DDEB-AP: Inclement Weather & Other Emergency Building Closures
Occasionally, it becomes necessary to cancel a regular school day, close school early, or begin school late in the interest of the safety of students and staff. Winter storms, excessive heat, a water main break, and boiler failures are examples of conditions that may warrant a building closure.
North Dakota Century Code (NDCC) 15.1-06-04.8 provides districts with flexibility when it comes to making up lost time due to inclement weather or other unforeseen circumstances. All closures will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis for make-up options available through the flexibility afforded by NDCC.
WHEN SCHOOL IS CANCELLED ONSITE, BUT STUDENTS ARE LEARNING REMOTELY
All teachers are expected to teach remotely according to the building’s inclement weather remote learning plan. Teachers unable to teach remotely on that day will use leaves as they would on a normal school day.
Classified support staff who are on a less than 12-month schedule:
- May use personal or emergency leave.
- May be assigned remote work hours, if a plan is in place for them and they are instructed to work remotely by their supervisors. Staff will be paid only for those hours that they work.
- May work with their supervisors to make up their missed hours by working additional non-scheduled hours in the two weeks following the inclement weather day, ensuring that they maintain a 40 hour per week maximum.
Administrators and 12 month classified staff are expected to work, but may make arrangements to work remotely, with supervisor approval. In the case they are unable to work, administrators and 12 month classified staff may use leave as they would on a normal workday. Building administrators are expected to arrange for building coverage at the start of a remote learning day.
When inclement weather occurs on a day when students are remote learning, the decision to have administrators, 12 month classified staff, and/or event center staff report to work, come late, or leave early will be made by the Superintendent.
If the Superintendent determines that administrators shall not report to work, they may arrange to work remotely (with supervisor approval), enter emergency leave, or add a non-contract day.
If the Superintendent determines that 12 month classified staff and/or event staff shall not report to work 12 months, classified staff can be paid for the day in one of four methods:
- use of vacation leave,
- use emergency leave,
- working remotely (with supervisor approval), or
- making up hours within the workweek (with supervisor approval).
In this situation, there may be categories of employees required to report to work. These essential personnel will be notified by their direct supervisor of the need to report to their work site and/or complete specific tasks remotely. Hourly staff will be paid their regular rate of pay in addition to receiving storm pay for their regular shift. Essential personnel who are unable to get to work as scheduled must contact their supervisor. They will be required to use vacation leave, emergency leave, or make-up hours within the workweek (with supervisor approval).
WHEN SCHOOL IS CANCELLED BEFORE THE START OF THE REGULAR SCHOOL DAY AND STUDENTS ARE NOT LEARNING REMOTELY
No employee will report to work that day.
If a make-up day is scheduled, every employee will be required to report to work on that day, as closures rescheduled as make-up days are treated as regular workdays. Employees for whom the make-up day was already a workday (typically administration, district office staff, and 12-month employees) can be paid for storm days in one of the following methods: use of /vacation leave, emergency leave, non-contract day, working remotely (with supervisor approval), or making up hours within the workweek (with supervisor approval).
If a make-up day is not scheduled, all staff will be paid storm pay (regular rate of pay without taking any form of leave).
- Based on the occasion, there may be categories of employees required to report to work. These essential personnel will be notified by their direct supervisor of the need to report to their work site and/or complete specific tasks remotely. Hourly staff will be paid their regular rate of pay in addition to receiving storm pay for their regular shift.
Pre-approved leave requests in the system will be removed.
Essential personnel who are unable to get to work as scheduled must contact their supervisor. They will be required to use vacation leave, emergency leave, or make-up hours within the workweek (with supervisor approval).
WHEN SCHOOL STARTS TWO HOURS LATE
District administration, principals, assistant principals, building level administrative assistants, elementary and secondary cook managers, central kitchen staff, grounds staff, maintenance staff, custodial staff, and district office staff are deemed essential personnel and should report to work at their regularly scheduled times.
- Essential personnel who are unable to get to work as scheduled must contact their supervisor. Administrators will be required to use non-contract time or applicable paid leave. Classified staff will be required to use personal leave/ vacation leave, emergency leave, or make up hours within the workweek (with supervisor approval).
Teachers, paraprofessionals, bus drivers, and all other employees not mentioned above, will report to work at their new designated start time. Pre-approved leave requests in the system will be adjusted to reflect the late start.
Employees who are unable to report to work at the new designated start time should enter personal leave /vacation leave or other applicable leave.
- Hourly staff who are unable to fulfill their daily schedule due to the late start can be paid for those missed hours in one of the following methods: use of personal leave, emergency leave, or making up hours within the workweek (with supervisor approval). Unpaid leave is allowed.
WHEN SCHOOL IS RELEASED EARLY
District administration, principals, assistant principals, building level administrative assistants, central kitchen staff, grounds staff, maintenance staff, custodial staff, and district office staff are deemed essential personnel and should remain at work until their regular workday ends.
- An employee who believes it is necessary to leave early may, with the approval of their supervisor. They will be required to use personal leave/vacation leave or make up hours within the workweek (with supervisor approval).
Bus drivers’ schedules will be adjusted by their supervisor to accommodate the new dismissal time.
Teachers, paraprofessionals, and all other employees not mentioned above will depart at the early dismissal time. Pre-approved leave requests in the system will be adjusted to reflect the early dismissal.
- Hourly staff who are unable to fulfill their full daily schedule can be paid for those missed hours in one of three methods: use of personal leave/vacation leave, emergency leave, or making up hours within the workweek (with supervisor approval). Unpaid leave is allowed.
Buildings & Grounds Department staff that work an evening shift will be notified by their supervisor of any changes to their schedule. If the shift is cut short, they can be paid for those missed hours in one of three methods: use of /vacation leave, emergency leave, or making up hours within the workweek (with supervisor approval). Unpaid leave is allowed.
INCLEMENT WEATHER ON NON-STUDENT CONTACT DAYS
When inclement weather occurs on a day when students are not scheduled to be in school, but staff are scheduled to work, the decision to have those employees report to work, come late, or leave early will be made in consultation with other community and government entities.
All regular, scheduled, on-duty staff will be paid storm pay for the hours when the district officially closes.
If an employee is unable to report to work once a schedule is established, they will be required to enter personal leave/non-contract time/vacation leave.
Based on the occasion, there may be categories of employees required to report to work. These essential personnel will be notified by their direct supervisor of the need to report to their work site and/or complete specific tasks remotely. Hourly staff will be paid at their regular rate of pay in addition to receiving storm pay for their regular shift.
Pre-approved leave requests in the system will be adjusted or removed entirely based on the length of the closure.
Essential personnel who are unable to get to work as scheduled must contact their supervisor. They will be required to use personal leave/vacation leave, emergency leave, or make up hours within the workweek (with supervisor approval).
LEAVE REQUESTS
If you need to enter leave due to one of the situations described above, please note that your leave request must be entered into Frontline's Absence Management system before 7:00AM on the day of your leave. If you miss this deadline, please work with your school’s front office on the necessary entry. If a leave request is not entered, you will not receive compensation.
OTHER BUILDING CLOSURES
If a building is closed for other reasons, the building principal, in consultation with the Superintendent or his/her designee, will determine whether or not employees can safely come to work, remain on duty, or be reassigned other work or locations within the district. No loss of pay will occur for employees who are told there are not alternate options available.
Employees assigned to a building or program that has been closed to students should report for work at the usual time unless otherwise notified. Employee work schedules in buildings or programs closed for an extended period will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may include substituting or reassignment in other locations or other duties required by the district. Employees may not choose to forgo the reassignment to use paid leave.
Adopted: 12/17/19
Reviewed:
Revised: 12/31/19, 01/26/21
02/01/22