University Times

Not sure what to do when winter weather makes travel to work difficult?

University Policy 07-04-02, Extreme Weather Conditions can be found in the Faculty/Staff section of the University’s Policy and Procedure Manual or accessed through the University’s home page at: www.pitt.edu. Additional procedures may be implemented by individual areas or departments.

The University’s Emergency Notification Service (ENS) is used to communicate with subscribers through voice, text and email messages, as deemed appropriate in the event of an emergency. To register, go to the CSSD website: www.technology.pitt.edu/service/emergency-notification-service.

Below are the general guidelines surrounding University closures due to inclement weather:

• Only the chancellor may officially close the Pittsburgh campus of the University.

The presidents of the regional campuses are authorized to close their respective campuses.

Heads of responsibility centers may not suspend daily operations because of inclement weather without the express consent of their respective senior officer.

• The University will remain open in all but the most extreme circumstances. However, University employees are urged to use their own discretion in deciding whether they can safely commute to work. If, because of inclement weather, a staff employee is unable to commute to work when the University is open, the supervisor should be contacted within the first hour of the workday. Such an absence will be charged against the employee’s accrued vacation or personal days.

Sick time may be taken if care for a dependent family member is necessitated by the closure or delayed start of a care facility or school because of severe weather conditions.

• Cancellation of classes does not imply that the University is closed.

• Should the University officially be closed, essential functions must be maintained and certain personnel may be required to report to work. Each responsibility center will determine which of its personnel are required to work.

• If the governor or another local governing official with authority to do so declares a state of emergency, staff employees will be expected to abide by those directives and will not be required to use accrued vacation or personal days for their absence.

• Any changes to normal University operations will be announced as early as possible through the ENS, the University’s official web page (www.pitt.edu), Twitter (@PittTweet) and local news media outlets.

• Employees covered by collective bargaining agreements will be governed by the terms of those agreements.

For questions concerning an official University closure, contact Human Resources’ Customer Service Center at 412-624-7000 and select option 3; or by email at hradsup@pitt.edu.