Policy On University Closings

As a residential, research university with a medical school and a close affiliation to the Johns Hopkins Hospital, the Johns Hopkins University has special needs that require services to be available at all times. There are a number of services provided by the university that operate seven days a week on a twenty-four hour basis. To provide these services, the university will make every effort to remain open at all scheduled times.

II. Modification of University Operating Schedule - Curtailment of Operations

A. From time-to-time, it may be deemed necessary to modify the operating schedule. Altered schedules have resulted from events such as weather emergencies, energy conservation programs, interruption of utilities and local conditions. Altered schedules may, therefore, pertain to the university, a campus, a school or a department.

B. When conditions warrant, the President of the University or a designee (normally the Provost), in consultation with the Vice President for Human Resources, will decide whether and when to alter/curtail operations. It is recognized, however, that conditions may be local. In such cases, the determination will be made by the appropriate dean or director in consultation with the Provost and the Vice President for Human Resources.

C. Announcement
When there is an alteration or curtailment of the university operating schedule or the operating schedule of a designated unit, an official announcement will be made on the University Emergency Telephone Hotline. Since conditions may vary in the geographic areas where Johns Hopkins has campuses, there may be times when Required Attendance Policy is invoked for some campuses and not others. In addition, conditions may be different on campus than they are in the area where an employee lives. In times of bad weather, employees should call the University Emergency Telephone Hotline to check on the status of the campus where they work. Staff should listen to the complete announcement.

• Baltimore - (410) 516-7781

• Outside Baltimore - (800) 548-9004

D. Altered/Curtailed Operating Plans

1. Required Attendance Plan.

When the Required Attendance Plan is invoked, it means that all Required Attendance Employees must report to work and/or remain at work.

A Required Attendance Employee is defined as an employee who has been designated as vital to the operation of a work group, whose presence is required regardless of the existence of an emergency condition, and whose presence allows the continuation of critical services, protects the safety and well being of the university population and/or physical plant and supports necessary timely work. Examples of such employees could be security, engineers or other heating plant and maintenance personnel, snow removal employees, food service employees, university hospital-based employees, animal care employees, clinical department employees, research employees, administrative support, etc. Designated Required Attendance Employees must remain at work or report to work. Employees who fail to remain at or report to work may be considered Absent Without Approval pending discussion with their supervisor.

Annually, or on a rotating schedule, certain employees will be designated by their supervisors as Required Attendance Employees. This designation should be put in writing indicating that these employees provide critical services and are required to report to work or remain at work. Each unit/department will define its own staffing requirements in times of an emergency. Human resources can provide guidance on making the determination.

2. Liberal Leave Plan

When the Liberal Leave Plan is invoked, it means that all Required Attendance Employees must report to and/or remain at work. Other staff are permitted to arrive up to two hours after their normal scheduled start time or may choose not to report to work. Employees not reporting to work should follow department procedures to report absence. Time will be charged to vacation leave, if available, otherwise as unpaid leave. Employees who report to work within two hours of the normal start time will not experience a loss of pay or have time charged to leave.

3.Delayed Arrival Plan

When the Delayed Arrival Plan is invoked, it means that all Required Attendance Employees are to report to work at the regularly scheduled start time. Other staff are expected to report to work by the time designated for the delayed opening. Staff reporting by the designated time will not experience a loss of pay or have time charged to leave.

III. Related Issues

A. Bargaining unit members are expected to report for work and will be paid for hours worked only. Those not able to work due to weather conditions will be given the option of having the time lost charged to accrued vacation or taken as unpaid leave.

If bargaining unit members are designated as a Required Attendance Employee, they must report to work and will be paid in accordance with Article 5, Section 11 of the contract.

B. When the university or division of the university is officially closed due to inclement weather, non-exempt Required Attendance Employees are compensated at one and one-half times the hourly rate. Another method to compensate non-exempt Required Attendance Employees is to pay straight time for hours worked and grant time off with pay at a future date. The method used is at the discretion of the supervisor. For non-exempt employees working in excess of 40 hours during the work week, overtime compensation must be paid in accordance with university policy.

Non-exempt Required Attendance Employees who are asked to remain at work on a stand-by basis are compensated at straight time for all non-work hours.

C. Temporary, limited-time and casual employees are not eligible for vacation leave and, therefore, are not paid for time not worked.

D. Energy Conservation

1. In the interest of energy conservation, some staff members employed at the Homewood Campus and Washington, D.C. School of Advanced International Studies participate in a vacation close down during the period approximately between Christmas Day and New Year s Day. Only individuals employed in buildings designated to close during this period are affected by the vacation close down.

2. Staff members are asked to reserve vacation leave time to be utilized during the close down period, unless they choose to take the time as unpaid leave of absence.

[Approved Effective November 1, 1997 ]