INCLEMENT WEATHER
PURPOSE: Clackamas County government is committed to providing high quality public service, including many emergency-related functions, in all types of weather. The purpose of the Inclement Weather policy is to inform Clackamas County employees of their responsibilities and options during adverse weather conditions.
SCOPE: This policy applies to all Clackamas County employees.
POLICY STATEMENT: As a service organization, the County’s policy is to remain open during normal business hours. When weather conditions arise that require temporarily modifying any county service or function, the determination will be made by the County Commission, the County Administrator or designee only. While it is recognized that every employee may encounter different circumstances in their daily commute to and from work, employees are expected to make every effort to report for work during instances of adverse weather conditions. Employees who are unable to report for work on time because of adverse weather conditions must contact their supervisor for leave approval.
For the purposes of this policy, the term “inclement weather” is an event of nature that adversely impacts the safety of citizens or employees. Typically such situations are the result of unusual severe weather, ice storms, blizzards, floods or extreme wind conditions.
CONTINUITY OF COUNTY SERVICES OR FUNCTIONS PLAN:
Authority to Close or Modify Any or All Operations of the County: The authority to close any or all general County government buildings, offices or other type of facilities, or to temporarily modify any county service or function because of adverse weather conditions shall reside with the County Commission, County Administrator or designee only. Authority to close the County Courthouse resides with the Presiding Judge who will notify the County Commission, County Administrator or designee prior to closure. Authority to close offices of the District Attorney resides with the District Attorney who will notify the County Commission, County Administrator or designee prior to closure. The County Administrator or designee, the Presiding Judge and the District Attorney will coordinate and communicate before closures.
In the event of an inclement weather event adversely impacting the well-being and safety of citizens, or employees at a specific operation(s), the Department Director or designee shall notify the County Administrator about temporarily modifying any county service or function, if it is necessary, prior to the official implementation of one of the below listed operational plans.
Operational Plan(s) for Adverse Weather Conditions: The County Commissioner, Chair, County Administrator or designee will implement one (1) of the following operational plans:
Standard Operational Plan for Inclement Weather
County Offices/Operations Open – It is recognized that every employee may encounter different circumstances in their daily commute to and from work. Employees are expected to make every effort to report for work during instances of adverse weather conditions. Employees who are unable to report for work on time because of adverse weather conditions must contact their supervisor for leave approval. Employees absent or late to work shall be required to use either accrued paid leave time (vacation, compensatory time, personal holiday), request leave without pay or request to make up the time absent.
Emergency Operational Plan for Inclement Weather
County Offices/Operations closed for normal business, delayed opening, or early departure - When operations are temporarily modified, employees are not to report to work unless they have been identified earlier as holding "inclement weather essential" positions. Employees in "inclement weather essential" positions report to or remain at work as scheduled or as otherwise specifically directed.
“INCLEMENT WEATHER ESSENTIAL” POSITIONS:
Each department, division and/or agency is responsible for designating those employees and/or positions that are deemed as “inclement weather essential” positions and who must report to or remain at work as scheduled or as otherwise specifically directed.
Designation of “Inclement weather essential” Positions: If the employee's job is in one of the vital services such as law enforcement or if the employee's agency especially needs the employee during adverse weather conditions, the employee may be asked to stay on the job or report to work while other fellow workers are excused. Employees will be informed if they are designated as "inclement weather essential," by their supervisor or Division Director. Employees may be asked to temporarily perform work that is not normally in their regular classification; provided however employees will not be required to perform work that they believe is outside their area of experience, beyond their capabilities or that they consider unsafe. The Department of Employee Services is requesting county departments to provide a list of “inclement weather essential” position each Fall Season.
INCLEMENT WEATHER NOTIFICATION PLAN:
- The County Administrator or designee will communicate the designated operational plan to the Executive Management Team (EMT) by one or more of the following mode(s) of communication:
• Telephone recording on the Emergency Hot line number
• Telephone call to the Executive Management Team
•
Publish information on the County’s WEB site
• Email to home address
• Previous instruction to listen to broadcast media alert
- The Department Directors or designee will communicate the designated operational plan and internal protocols to employees in his/her agency by one or more of the following mode(s) of communication:
• Previous instruction to call Emergency Hot line number
•
Previous instruction to check for information on the County’s WEB site
• Telephone tree set up for Director to contact key management with telephone tree cascading to all employees
• Email to home addresses
• Previous instruction to listen to broadcast media alert
- Each department, division and/or agency is responsible for developing the communication plan that best meets its needs given the various locations and services delivered by the County.
- Employees have several modes of obtaining information regarding closure or curtailment information when inclement weather occurs. This information is activated & updated as needed.
External Methods |
Internal Methods |
County Emergency Hotline
503-655-8468
|
County Email |
Clackamas County Internet
http://www.clackamas.us
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County Voicemail System |
| Media Outlets-radio station |
County Fax Machines |
| |
County Courier Service (if available)
Flyer Communication |
TIMEKEEPING ISSUES:
General Rule: In the event of inclement conditions, all employees will make a good faith effort to report to work on time. This includes, but is not limited to, allowing sufficient travel time and using alternate routes or alternate methods of transportation. It shall be the policy of Clackamas County that when it is open and operating, and an employee chooses not to report to work because of inclement weather, the employee shall either use earned paid leave (vacation, compensatory time, personal holiday), request the time absent be leave without pay, or make up the time absent, subject to availability of work and supervisor approval. All absences shall be reported to the employee’s immediate supervisor and are subject to approval by the division and department directors.
1. Inability to Report to Work:
An employee who is late or unable to report to work due to inclement weather shall be required to use either accrued paid leave time, request leave without pay or request to make up the time absent. It is the employee’s responsibility to report such inability to report to work as soon as practicable to the employee’s immediate supervisor.
2. Request for Adjusted Work Schedule:
Requests to report to work at a later time and/or requests to leave early due to inclement conditions shall be made as soon as practicable to the immediate supervisor. Accrued paid leave time, requested leave without pay or a request to make up the time absent, shall be used.
3. Effect of County’s Decision to Close:
In some instances, the County Commission, District Attorney, County Administrator or designee may decide to close all or some of the County facilities during a work day Employees who were unable to report to work prior to the County closure must use their leave time or make up the time, under the policy, to cover hours not worked prior to the County closure. Employees will be paid for their work hours that crossed the closure time.
Example: The employee’s work hours are 8am to 5pm with 12 noon to 1pm off for lunch. On a snow day, the employee was unable to report to work. The employee’s office closed due to inclement weather at 12 noon. The employee must use leave time to cover 8am to 12 noon or make up the time under the policy. The employee will get paid for 1-5pm under (CSD) County Shut Down time.
4. Request to Make Up Work:
An employee may request to be allowed to make up work missed due to inclement weather or during the same or following pay period. Approval shall be at the sole decision of the department management. A supervisor may allow an employee to make up time lost due to inclement weather as long as work is available and does not create unauthorized overtime usage. (Note: Employees who make up time outside of the day or week in which it was lost may exceed limits established by the Fair Labor Standards Act or those established through a collective bargaining agreement requiring the extra hours be paid at time and one-half. Please consult your labor contract for additional information).
5. Request to Work at Home:
• Request by Employee: An employee may request to work at home during inclement weather.
• Considerations in Granting Request: The employee’s supervisor will consider the nature of the employee’s job, the operating needs of the work unit and other relevant issues in deciding whether to grant such request.
(In some cases, approval may be required by the Division Director or Department Director. Supervisors should check with their department management prior to scheduling employees to work at home.)
COUNTY DECISION TO CLOSE OR MODIFY ANY COUNTY SERVICE OR FUNCTION:
1. Decision made during a work day to close County Offices/Operations early:
Impacted employees (full-time, part-time, and temporary) who reported to work and remained at work at the time of the decision shall receive compensation for the time worked and receive compensation for the remainder of their work shift.
2. Decision made prior to a work day to open County Offices/Operations late:
Impacted employees (full-time, part-time, and temporary) who report to work at the modified work time shall receive compensation for the time worked and receive compensation for the balance of their work shift.
3. County Offices/Operations Full Closure:
If the County closes for the day, impacted employees (full-time, part-time, and temporary) who were scheduled to work on that day are paid for the normally scheduled work shift and are not charged leave time. If an employee reports to work on the day of a County closure, the employee will be paid their regular wages but will not receive extra overtime or compensatory time for the hours worked, except Holiday work.
4. Pre-approved Leave:
Employees who previously requested and have been approved for scheduled vacation, compensatory time or sick leave will not be charged leave time when county office/operations are closed.
UNUSUAL USE OF RESOURCES:
1. Reimbursement for “Inclement weather essential” Employees
• In the event of inclement weather an “inclement weather essential” employee may request to stay in a motel near work in order to report to work the next day. This must be pre-approved by the employee’s supervisor.
• Considerations in Granting Request: The employee’s supervisor will consider the nature of the employee’s job, the operating needs of the work unit and other relevant issues in deciding whether to grant such request.
(In some cases, approval may be required by Division Director or Department Director. Supervisors should check with their Department management prior to making decision for these expenditures.)
2. Alternative Transportation
• In the event of inclement weather an “inclement weather essential” employee may request alternative transportation in order to report to work. This must be pre-approved by the employee’s supervisor.
• In the decision to grant a request, the employee’s supervisor will consider the nature of the employee’s job, the operating needs of the work unit and other relevant issues.
• Alternative Transportation may include but is not limited to cabs, bus, deputy sheriff transport, other ride in County owned cars or trucks.
(In some cases, approval may be required by the Division Director or the Department Director. Supervisors should check with their Department management prior to granting approval.)
Some County collective bargaining agreements currently have language addressing inclement weather. Please consult your contract for additional information.
INTERNET LINKS County Ordinance http://www.clackamas.us/docs/code/title2.pdf |