Admin Leave Emergency Closing

Issue/Question

How is administrative leave used when an emergency closing is declared?

Environment

• Emergency related administrative leave is granted. Typically due to weather closings.
• Reporting administrative leave on timesheets.
• South Dakota Board of Regents Policy 4.1.11  - Emergency Closing
• USD Winter Weather Policy

Cause

Weather, or some other emergency, necessitates the closing of a work location for the health and safety of employees, students and visitors.

Individual campuses such as, Main Campus, Sanford School of Medicine in Sioux Falls, and USD-Sioux Falls give separate notifications and guidance on whether their individual campus has officially closed.

Resolution

1. Employees must be a leave accruing employee to receive administrative leave during an emergency closure. Non-leave accruing temporary employees, adjuncts and students DO NOT qualify for administrative leave
2. If the employee is not deemed essential, they should leave the work location upon the announcement of an administrative closure

Essential Employees:

• Essential employees are defined as employees designated by the emergency management or continuity of operations plans as being needed for work during a particular emergency or employees so designated by the campus in a time of emergency, so that necessary essential functions can be performed. Essential employees are required to report to work during emergency administrative leave.
  • Example: Grounds employees would be considered essential staff to move snow if the campus is closed due to a snowstorm
    • If a leave eligible overtime employee is designated as essential and is required to report to work while the work location is closed, the employee receives administrative leave and also records actual hours worked.
    • If an overtime exempt (“salaried”) employee is designated as an essential employee and reports to work, they will not get “extra” hours and should not enter administrative leave.
• If an employee is considered essential and does not report to work as required, appropriate leave and/or leave without pay unexcused should be used for the absence.

Remote Work:

• Overtime eligible employees may not voluntarily choose to work remotely during a campus closure. If an employee is already scheduled to work remotely the day of a campus closure, they will not be eligible for administrative leave.
• Vice Presidents may determine if remote work is essential and ask employees to work remotely when the site or campus is closed, this deems them essential.

If an employee has requested leave in advance of the notification of an emergency administrative leave, the employee will not be allowed to modify or delete their leave request unless they work as an essential employee OR the emergency event prevented them from attending or participating in their planned leave activity.