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Emergency Conditions

Policy Number: HR-13
Effective Date: July 2002
Last Revision: March 2013
Responsible Officer: Executive Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Operating Officer

PURPOSE

This policy establishes the University's plans affecting Professional Staff Members in the event of an Emergency that results in conditions beyond the control of the University and affects University operations.

APPLICABILITY

This policy applies to all eligible non-faculty Professional Staff Members, excluding any Professional Staff Member who is affiliated with a collective bargaining unit.

IMPLEMENTATION

Implementation of this policy is the responsibility of the Department of Human Resources.

ADMINISTRATIVE OVERSIGHT

The Executive Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Operating Officer is the Drexel University official responsible for the administration of this policy.

POLICY

It is the intention of the University to remain open at all times, regardless of any emergency conditions.  This policy sets forth the University’s plans in the event that an Emergency requires the Suspension of Operations in whole or in part and/or Class Cancellation.

DEFINITIONS

Class Cancellation is defined as the decision of the Executive Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Operating Officer or designee, in conjunction with the Provost, to cancel University classes, and applies only to the student obligation to attend class, and not necessarily to the work obligations of faculty or Professional Staff Members.

Department Head is defined as the highest ranking administrator in a department, center or college/school within the University (e.g., Senior Vice President, Dean, Director, or department chair).

Emergency is defined as any manmade or natural emergency that could result in Suspension of Operations, in whole or in part, and/or Class Cancellation.

Exempt Professional Staff Member is defined under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) as a Professional Staff Member holding a bona fide executive, administrative or professional position that is not subject to the overtime provisions of the Act.  Exempt Professional Staff Members are considered salaried and cannot be docked for anything less than a full day’s work.

Non-exempt Professional Staff Member is defined under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) as a Professional Staff Member holding a position that is subject to the provisions of the Act.

Operational Status is defined as the categorization of the situation giving rise to the Suspension of Operations in terms of the degree of severity, which in turn may affect the activation and work requirements of Essential Personnel.

Professional Staff Member is defined as an individual employed in any non-faculty category by Drexel University, including an individual who is deemed to be either exempt or non-exempt under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and/or applicable state law.

Suspension of Operations is defined as the decision of the Executive Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Operating Officer or his or her designee to suspend University operations in whole or in part and may include University closure and/or Class Cancellation.

The Vice President of Public Safety (VP of Public Safety), or his/her designee, is the individual designated by the Executive Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Operating Officer to coordinate decisions regarding Suspension of Operations and/or Class Cancellation.

PROCEDURES

  1. Decisions Regarding Suspension of Operations and/or Class Cancellation
    1. The determination and declaration of an Emergency will be made by the President or his or her designee.  The Executive Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Operating Officer, in consultation with the President and the VP of Public Safety, will determine if Suspension of Operations, in whole or in part, and/or Class Cancellation should occur.
    2. The Senior Vice President of University Communications, or his or her designee,  will inform Drexel faculty, Professional Staff Members and students of the Suspension of Operations, in whole or in part, and/or Class Cancellation through the following means:
      1. University Weather, Suspension of Operations and Class Cancellation Hotlines:
        • (215) 895-MELT (6358)
      2. Web/SMS:
      3. Additional alternatives, when necessary and appropriate:
        • Mass email
        • Broadcast voicemail message
  2. Attendance and Compensation During an Emergency
    1. If an Emergency requires the Cancellation of Classes but not Suspension of Operations, then the following provisions will apply:
      1. Professional Staff Members are expected to report to work as usual.
      2. A Professional Staff Member who is unable to report to work must notify his or her immediate supervisor of the absence in accordance with the University’s Attendance Policy.
      3. Professional Staff Members who are required to work, under this policy, but refuse to do so are subject to Drexel’s Performance Improvement Process, up to and including termination. 
      4. A Non-exempt Professional Staff Member who reports to work within two hours of his or her regular starting time will be paid for the entire shift.  If a Non-exempt Professional Staff Member arrives later than two hours after the scheduled start time, he or she will be paid only for the hours actually worked, or alternatively, may charge the time not worked to vacation or floating holiday leave in order to receive pay for the entire shift.
      5. Exempt Professional Staff Members are to apply accrued leave in the event of lateness caused by a Suspension of Operations.
      6. No Professional Staff Member may leave work during a declared Suspension of Operations without the approval of her or his supervisor.
      7. A Non-exempt Professional Staff Member who receives permission from his or her supervisor to be released from duty prior to the completion of the scheduled shift during an Emergency will be paid for the hours actually worked and may charge the time not worked to vacation or floating holiday leave in order to receive pay for the entire shift.
      8. A Non-exempt Professional Staff Member who is requested to work beyond the normally scheduled quitting time during a Suspension of Operations, will be paid their normal hourly rate plus 1.5 times for all hours worked during a Suspension of Operations.
      9. If Non-exempt Professional Staff Members are required to sleep at the University to ensure coverage, the sleep period will be considered as on-call. During the on-call period, the Professional Staff Member will be paid his or her hourly rate.
      10. Exempt Professional Staff Members who report to or remain at work as required during the Suspension of Operations of their respective work unit will be paid their regular salary and will receive additional Floating Holiday 1.5 times the number of hours worked during Suspension of Operations. Floating Holiday hours must be used before the end of the fiscal year in which they were earned.
    2. If Suspension of Operations is required, then the Essential Personnel Policy is invoked and the attendance and compensation provisions of that policy will apply.

AT-WILL EMPLOYMENT NOT AFFECTED

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary stated in this policy, nothing herein is intended to alter the at-will status of any Professional Staff Member.  Drexel University at all times retains the right to terminate any Professional Staff Member at any time for any lawful reason, or for no reason at all.