170.0 VI-12.00 - POLICY ON EMERGENCY CONDITIONS: CANCELLATION OF CLASSES AND
RELEASE OF EMPLOYEES
(Approved by the Board of Regents, May 1, 1992)
I. Purpose and Applicability
This policy governs work and the use of leave in the event of an
emergency condition. This policy applies to all University of
Maryland System Employees.
II. Cancellation of Classes
Each employee of the University is expected to report to work as
scheduled, even if classes are canceled, unless the employee has
been notified through established campus procedures not to
report.
III. Closing Facilities
A. Before the Start of Work. When any facility is closed
prior to the start of normal work hours or shifts, non-
essential employees, except those on previously approved
leave, are to be considered to be on Administrative Leave.
The status of contractual employees will be determined by
the terms of their contracts.
B. After the Start of Work. When, as a result of emergency
conditions any facility is closed after the start of normal
work hours or shifts non-essential employees are to be
placed on Administrative Leave. Non-essential employees
who have not reported to work and are not on previously
approved paid leave must be given the option to use
appropriate accrued paid leave, or be placed in a no-pay
status.
The status of contractual employees will be determined by
the terms of their contracts.
IV. Essential Employees
Employees who are required to perform duties after an emergency
condition has been declared shall be compensated with
compensatory leave or cash payment equivalent to the
Administrative Leave granted to non-essential employees who are
released from the same facility.
Only extenuating circumstances of a most serious nature will
warrant the exemption of an essential employee from the
requirement to report for duty in a timely manner.
V. Liberal Leave
A Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or designee may declare a policy
of Liberal Leave in which case non-essential employees who fail
to report to work, or who report late, or choose to leave early,
because of dangerous traffic or highway conditions, hazardous
weather, civil disorder or other circumstance not yet declared
as an emergency shall be excused. Such excused absence must be
charged to appropriate paid or unpaid leave.
VI. Evacuation of an Institution Facility
In the interest of personal safety, nothing in this policy
precludes the necessary, immediate evacuation of a campus
facility by the person in charge or his/her designee.
DEFINITIONS:
"Emergency Conditions" - Those conditions which are determined by each
campus CEO or designee to be serious enough to warrant the cancellation
of classes or the release of employees. Such conditions may arise
because of inclement weather, fire, power failure, civil disorders or
other unusual circumstances which may endanger students and/or
employees.
"Essential Employee" - An employee of a facility who has been designated
as vital to the operation of the facility, whose presence is required
regardless of the existence of an emergency condition, and whose absence
from duty could endanger the safety and well being of the campus
population and/or physical plant. Examples of such employees are
police, stationary engineers or other heating plant and maintenance
personnel, snow removal employees, food service staff, hospital staff,
etc.
IMPLEMENTATION PROCEDURES:
Each Chief Executive Officer shall develop procedures as necessary to
implement this policy and submit a copy to the Chancellor.
Replacement for:
BOR VI - 18.00, Policy Relating to Emergency Conditions, page 1
UM Personnel Policies and Procedures for Classified Employees - Section
VI Leave with Pay, page VI-21
