In the event of a major weather or emergency event, the Broad Branch Road campus of the Carnegie Institution of Washington will follow the lead of the DC Area Federal Government. In addition, the Facility Management team will maintain a phone line (202-478-8486) which will be updated prior to 6:30 a.m. on days when such events occur. This phone line will be accessible to all employees in order that they may hear condition reports and confirm whether or not they are expected to report to work.

The Director of each department will work with the Facility Manager to make final decisions regarding these policies each time a weather or other event occurs.

The only exception to these guidelines are the members of the BBR Engineering Staff or other Staff members who are designated by the Facility Manager as emergency personnel and who will be asked to make every effort to report to the campus on days when the Federal Government is closed.

• If DC area Federal Government offices are CLOSED, campus personnel are not required to report to work and will not lose pay or annual leave for that day.
• If federal agencies in the Washington, DC, area are OPEN under a DELAYED ARRIVAL, employees should plan to arrive for work no more than a specified number of hours later than they would normally arrive. Under this condition the campus will open on time, but non-emergency employees may adjust their normal arrival time consistent with the announcement. For example, if an employee normally arrives at work at 8:30 a.m. and is directed to arrive no more than 2 hours late, the commuter would be granted an excused absence from 8:30 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. Employees who arrive for work more than the specified number of hours later than their normal arrival time will be charged annual leave for the additional period of absence. Employees designated as emergency personnel are expected to report for work as directed by the Facility Manager.
• If federal agencies in the Washington, DC, area are OPEN under an UNSCHEDULED LEAVE policy, Broad Branch Road campus employees may take annual leave, without the prior approval of their supervisors, for a portion of or the entire scheduled workday. Employees should inform their supervisors of their intentions as soon as possible. Employees designated as emergency personnel are expected to report to work as directed by the Facility Manager.
• If federal agencies in the Washington, DC, are OPEN; employees are expected to report to work on time, unless conditions in and around the BBR campus are such that it would be dangerous or not possible for employees to work (i.e., damage or outages in buildings, ice or heavy snow on the roadways). Employees should call the emergency phone line for condition reports. If there is no message on the line, then employees should report to work on time. If, for any reason, employees are dismissed for the day upon arriving at work, there will be no loss of pay or annual leave.

Implementation Guidelines

On the morning of a day in which there is, has been, or will be a major weather or emergency event, the Facility Manager and the Directors of each department (or a liaison whom they have appointed to act on their behalf) should contact one another prior to 6:30 a.m. to make a determination as to whether employees will be asked to report to work on time, in accordance with the above listed policies.

The Directors and the Facilities Manager may use the following checklist to make considerations regarding whether the employees will be asked to report to work:

• Area Federal Government Offices have made public announcements about changes to their operations.
• Roads are impassable on the BBR campus and the immediately surrounding area.
• Secondary/neighborhood roads in the greater DC area are impassable.
• There are reports of ice on the roadways in the area.
• There is extensive debris in the roadways.
• One or more buildings on campus are incapacitated (due to damage or power outages).
• There is a high likelihood of a weather or other event that will take place during the workday, which could cause damage or make it difficult for employees to return to their homes.

Once a consensual decision has been reached, the Facility Manager will ensure that the message on the emergency phone line (202-478-8486) has been updated.

Contacts

Crisis Web sites:

American Association of Suicidology

Samaritans US

Helplines:

Samaritans: 518-689-HOPE (4673)

Crisis Link: 703-527-4077