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UTMB HANDBOOK OF OPERATING PROCEDURES
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Section 3 Human Resources Policies
Subject 3.1 General
Policy 3.1.1 Staffing During Adverse Conditions
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03/22/91 -Originated
09/10/09 -Reviewed w/ changes
Human Resources - Author
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Staffing During Adverse Conditions
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Definitions
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Adverse condition - inclement weather or other factors which have an actual or potential disruptive effect on institutional operations (e.g., hurricanes, utility interruptions, floods, etc.).
“E” - 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 UTMB Galveston
• 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
“N” - NONESSENTIAL: 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 conditions permit
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Policy
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To aid in the speed and efficiency of the institution to deal with adverse conditions, all benefit eligible UTMB employees will be designated as essential or nonessential personnel. This is necessary because many institutional services, including UTMB hospitals, UTMB Emergency Department, Facilities Operations and Management and Security may require 24-hour staffing even during adverse conditions when it may become necessary to officially suspend routine operations and move to emergency status. Under these circumstances, all Essential employees are expected to report to, and/or remain at work to sustain services, and/or to protect the institution's assets. Although each situation is somewhat unique, these guidelines are established to ensure consistency and fairness regarding staffing and compensation. UTMB administration reserves
the right to evaluate and modify this policy. Overall guidance procedures during an emergency status can be found in the Institutional Emergency Operations Plan.
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Policy, continued
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UTMB enters emergency status when the Institutional Emergency Preparedness Officer (IEPO) or designee(s) suspends routine operations. Since the location of an adverse condition may vary, no UTMB facility, clinic, unit, or other work unit will suspend routine operations until such declaration is made by the IEPO or designee.
Based on the nature of the emergency, the affected geographical areas and affected UTMB facilities will be defined either at the time of or immediately after the event. UTMB facilities in non-affected areas will continue with routine operations.
Many labs have the flexibility to begin a scale back effort prior to a decision to suspend routine operations if a major storm is threatening. Lab personnel may be reassigned to other work locations pending the implementation of an emergency plan. Decisions regarding lab operations and reassigning personnel should be made with recommendations from the Principal Investigator and approval of the appropriate entity leader.
Failure of an employee or supervisor to comply with this policy may produce an investigation that may result in disciplinary action, to include termination in accordance with the provisions of the IHOP Policy 3.10.1, Discipline and Dismissal.
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Emergency Classifications
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Although every employee shall be designated as either Essential or Nonessential, all employees can be classified Essential depending on the needs of the University.
Note: UTMB is not a shelter for employees or their dependents during an adverse condition. Employees released from work are encouraged to follow instructions as issued by their local Emergency Management Office.
Non-benefit eligible employees should be classified as non-essential and will not be eligible for Emergency Leave.
If routine operations continue (i.e., emergency status is not declared) during an adverse condition, all employees are expected to report to and/or remain at work.
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Assignment of Emergency Classifications
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At the time of hire each new employee will be informed of their classification as either Essential or Non-Essential and the supervisor will discuss the responsibilities of an Essential employee and the employee’s ability to fulfill those responsibilities. 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 the classification to Non-Essential is based on departmental needs.
If necessary to support business operations prior to, during, or after an emergency situation, the Institutional Emergency Preparedness Officer or designee may change the Essential or Nonessential personnel designation previously made by department management.
Supervisors will review emergency classifications annually with each employee and document the employees’ understanding of their responsibilities in the event of an adverse condition. Employees’ are expected to notify their supervisors immediately if situations arise that would prohibit them from being able to fulfill their responsibilities as an Essential employee. This notification is expected to be prior to the declaration of emergency status.
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Time Reporting
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During an adverse condition, time worked must be recorded electronically in KRONOS as long as the system is accessible. Once electronic time systems are no longer accessible, it is the responsibility of on-site managers to collect paper time sheets to be turned in to Payroll Services at the conclusion of the adverse condition.
If emergency status has not been declared, time for an employee who reports late, does not report or leaves for any reason will be charged to earned accruals or leave without pay.
Employees on previously requested leave who are unable to return to work when the emergency status is declared shall remain on the leave status previously requested for the duration of the leave request period. If unable to return to work after the previously scheduled time off, emergency leave will be granted in accordance with Disaster Pay Guidelines.
Essential employees who remain and work after emergency status is declared will be paid for time worked and, if eligible, any applicable
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Time Reporting, continued
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overtime. See Disaster Pay Guidelines for additional details.
Nonessential employees released when emergency status is declared will be given paid emergency leave for scheduled work time in accordance with Disaster Pay Guidelines.
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Leaving Work
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Following official notice that routine operations have been suspended,
supervisors will release their Nonessential and any Essential employees not needed at that time. Supervisors will inform all Essential employees that are being released about expected responsibilities related to return to UTMB after the emergency situation ends. No employee is to leave without notifying their immediate supervisor. Department directors are responsible for ensuring adequate and appropriate coverage for their area and for having a communication plan to reach staff both on and off-site as needed.
During adverse conditions before emergency status has been declared and if work schedules permit, Nonessential employees may be granted vacation at the discretion of the supervisor. A supervisor may not grant emergency leave to any employee prior to the official release communicated by the IEPO or designee. Upon official release of personnel following suspension of routine operations, such employees will be given emergency leave for the remainder of their scheduled work hours.
Emergency leave is granted only if the worksite itself is designated as being in “emergency status.”
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Monitoring Emergency Status
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When adverse conditions occur, the Office of Public Affairs, with monitoring assistance from the Campus Police and working on behalf of the IEPO or his/her designee, will provide regular condition updates via the university’s telephone, web, and/or email systems, depending on functionality at any given time during the emergency.
The telephone Alert Line may be reached by calling (409) 77-ALERT [772-5378] or toll free (888) 772-5449. Alert information is also posted on the UTMB Alert Page and on the university homepage. When routine operations have been suspended (i.e., emergency status is declared) by the IEPO or designee(s), Public Affairs will issue a notice of staffing status via the Alert Line, the Alert Page, the university homepage, emergency
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Monitoring Emergency Status, continued
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broadcast e-mail, and/or other functioning communications vehicles as appropriate. These should be employees' primary sources of information specifically regarding UTMB’s emergency status. Public Affairs also will issue timely notice of staffing status to area news media and appropriate internal communication vehicles.
Department heads/chairs will instruct their employees to monitor the Alert Line, web site, broadcast e-mail, or other UTMB communication vehicles to follow the status of the institution during adverse conditions. On an annual basis,
Public Affairs will inform employees via appropriate internal communication vehicles about resources for UTMB-specific information about adverse conditions. This information also will be conveyed to new employees during orientation.
Employees not at work are responsible for monitoring the above information sources and for returning to work at the time instructed by official UTMB sources, including their individual supervisors. 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 appropriate leave accruals or leave without pay. Supervisors may not grant additional emergency leave without approval of their entity leader and the IEPO.
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Returning to Work
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The IEPO or designee(s) will determine when routine operations are to resume.
When routine operations resume, Non-essential employees must report to work on their regularly scheduled shifts. Departments unable to resume routine operations at designated time must notify their entity leader and IEPO immediately. Supervisors are responsible for accounting for the status of all departmental employees and communicating that status to Human Resources.
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Off Campus Locations
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UTMB locations away from the main campus in Galveston shall have emergency plans specific to their location and those plans are submitted to the IEPO in Galveston for approval and inclusion in the Institutional Emergency Operations Plan. When emergency status is necessary at an off-campus location and employees must be released, the department head for that location must notify the entity leader, Human Resources
and the IEPO.
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