model policy:
Emergency Closing Policy AND Procedures
General
EMPLOYER will remain open in all but the most extreme circumstances. Unless EMPLOYER announces an emergency closing, EMPLOYER expects all employees to report to work on time.
During an emergency closing, employees who are deemed essential personnel must make every practicable effort to report in; if conditions are such that a safe commute is not possible, essential workers must contact immediately a supervisor-in-charge, who will provide further instructions. Employees who are deemed nonessential have the option of taking annual leave, personal leave, or, if nonexempt, leave without pay; however, they still must telephone EMPLOYER, via EMPLOYER's secure emergency hotline, and follow the instructions in the recorded message for emergency closings.
Designation of Emergency Closing
EMPLOYER will close due to emergency circumstances only on authorization of the President or Executive Vice President for Administration or these individuals' designated representatives. If EMPLOYER must order an emergency evacuation, all employees should calmly and quickly follow EMPLOYER's established evacuation procedures and routes.
Emergency Operations Team
EMPLOYER's Emergency Operations Team (EOT), consisting of the Chief Operating Officer, Executive Vice President for Administration, General Counsel, Human Resources Director, Plant and Facilities Manager, Director of Risk Management, and designated representatives of each division of the company, is responsible for monitoring emergency conditions and communicating and implementing EMPLOYER's emergency-response plan and procedures. In consultation with the EOT, the Plant and Facilities Manager is responsible for coordinating all efforts necessary to secure and safeguard EMPLOYER's premises in an emergency and to ensure employees' safety and well-being.
As the liaison between EMPLOYER and outside authorities, the Emergency Operations Team consults and communicates with all local, state, or federal officials who may have authority over private businesses during emergencies, such as terrorist attacks.
Reporting-In Procedures During Emergency Closing
Essential personnel who cannot report to their worksite as required must contact the designated supervisor-in-charge as soon as possible but, if feasible, within the first two hours of the workday. Essential personnel should use the secure telephone hotline that EMPLOYER has established for use during emergency operations. Employee’s who are unable to talk directly with a supervisor-in-charge should leave a detailed voice mail message and a number where they can be reached and given instructions. Alternatively, employees should send an email to the address listed on the emergency-personnel roster that is included in employees' emergency-closing information packet.
Expectations of Essential Personnel
Even if EMPLOYER officially closes, EMPLOYER must maintain certain essential functions with the help of employees whose job functions have been designated as essential in an emergency. EMPLOYER expects all identified essential personnel to report to a designated worksite, unless a supervisor-in-charge instructs otherwise via EMPLOYER's secure telephone hotline.
EMPLOYER provides every department manager with a regularly updated roster of essential personnel, a copy of which also is kept on file in the Human Resources Department. In addition, EMPLOYER distributes by regular mail and email a complete list of the names and contact numbers of all essential personnel, including supervisors-in-charge.
Employee Leave and Pay
When EMPLOYER authorizes a partial, full-day, or extended (e.g., week-long) closing, EMPLOYER applies the following leave and pay practices:
a. Nonexempt and exempt employees with nonessential job duties are granted administrative leave for the duration of the emergency closing. Employees are compensated at their regular rate of pay for hours the employees would have worked but for the emergency closing.
b. Nonexempt employees who are designated essential personnel are compensated at one-and-one-half times the employees' regular pay rate for the entire emergency-closing period.
c. Exempt and nonexempt employees on sick leave when a partial-day closing occurs are charged sick leave for the entire day. Workers whose illness lasts longer than the emergency-closing period are charged sick leave for the duration of the period of illness. Should an emergency closing occur on the day that employees normally would return to work after illness, the employees are granted administrative leave for that day, and thereafter for the duration of the emergency closing, provided the employees make a reasonable effort to contact their immediate supervisor or Human Resources via EMPLOYER's secure telephone hotline or secure website.
d. Exempt and nonexempt employees on personal leave or annual leave at the time of an emergency closing are charged whichever type of leave was scheduled. Thereafter, if the emergency-closing period lasts longer than the period of scheduled personal or annual leave, the employees are granted administrative leave.
e. Exempt essential employees may be granted compensatory time off for hours worked during the emergency-closing period.
Communications During Emergency Closing Period
EMPLOYER will communicate announcements about emergency closings and re-openings as early as possible tough the local radio and television stations, EMPLOYER's external website [provide url], and EMPLOYER's secure emergency telephone hotline, where a pre-recorded message is posted no later than 6:30 a.m. [list telephone menu option].
A list of radio and television stations EMPLOYER will use to communicate emergency information will be included in an employees emergency information packet and periodically distributed to employees via email and regular mail.