DATED:  November 10, 2003

Category:  Benefits / Employee Relations / Payroll

Contact:  Benefits Manager – ext. 2208
Or Payroll Supervisor – ext. 4091
Or Employee Relations Manager – ext. 2804, as appropriate

When the Chancellor announces in accordance with UNC Charlotte Policy Statement #13 Campus Operation in Hazardous Weather or During Other Unusual Conditions, that University facilities will be closed or operating on a delayed schedule, the following will apply:

1.  Leave earning employees, both faculty and staff, will not be required to charge leave or make up time for work missed.  When a closing announcement is made after normal working hours, employees who would normally report to work on or after the announcement is made will not be expected to report to work on that day.  They will be expected to work the following day unless a subsequent closing announcement is made.

2.  Employees defined as “essential to the physical operation of the institution” who are required to report to work during the closing shall be granted paid time off on an hour for hour basis for all hours worked.  This time must be used within 12 months of its being awarded.  It should be used after compensatory time off, but it must also be used before vacation, bonus, or sick leave.  “Essential” employees who do not report to work may be subject to disciplinary action.  Time absent will be charged to leave, with or without pay.

3.  Employees who work in alternate worksites not affected by the emergency conditions are expected to work their normal schedule.

If the Chancellor (or Vice Chancellor delegate) announces that classes are cancelled and faculty and staff have an optional workday, any time absent will be accounted for as follows:

1.      Employees who are exempt from provisions of the State Personnel Act and do not accrue leave credits (primarily 9-month faculty), shall make arrangements to complete all interrupted activities.

2.      Employees (both EPA and SPA) who accrue leave credits shall charge the time to vacation/bonus leave, compensatory leave, or compensatory time.

a.      Employees who are designated as Administrative, Executive, or Professional and are considered FLSA exempt (EPA and SPA employees who are not eligible for overtime compensation and do not submit time cards) shall charge the absence to vacation/bonus leave, in which case the vacation leave hours will be recorded on a leave slip submitted to Financial Service’s Payroll Section.  FLSA exempt employees do not normally earn compensatory time or leave.  However, at the discretion of the employee’s supervisor, they may be awarded compensatory time, on an hour for hour basis, to be applied to absences due to adverse weather or other emergency situations.  Absences must be made up within 12 months of the occurrence of the absence or be charged to vacation/bonus leave or leave without pay.

b.      Employees who are subject to the wage and hours provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (EPA and SPA employees who submit time cards) shall:

i.       Take vacation/bonus leave, in which case the leave hours will be recorded on the time card and a leave slip submitted to Payroll; or

ii.      Take compensatory time (accrued), in which case the hours of compensatory time will be recorded on the time card (Note: This is compensatory time due the employee from overtime already worked and recorded); or

iii.    If permitted by the immediate supervisor, take compensatory time (advanced), in which case the hours of compensatory time (advanced) will be recorded on the time card. It is then incumbent upon the supervisor to see that the compensatory time which has been advanced is made-up and recorded on the time card.  Absences must be made up within 12 months of the occurrence of the absence or be charged to vacation/bonus leave or leave without pay.  Employees will be limited to making up time in a workweek in which the time is lost or in a week when the employee has not worked a full work schedule due to such absences as holidays, vacation, sick leave, civil leave, etc.  (An exception may be made if a need for overtime work exists and is pre-approved by the immediate supervisor).

c.      Employees who are on prearranged vacation/bonus leave or sick leave will charge leave to the appropriate account with no provision for make-up.

d.      Employees who desire to work weekends to make up time that was advanced due to the adverse weather or emergency closing may do so if permitted by the immediate supervisor. Adequate supervision or self-directed work must be available. (Such optional holiday work will not qualify for the holiday premium that is given to employees who are required to work on designated holidays. Supervisors must annotate the time cards of employees who are required to work a designate holiday with the statement "Required to Work" in order for the employee to receive holiday premium pay.) Any work in excess of forty hours during the week is subject to the Federal regulations regarding overtime.

e.      If an employee leaves the University before the time is made up, the absence will be charged to vacation/bonus leave or deducted from the employee’s paycheck.

This Personnel Information Memorandum (PIM) supersedes PIM-12 dated 01/07/02