CCC&TI Inclement Weather Procedures

Delayed Starts / Campus Closed / Early Dismissal / Radio & TV Announcements / Employees Required to Report / Employees Not Required to Report / Pay During Delays, Closures, Early Dismissals / Employees on Approved LOA / Recording Time Off During Inclement Weather

Decision Making Process

The Caldwell campus will be closed only by the president of the college or by an administrative designee.

The Watauga campus will be closed by the executive director of the Watauga campus, usually after consulting with the president or designee.

Our primary mission centers around training adults for careers. Our weather calls during winter storms will more closely resemble cancellation decisions made by local business and industry than decisions made by the local school system. As a general rule, we will wait until frozen precipitation hits, begins to stick, and is predicted to sufficiently accumulate before delaying and/or canceling classes. In very few cases (such as 100% probability of heavy accumulation and forecast time beginning well before 8 a.m.), we will make cancellation announcements the evening before a storm hits.

Announcements

No announcement means we will operate on a normal schedule.

Closings

Announcements will be made as follows:

1. Delayed Start (Caldwell or Watauga Campus) – When the college declares a delayed start due to inclement weather conditions, typically a one or two hour delay, employees are expected to report to work at the delayed start time. Students are expected to report at the time of opening to the class where they would normally be at the delayed start. (Example: On a 2 hour delay, a course that meets 9:00am-10:45am, students and faculty would report to the classroom where this course would normally be meeting at 10am.)
   
   If we find it necessary to delay morning classes, we will use 8 a.m. as a reference time for delays. For example, "two-hour delay" will actually mean that classes will meet at 10 a.m. and continue thereafter on a regular schedule. If we find it necessary to delay evening classes, we will use 5 p.m. as a reference time for delays. A "one-hour delay," for example, will mean that all classes that would be in session at 6:00 p.m. would meet and conclude at their normal time.

   Announcements on closing and delays by the college will be placed on the college website and snowlines first and then given to selected radio and television stations before 6:00 a.m. for morning classes, and 4:00 p.m. for evening classes. No announcement means we will operate on a normal schedule.




2. Campus Closed (Caldwell or Watauga) – When the college closes due to inclement weather, employees are not expected to report to work, unless specifically required to by their supervisor for the purpose of assisting with snow removal or other critical functions.
   • Non-exempt staff employees (i.e., maintenance, etc.) who are required to work and perform snow removal and/or other critical functions during a delayed start, campus closure, or early
     dismissal will be given compensatory time off at the rate of one (1) hour for each hour of work performed during that workweek, even though the total hours worked that week may be less than forty (40) hours in that workweek—meaning seven (7) consecutive days beginning Sunday and ending Saturday.
   • Non-exempt staff employees who are required to work in excess of forty (40) hours during the workweek—meaning seven (7) consecutive days beginning Sunday and ending Saturday, will be granted compensatory time off at the rate of one and one-half hours for each overtime hour worked.
   • Any Compensatory time off must be taken within the pay period unless insufficient time remains within the pay period to take the time earned without unduly disrupting college operations. In that event, the time off should be scheduled in consultation with and prior approval of the immediate supervisor within the next pay period.
   
   
   
3. Early Dismissal (Caldwell or Watauga) – When the college declares an early dismissal due to inclement weather, an administrative designee will make the announcement over the emergency public address (PA) system and by personal notification on the Caldwell Campus and by word of mouth on the Watauga Campus. Employees are free to leave work, unless specifically required to stay by the supervisor for the purpose of assisting with snow removal or other critical functions.
   

Other Conditions

Specific inclement weather policies for clinical, cooperative education, and other off-campus work experiences have been developed and may be obtained from program directors.

Radio and Television Stations Who Handle Inclement Weather Announcements

Students and employees may access the college’s web page at www.cccti.edu/weather.htm for the most up-to-date weather information on delayed starts, campus closures, or early dismissals or call the college’s snow lines. Persons accessing the website should hit “refresh” on their tool bar to assure that they receive the most current information. For Caldwell Campus, you may call 726-2900. For Watauga Campus, you may call 297-7077. The announcements on the web page or snow line are official and will be posted prior to announcement made through local media.

The announcement on limited local and major radio and/or television stations only is also official. Every effort will be made to make timely announcements for any inclement weather situation. However, occasionally weather conditions may occur at unpredictable times and decisions will be made at the earliest possible time.

Employees Who Report to Work During Inclement Weather

Employees reporting to work during inclement weather conditions (i.e., delayed starts, campus closures, or early dismissals) are requested to sign-in on the sign-in log maintained at the receptionist desk in “A Building”. This log serves dual purposes: It verifies those employees in attendance should they receive a phone call or have an emergency, plus acts as a back up supporting document for those non-exempt employees entitled to compensatory time off (comp-time).

Employees Who Do Not Report to Work During Inclement Weather

If the college is open, employees are expected to report to work. However, each employee must observe weather conditions in his or her area and determine whether it is unduly hazardous to attempt to drive to work when weather conditions are severe. WE DO NOT EXPECT ANYONE TO TAKE UNREASONABLE RISK WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE TO WORK. However, employees will be charged vacation leave when they fail to report as scheduled if classes are held as usual or for a shortened schedule as announced. Accrued compensatory time (comp-time) may also be used to cover periods of absences due to inclement weather.

Pay During Delayed Starts, Campus Closures, and/or Early Dismissals

When the college is officially delayed, closed, or dismissed early due to inclement weather, full-time employees will receive their regular rate of pay for their regular scheduled hours not worked. The employee shall not be charged leave for time lost due to the inclement weather, nor would their leave earned be effected. However, certain employees specifically required to work by their supervisor for the purpose of assisting with snow removal or other critical functions will be charged leave for late reporting or failure to report to work when required by their supervisor.

Employees On Approved Leaves Of Absence

Employees on approved leaves of absence will be charged leave during periods of weather closing or delays. Leaves of absence are granted on the assumption that the employee will be unavailable to work regardless of an opening or closure.

Recording Time Off Due To Inclement Weather

Time off due to weather closing or delays cannot be counted as work time on your time sheet for non-exempt employees. For example, if the college is closed for one day (equivalent to 8 hours), those eight (8) hours not working cannot be counted as hours worked, or use as credit toward compensatory time (comp-time). Compensatory time is based on hours worked over forty (40) that week. Campus closures are not counted as work days since the employee was not physically at work performing the job.