Inclement Weather Resources
OSU-OKC is a commuter campus, so we understand that weather conditions can vary widely across the metro and may impact each employee differently. While OSU-Stillwater rarely closes because most students live nearby and essential services continue regardless of weather, our campus operates under different circumstances. Employees may face challenging travel conditions, and your safety on the road is a priority.
Policies related to weather can be found in the university鈥檚 Policies and Procedures, including 3-0713, Attendance and Leave for Staff, section 8.01, Inclement Weather.
During poor weather, employees should use caution and make decisions based on their personal situation. If you believe it is unsafe to travel 鈥� whether your commute is short or long 鈥� use your best judgment and be sure to notify your supervisor or unit administrator according to normal procedures. Learn more about how to document leave during inclement weather below.
Inclement Weather FAQ鈥檚
- Where can I find the OSU-Oklahoma City guidance on Inclement Weather?
- Who determines when an Inclement Weather closing is declared for OSU-OKC?
- The Executive Team involved and knowledgeable in the university鈥檚 functions will make the determination.
- What factors are considered in the determination to close the university?
- The safety of students, faculty and staff is our first priority. OSU-OKC takes university closings very seriously, so many factors are monitored such as these:
- The ability of our Facility Operations and Grounds Manager to maintain the roadways, parking lots and sidewalks in the event of extreme weather conditions.
- The road conditions in the surrounding areas.
- How do I know when an Inclement Weather closing has been declared for OSU-OKC?
- An announcement will be made through various forms of communication including, but not limited to, university website, email, text message, automated voice call alert, and through various local private media stations.
- When would an Inclement Weather closing be declared for OSU-OKC?
- Declarations will be made as soon as the determination is made weather conditions permit closing the university. Closures may occur before, during, or after the workday.
- Do I have to come to work when the weather is terrible, and no Inclement Weather closing
has been issued?
- OSU-OKC advises employees to not make a decision that will jeopardize their safety. If you are unable to make it to work, you will need to notify your supervisor at the earliest available moment, or the next available member of your chain of command. Absences for this reason will be recorded as annual leave. If you are deemed 鈥渆ssential personnel鈥� then you are expected to have alternate plans for inclement weather and corrective action may be taken for your inability to work during your shift in accordance with OSU policy 3-0720 Corrective Actions and Dismissal for Staff.
- Supervisors should be flexible regarding staff members' needs during periods of inclement weather, especially if a long commute to and from work is involved. Nevertheless, you should consult your supervisor or Human Resources.
- Who receives the Administrative Leave when the university calls an Inclement Weather
closing?
- Anyone who is required to report leave or time away from work, will record administrative leave in the hours involved in campus closure.
- Will I be paid if I perform work despite the Inclement Weather closing?
- If you report to work at the request of your supervisor during an Inclement Weather closing, you will receive payment for hours worked along with administrative leave for those hours until the end of your shift or the point the university determines the Inclement Weather closing has ended. Departments requesting to remain open or work remotely during an Inclement Weather event requires prior approval from the Executive Team.
- If you continue to work during an event without the direct request from your supervisor, you will receive compensation for your hours worked. You will not receive administrative leave compensation for the hours you continued to work during the Inclement Weather closing.
- What should I do if I know Inclement Weather will interfere with my ability to report
to work on- time?
- Contact your supervisor at the soonest availability.
- How will I be paid if Inclement Weather causes a university closing?
- Nonexempt employees working as essential personnel or in response to a request by a unit administrator will be compensated by administrative leave at straight time for the inclement weather in addition to being paid for the hours worked. Any hours worked over 40 during the workweek are subject to overtime provisions. Exempt essential personnel or exempt staff expected to work during this time will be paid their normal salaries through recorded administrative leave. Comparable time off may be provided in the future.
- If the university sends staff home early, the time worked will be paid according to the number of hours worked, and the remaining time will be considered administrative leave. If an employee decides to leave work because of concerns over commuting in inclement weather prior to an actual closing time, annual leave or compensatory leave will be charged for leave prior to closing. Likewise, if an employee arrives late at work due to concerns over commuting in inclement weather after campus offices have reopened to the public, annual leave or compensatory leave will be charged.
- Temporary employees and student employees are paid only for hours actually worked. If unable to work, these employees may not receive anticipated compensation. The same situation may exist for employees who elect not to work due to inclement weather while campus offices remain open and do not have or are not able to use annual leave or compensatory leave. Units may choose to allow these employees to work additional hours at another time to make up the shortage of pay; however, such an arrangement would require approval by the supervisor in advance of actual hours being worked. Normal overtime provisions may apply.
- Can I be allowed to work from home during a day of Inclement Weather?
- Speak with your supervisor prior to an Inclement Weather closing to determine whether or not an exception can be made.
- Employees who work from home without guidance from their supervisor will be subject to corrective action according to OSU policy 3-0720 Corrective Actions and Dismissal for Staff. Please keep in mind an exception to work from home provided by a supervisor during an Inclement Weather closing is not considered to be an alternate work location agreement and abuse of the privilege will also be subject to corrective action.
- Who are the 鈥渆ssential personnel鈥� and how are they designated?
- Essential personnel are those deemed by supervisors necessary for continued operations despite of a university closing. They are employees who must perform duties essential to the safety, services, and maintenance of persons and/or property during extreme weather conditions.
- Due to specific business needs at various times of year, the Executive Team reserves the right to designate otherwise nonessential personnel as essential on a temporary basis. In such cases, they will be temporary nonexempt essential personnel to be paid as essential.
- Do employees titled 鈥渆ssential personnel鈥� receive compensation for the designation?
- The essential personnel designation was considered as a factor when determining the compensation of individuals receiving the designation. In addition, essential personnel who report to work during Inclement Weather closures will receive administrative leave at the same rate as the time they spend working.
- Are individual campus units, organizations, or departments able to close their offices
independent of the university-wide designation?
- To close an office independent of university closure, the department or unit must receive permission from the Provost or respective appropriate university leadership. Administrative leave will only be provided in the event of a university Inclement Weather closure or as deemed appropriate by the Vice President for Fiscal Services or the Provost of the university
Banner Timekeeping for Inclement Weather Examples
- I鈥檓 an exempt employee, how do I report my leave for an Inclement Weather closing?
[Leave Report]
- Access your Banner Leave Report in the employee self-service portal. Exempt employees that do not work during the closing will record the appropriate amount of administrative leave on the corresponding date of the Inclement Weather closing.
- I鈥檓 a nonexempt employee, how do I report my time for an Inclement Weather closing?
[Timesheet]
- Access your Banner Timesheet in the employee self-service portal. You will record the appropriate amount of administrative leave by clicking the 鈥淓nter Hours鈥� link on the same row as the Administrative Leave heading and in the column with the date corresponding to the Inclement Weather closing. Enter the start time and the end time of your administrative leave along with appropriate comments. Questions or concerns with timekeeping should be directed to HR.
- EXAMPLE: I鈥檓 a nonexempt employee with a shift from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. The university was
closed for the full day. I was not required to perform work. How should I record my
time?
- Please record administrative leave in the self-service portal from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. including your respective lunch break. Include appropriate comments.
- EXAMPLE: I鈥檓 a nonexempt employee with a shift from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and I worked only
until the university closed for inclement weather at 2:30 p.m. How should I record
my time for the day?
- Please record 鈥淩egular Hourly Pay鈥� in the self-service portal from 8 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. including your respective lunch break. Record administrative leave from 2:30 p.m. until 5 p.m. in the timesheet and input appropriate comments.
- EXAMPLE: I鈥檓 a nonexempt employee with a shift from 1 p.m.-10 p.m. and I worked my
shift until the university closed for inclement weather at 2:30 p.m. How should I
record my time?
- Please record 鈥淩egular Hourly Pay鈥� in the self-service portal from 1 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. including your respective lunch break. Record Administrative leave from 2:30 p.m. until 10 p.m., except for the period of your lunch break, in the timesheet and input appropriate comments.
- EXAMPLE: I鈥檓 a nonexempt employee with a shift from 6 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and I worked
until the university closed for inclement weather which was also the end of my shift
at 2:30 p.m. How should I record my time?
- Please record 鈥淩egular Hourly Pay鈥� in the self-service portal from 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. including your respective lunch break. You will not record any administrative leave because your shift ended at the same time as the university closing.
- EXAMPLE: I鈥檓 a nonexempt employee designated 鈥渆ssential personnel鈥� and I worked my
shift from 7 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. and stayed on until 6:30 p.m. at the request of
my supervisor. The university Inclement Weather closure began at 2:30 p.m. How should
I record my time?
- Please record 鈥淩egular Hourly Pay鈥� in the self-service portal from 7 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. including your respective lunch break. Record Administrative leave from 2:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. in the timesheet and input appropriate comments.
- EXAMPLE: I鈥檓 a nonexempt employee designated 鈥渆ssential personnel鈥� and I worked my
shift from 10 p.m. until 6 a.m. the next morning during the university closure which
began at 2:30 p.m. How should I record my time assuming the Inclement Weather closing
occurs the day I start my shift, but the university is open for business the following
morning?
- Please record 鈥淩egular Hourly Pay鈥� in the self-service portal from 10 p.m. until 6 a.m. including your respective lunch break. Record administrative leave from 10 p.m. until campus opens or end of shift in the timesheet and input appropriate comments. For example, if campus reopens at 6 a.m., administrative leave would be used until this time.
- EXAMPLE: I鈥檓 a nonexempt employee designated 鈥渆ssential personnel鈥� and I worked my
shift from 10 p.m. until 6 a.m. the next morning during the university closure which
began at 2:30 p.m. How should I record my time assuming the Inclement Weather closing
occurs the day I start my shift, and the university remains closed the following morning?
- Please record 鈥淩egular Hourly Pay鈥� in the self-service portal from 10 p.m. until 6 a.m. including your respective lunch break. Record administrative leave from 10 p.m. until 6 a.m., except for the period of your lunch break, in the timesheet and input appropriate comments.
- EXAMPLE: I鈥檓 a nonexempt employee designated 鈥渆ssential personnel鈥� and I worked my
shift from 12 a.m. until 8 a.m. following the day of the university closure. In order
to avoid the worst of the road conditions left as a result of the inclement weather,
the university has made the call to open at 10 a.m. as opposed to 8 a.m. the same
morning as my shift started. How should I record my time assuming the Inclement Weather
closing occurs the day prior to the start of my shift and the university opens late
the following morning (which would be the morning I start my shift)?
- Please record 鈥淩egular Hourly Pay鈥� in the self-service portal from 12 a.m. until 8 a.m. including your respective lunch break. Record administrative leave from 12 a.m. until 8 a.m., except for the period of your lunch break, in the timesheet and input appropriate comments.