State HR Office to change policy related to agency closures

December 12, 2014
Categories: General News Tags: Business Affairs, University Operations

The State Human Resources Commission has approved a recommendation from the N.C. Office of State Human Resources (OSHR) to modify the policy governing the operations of state agencies during adverse weather and emergency events. The primary changes are:

  • clarification of the difference between these event types
  • guidelines for acceptable accounting for employee time lost to such events.

The policy will continue to be applicable to all state employees across all agencies, including Universities.

To synchronize campus operations with the newly adopted state policy, UNC Charlotte will move forward rapidly to update University Policy 701 – Campus Operation in Adverse Weather or During Other Unusual Conditions. The policy modification will move the University’s adverse weather and emergency actions from an “open/delay/close” model to the following tiered Operational Status (OS) approach:

  • OS 1 – normal operations
  • OS 2 – adverse weather
  • OS 3 – emergency event.

It is anticipated that the vast majority of winter weather events will be categorized as OS 2, where the new policy guidelines will require that leave-earning employees make up any time lost to the event within 90 days or charge time to their accumulated leave balance. The policy change also is likely to create events in which classes are cancelled either for part of a day, a full day or even multiple days but campus operations, administrative offices, library, student union, etc., are open. In support of these potential scenarios, each of the campus operations units are currently developing revised operational plans.

Also under the new policy, only the most severe weather conditions or other potentially life-threatening situations will be classified as “emergencies” that will not require time to be made up or charged to leave.

The University’s goal is to publish the modified policy both just before, and then again after, the upcoming winter break, with information to be provided via email and the University website.