February 4, 2021
Dear Assistant Dean, AO, HR Partner, or HR Payroll Communications Team member,
Due to the snow storm, the Institute authorized an Emergency Closing for all non-essential campus-based employees beginning on Monday, February 1 at 3:00 p.m. and ending on Tuesday, February 2 at 7:00 a.m. (16 hours).
This email provides detail on how to record time for that 16-hour time period, including examples, and reflects the Emergency Closing policy's expectations for remote work (Employment Policy Manual Section 5.8.7). That policy subsection is pasted at the end of this email. Because of the timing of the closing, Emergency Closing pay will mostly affect afternoon and night shift staff; day shift employees are affected only if their regularly scheduled hours ended after 3:00 p.m. on Monday or started before 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday.
Here are pay policies in effect for February 1 and 2, 2021 for the hours of the Emergency Closing:
- Hourly paid employees who were authorized and required to work on-site during the Emergency Closing:
- Paid for their regularly scheduled hours as Emergency Closing, and
- Paid regular pay for the hours actually worked.
- Hourly paid employees who were not required to work their normally scheduled hours on-site during the Emergency Closing and who could not work remotely due to the nature of their work (that is, their work can only be done on-site):
- Paid for their regularly scheduled hours as Emergency Closing.
- Hourly paid employees who worked their regularly scheduled hours remotely during the Emergency Closing:
- Paid for their regularly scheduled hours as Work
- Note: These employees do not make any notation about Emergency Closing
- Paid for their regularly scheduled hours as Work
- Hourly paid employees who could work some but not all of their regularly scheduled hours remotely during the Emergency Closing for reasons connected with the storm (e.g., could not work due to snow shoveling or caring for family members whose regular care was disrupted by the storm):
- Paid for regularly scheduled hours worked as during the Closing as Work, and
- Paid for regularly scheduled hours not worked during the Closing as Emergency Closing.
Regularly scheduled hours before 3:00 p.m. on Monday, February 1 and after 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 2 are not covered by the Emergency Closing. See example 5 below.
ADDITIONAL DETAIL ON EMERGENCY CLOSING PAY
Eligibility for Emergency Closing pay: Part-time employees on the regular payroll will also be paid for the hours they would have worked during the Emergency Closing but could not work due to the storm; part-time employees are expected to work remotely where possible. Employees of MITemps or other temporary agencies are not eligible for Emergency Closing pay.
Employees who were scheduled to be on vacation or on any other authorized leave such as sick or personal leave, with or without pay, during the hours of the Emergency Closing are not eligible for Emergency Closing pay.
Overtime: For hourly employees who were scheduled and authorized to and did work during the Emergency Closing, regular overtime rules apply. Employees who worked overtime during the closing are entitled to premium pay at the rate of time and one-half of their regular rate of pay.
Inability to Work Remotely: Employees whose work can be done remotely but who could not work their regular hours remotely on February 1 or February 2 because of the storm must discuss how to report their hours with their supervisors.
Service Staff: In the event that this email conflicts with a collectively bargained agreement or other negotiated agreement with a union, the terms of that agreement will control.
EXAMPLES OF TIME REPORTING FOR HOURLY PAID EMPLOYEES ON FEBRUARY 1 OR FEBRUARY 2
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, SPONSORED RESEARCH STAFF, AND ALL OTHER PAYROLL CATEGORIES
As with hourly paid staff, salaried staff who can work remotely are expected to work their regular hours during an Emergency Closing. The same exceptions apply for salaried staff who cannot work their regular schedules during the period of the Emergency Closing for reasons related to the storm, for example: shoveling, caring for family members whose care was disrupted due to the storm, or loss of power.
Salaried employees who were scheduled to be on vacation or on any other authorized leave, with or without pay, during the time of the Emergency Closing are not eligible for Emergency Closing pay and must record the time as vacation or planned leave.
If you have questions about these pay policies, please contact your Human Resources Officer. For all time sheet questions, please contact Payroll at payroll@mit.edu or 617-253-4255.
EXCERPT FROM EMPLOYMENT POLICY MANUAL
5.8.7 Reporting for Work or Working Remotely During an Emergency Closing or Early Release
Employees who normally would work on-site during the hours of an official closing or early release are generally not required to report to work on-site during an official closing unless they are essential staff (Section 5.8.2) or in other exceptional situations.
Employees who are able to work remotely, including employees who normally work remotely as a regular part of their schedule, are generally expected to work their regular hours without regard to the closing or early release. However, employees who cannot work their regular hours remotely for reasons connected with the closing will be paid for those regularly scheduled hours. For example, during an emergency closing due to a snow storm, an employee may not be able to work their regular hours because of a loss of power, shoveling, or family members home due to closure of their school or day care; in such a case, the employees should work the hours they are able, and will be paid for their regularly scheduled work hours. Employees must notify their supervisors if they cannot work their regular hours because of the emergency.
A support or service staff member who chooses to report to the work site but is not required or authorized to work on-site during the closing receives only closing pay and does not receive any additional pay or time off.
Exceptional situations should be discussed with the appropriate Human Resources Officer.
If you have questions, please let me know.
Marianna
Marianna C. Pierce
Senior Advisor to the VP for Human Resources
NE49-5000