UPDATE: 2/27/23 9:15PM
The Governor has released a statement (posted here) closing all state office buildings and he is directing "all Level 2 state employees who are able to telework shall telework for the duration of the related closures"...THIS IS NOT THE TELEWORK POLICY...so we will re-iterate your actual rights and the proper way to approach the office closing:
If you were normally scheduled to telework on Tuesday 2/28/23 you are expected to telework as normal. Under the terms of the Telework Agreement Section 8.3.2, if you were expected to be in the office on 2/28/23 then you cannot be compelled to telework. The language from the Agreement reads as follows, it is the final sentence that is key:
8.3. LATE OPENING, EARLY DISMISSAL, AGENCY CLOSURE
8.3.1.If a situation arises at the teleworker ís official duty station that interferes with the ability of non-teleworking employees to work at the official duty station (e.g. power failure, weather conditions, lack of heat in the office building; etc.) while the teleworker is working at his /her telework location, the teleworker is not excused from duty for this period of time as he/she would not be affected by these conditions.
8.3.2.In addition, teleworkers may be requested to telework on non-telework days as operational needs dictate or in the event of an emergency (e.g. power outage, flooding/water damage at official duty station etc.). Acceptance of such request shall be at the option of the employee.
Posted Earlier on 2/27/23
We are posting this information in anticipation of the winter weather event expected Monday night into Tuesday, February 27/28.
A reminder to those who are scheduled to telecommute during a major winter weather event does not automatically impact your work day. As a general rule, if you have the capability to telework and you were pre-scheduled to telework during the weather event, you should do so, regardless of the impact the weather event has on office operations.
- If you are scheduled to telework, telework, regardless of the weather event's impact on office operations
- If you are scheduled to telework, and circumstances prevent you from teleworking (ie: loss of power), notify your agency as soon as practicable
- If you are scheduled to work in-office on the day of a weather event, act safely:
- Up to one of hour of lateness due to hazardous driving conditions shall not be charged provided that you arrive within an hour of the start of your shift
- Up to a total of 2.5 hours may be excused in exceptional circumstances (due to severity of conditions; however, your delayed arrival may be compared with that of other employees faced with similar circumstances)
- If you are late in excess of 2.5 hours (or more than 1 hour late and absent exceptional circumstances), you must opt to either make up the excess time or charge your leave balances
- If there is a Governor declared late opening, report to work at the Governor declared start time
- You cannot be compelled by management to telework if you were scheduled in office
- management may ask you to telework on such a day
- acceptance of such a request is at your option
Consider it this way: shift cancellations, late openings, and early dismissal decisions are largely made with safety in mind to keep us off of the roads during hazardous conditions. Those hazardous conditions will not be encountered by telecommuters. Thus, if you are scheduled to telework, telework.......
We also want to remind those deemed "essential" for snow storms (and thus required to leave your home to report to work during a Governor's closing of the offices) qualify for compensatory time. [Appendix A of contract; Agreement on Final Telework Policy, section 8]
Click here for LATE OPENING/EARLY RELEASE NOTIFICATIONS
