Inclement Weather/Emergency Closures Compensation
General
WVU Board of Governors Talent and Culture Rule 3.5 is the authority for matters regarding inclement weather/emergency closures. This document outlines the pay practices that shall be followed when an inclement weather/emergency closure has been declared by the President or his/ her designee.
Time periods for inclement weather and emergency closures will be established by the specific start and stop times announced by the University for each campus location.
If the University has not officially announced that a location is closed, an employee who is scheduled to work and unable to travel due to inclement weather/emergency conditions must work with his/her supervisor to use annual leave, compensatory time-off (CTO,) substitute time-off (STO,) flextime or get approval for unpaid time off.
Regular Pay
Whether or not an employee will receive regular pay during an inclement weather/emergency closure will depend on his/her employee type and work schedule.
Benefits Eligible Employees
When an inclement weather/emergency closure is declared, benefits eligible employees are paid a type of leave for the hours they would have worked, if the University had remained open and the time period was during their normally scheduled hours. The hours for this type of leave will not be included in the calculation of overtime within the work week.
A benefits eligible employee will receive regular pay for any normally scheduled hours occurring during the official inclement weather/emergency closure. A benefits eligible employee who was not scheduled to work during the time period of the inclement weather/emergency closure will not receive regular pay.
If the benefits eligible employee previously scheduled time-off using annual leave, sick leave, CTO or STO, that leave should be canceled for any time occurring within the time period of the inclement weather/emergency closure. A benefits-eligible employee must either work their full shift or have enough paid leave (SL, AL, CTO/STO) to cover any amount of time absent on the working day prior to and immediately following the closure to be paid for the closure. Benefits-eligible employees utilizing terminal leave during the declared closure are not eligible for pay.
Non-Benefits Eligible Employees
Non-benefits eligible employees do not earn regular pay for normally scheduled hours that occur
during an inclement weather/emergency closure. However, if the employee was required to work
by his/her supervisor during an inclement weather/emergency closure, he/she will be paid for all
hours worked at the applicable rate of pay.
Compensation for Working During Inclement Weather/Emergency Closures
During inclement weather/emergency closures, employees may be required to work. An employee must have supervisory approval prior to working during these time periods. Employees who are required to work during an inclement weather/emergency closure will be compensated as follows:
Non-Exempt, Benefits Eligible Employees
Non-exempt (eligible for overtime compensation), benefits eligible employees earn pay at a rate of one and one-half of their regular pay for all of the hours that they work during an inclement weather/emergency closure. This pay is in addition to any regular pay the employee may earn for normally scheduled hours that occur during the inclement weather/emergency closure. Hours worked during an inclement weather/emergency closure will not be counted toward the calculation of overtime within the work week.
Given the complexity of managing pay during inclement weather/emergency closures, all nonexempt, benefits eligible employees who work during this time period shall be compensated with pay only. CTO cannot be earned during this time period.
Exempt, Benefits Eligible Employees
Exempt (not eligible for overtime compensation), benefits eligible employees earn STO for all of the hours that they work during an inclement weather/emergency closure, on an hour for hour basis. The University’s leave system does not track STO. The employee’s supervisor must keep a record of any STO earned. STO must be used within six (6) months of accrual, or it expires. STO shall not be eligible for any type of pay out, including upon expiration or in the event that the employee ends employment with the University.
Non-Benefits Eligible Employees
If a non-benefits eligible employee was required to work by his/her supervisor during an inclement weather/emergency closure, he/she will be paid for all hours worked at the applicable rate of pay.
Interpretation & Application
Responsibility for interpretation of this document rests with the Vice President for Talent and Culture
or his/her designee.
Contact Information
Questions or concerns regarding pay practices for inclement weather/emergency closures may be
may be directed to the Classification and Compensation unit of the Division of Talent and Culture at
304-293-5700 ext. 6, or at Compensation@mail.wvu.edu.