4.28.6 Emergency Staffing Plan
A. Purpose
To establish staffing and compensation guidelines during emergency operations that affect UTT.
B. Persons Affected
This policy applies to all University of Texas at Tyler (UTT) employees.
C. Definitions
Emergency Operations – inclement weather or other factors which have an actual or potential disruptive effect on institutional operations (e.g. ice storms, snowstorms, utility interruptions, etc.)
Essential – Employees with specific responsibilities during or after a declared emergency. These responsibilities may include, but are not limited to the following:
- Remain at worksite during the emergency.
- Accompany patients to another location and provide care at that location until notified to return to the UTT.
- Return immediately after the emergency to relieve those who were assigned to stay.
- Work at an alternate location if assigned during or after the emergency.
- Come to work during scheduled time off, if requested.
Incident Commander – The Incident Commander (IC) is the individual responsible for carrying out the ICS function of command as designated by the President of the UTT. The IC oversees managing the incident
Non-Essential – Employees whose presence is not essential during a declared emergency status, but who cannot leave until released by supervisor and must return to work as usual under routine operations after the emergency status has ended.
D. Policy
1. Human Resources, in conjunction with appropriate leadership, will designate employees as either Essential or Non-Essential depending on the emergency and the needs of the UTT.
2. If an "Essential" employee is unable to fulfill the necessary responsibilities for any reason, the supervisor will evaluate if the emergency classification may be changed. The decision of whether to change an employee's status to "Non-Essential" is based on the emergency situation and the departmental needs.
3. Supervisors will review emergency classifications annually with each employee and document the employee's understanding of their responsibilities in the event of an emergency operation.
4. Employees are expected to notify their supervisors immediately if situations arise that would prohibit them from being able to fulfill their responsibilities.
5. Since the location of an emergency operation may vary, no UTT school, facility, clinic, unit, or other work unit will suspend operations until such declaration is made by the Incident Commander.
6. During an emergency operation, the following guidelines apply regarding time reporting:
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During an emergency condition, when routine operations continue (i.e., not a declared emergency) time for….
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Will be recorded as….
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Any employee who reports late, does not report, or leaves for any reason related to the emergency condition (e.g., due to school closures, stalled cars, etc.)
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An absence charged to earned leave (e.g., vacation or compensatory time) or leave without pay for the time not worked.
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During a declared emergency status, time for….
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Will be recorded as….
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Employees who remain and work or who come in from previously scheduled leave or day away and remain on UTT property or in UTT facilities during the event.
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Regular time for hours worked and overtime if applicable for those employees who normally receive overtime. If required to stay overnight, reasonable accommodations will be provided.
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Employees on previously requested leave or regular day off and unable to report to work.
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Time previously requested or regular day off shall be granted. If unable to return to work after previously scheduled time off, emergency leave (see Policy: Leave Provisions) may be granted for the scheduled work time for the duration of the emergency status.
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Employees released by their supervisor.
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Approved emergency leave may be authorized by President or designee for any scheduled work time not actually worked.
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Leaving Work
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Following official notice that routine operations have been suspended, supervisors may release their employees not required to work at that time. Supervisors shall inform employees that they are being released but may be asked to return to the University when it is deemed necessary. No employee is to leave without notifying their immediate supervisor. Department directors are responsible for assuring adequate and appropriate coverage for their area and for having a communication plan to reach staff both on and off-site as needed.
During emergency conditions, if work schedules permit, employees may request appropriate leave accruals at the discretion of the supervisor. Upon official release of personnel following suspension of routine operations, employees may be authorized emergency leave.
Emergency leave may be granted if the worksite itself is designated as being in "emergency status" by the President or designee.
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7. When emergency conditions occur, the Incident Commander, with monitoring assistance from the Campus Police, will provide regular condition updates via the UTT's telephone, web and email systems. The telephone "Hotline" may be reached at (903) 87-STORM (7-8676). When normal operations have been suspended by the Incident Commander, alert information will be issued via overhead paging, UTT Web site, telephone system and email (Critical Alert Bulletin). These should be the employee's primary source of information. The Incident Commander will authorize the Public Information Officer to issue timely notice of staffing status to area news media.
8. Department heads/chairs will instruct their employees to call the "Hotline", check the website, or listen to designated media to follow the status of the institution during an Emergency Condition.
9. Employees not at work are responsible for monitoring the above information sources and for returning to work at the time instructed by these sources. Employees unable to return to work at the time instructed are responsible for contacting their supervisors immediately regarding their status and expected time of return. Employees not returning at the time instructed will have their absence charged to the appropriate leave accruals or leave without pay. Supervisors may not grant additional emergency leave without approval of the President or designee and the Incident Commander.
10. The Incident Commander will determine when routine operations are to resume. When routine operations resume, employees must report to work on their regularly scheduled shifts. Departments unable to resume routine operations at the designated time must notify the President or designee and the Incident Commander immediately.
11. UTT locations away from the main campus shall have emergency plans specific to their locations. When emergency conditions exist at an off-campus location and employees must be released, the department leader for that location must notify the President or designee, Human Resources and the Incident Commander.
12. Failure of an employee or supervisor to comply with this policy may produce an investigation which may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination in accordance with the provisions of the Discipline and Dismissal of Classified Employees Policy.