those staff members as reserve service and decide which service category is appropriate for each severe weather event. Once a decision has been made for that event, the staff member follows the policy for appropriate compensation, notification and support services.

Is the one-hour grace period and 10% premium given to non-exempt staff members who are moved from reserve to essential service at the time severe weather is called?
Yes, for non-exempt staff members moved to essential service, the one-hour grace period and the 10% premium do apply.

How do you record the 10% premium for non-exempt staff members?
It should be recorded as a payroll designation of a Code 8 on the time report.

If a non-exempt staff member and his or her supervisor agree that the staff member can make up time missed due to severe weather, how should this time be recorded?
All hours worked must be recorded appropriately and accurately through the staff member's designated time reporting system. When severe weather requires a staff member to leave work early or prevents a staff member from reporting to work, lost time is not counted as work time. Time lost due to severe weather must be charged to a staff member's vacation, discretionary holiday, PTO account, charged as time without pay, or any combination of these. Note: Recording lost time as time worked is considered a falsification of Duke records, which may lead to immediate termination.

If a non-exempt staff member makes up time, does he/she receive overtime pay?
It depends. If a non-exempt staff member "makes up time" and the recording of that time creates an overtime situation, then yes. A department may avoid an overtime situation by scheduling the staff member to "make up the time" during a week or pay period when he/she does not work a full 40 hours/week or 80 hours/pay period. See example below.

If a staff member has worked less than 90 days (probationary period) and has not yet been credited with accrued PTO or vacation days, can he/she use PTO, vacation days, or discretionary holidays during severe weather?
Yes, staff members within the 90-day probationary period may use accrued vacation, discretionary holidays, or PTO (short term bank), during severe weather. If the supervisor agrees, the staff member may elect to make up the time/work over the next three months.

What happens if a staff member does not have accrued time available for use during an emergency situation?
If there is no accrued time available, non-exempt staff members must record the time away from work without pay. Exempt staff member must make up the work missed or be debited PTO, vacation or discretionary holidays once accrued.

Example: Time Reporting for Making Up Time Based on Severe Weather

Example : Without Overtime: More than 8 in a Day and 40 in a Week

Policy Number: 04.07