Emergency Closing Policy and Procedures
Inclement Weather Policy
This policy is designed to establish clear direction regarding the charging of time and coverage responsibilities for Bristol Community College employees during inclement weather.
Essential Employees
During inclement weather, certain employees are considered essential employees who must report for work during their scheduled shifts. These employees include:
During inclement weather or another emergency, the College will close early during regular working hours if the College President in consultation with the Dean of Administration, and/or other members of the President's Council, believe the closing is necessary to protect the health, safety, and security of the students, faculty, and staff.
Procedures
The Dean of Administration (or his/her designee) will advise the Director of Human Resources and Affirmative Action and the Director of Public Safety and communicate the time and terms of the early release to the following key people in each building:
The Director of Public Safety will notify the staff of the Childcare Center, the Cafeteria, and the Bookstore of early release.
Unless otherwise indicated by the Early Release, the switchboard must remain open for normally scheduled hours. Other essential employees who are scheduled for work that day are expected to work their normal hours.
Delayed Opening
Weather conditions or other emergencies may lead to a decision to begin classes later than usual. An announcement of delayed opening will be made on local radio and television stations as listed below, and will be placed on the switchboard automated answering system.
Classes will follow the normal schedule after the delayed opening. Essential personnel are expected to report as scheduled. Those not designated, as essential, should report at the delayed opening. For example, if opening of the College was delayed until 10:00 a.m., faculty are expected to meet with classes that start at 10:00 a.m. All other employees, who are not designated as essential, should report at 10:00 a.m., or whenever scheduled to report after the opening.
College Closing
If weather conditions or other emergencies dictate that the College should be closed, an announcement will be made on media outlets listed below as soon as possible. An announcement will also be made on the on the switchboard automated answering system. When the College is closed, essential employees must report for work.
Generally when the decision is made to close the College all day (8:00a.m. - 3:45p.m.), evening (4:00p.m. and after), and satellite campus classes will be included. This decision will be made as early in the day as possible. Under certain circumstances, the College may withhold a decision on evening classes until early afternoon. In those instances when day classes are cancelled, but evening classes are held, all employees scheduled to work during the evening hours must report as scheduled or at the time of the college's re-opening, whichever applies.
If no announcement is made regarding evening classes and/or satellite campuses, classes will be held as usual.
Compensation Policies
All announcements about College closing and delayed openings will be made on the following radio and television stations:
An announcement will also be put on the College's switchboard at the Elsbree Campus, which can be reached by calling (508) 678-2811.
Announcements regarding evening closings (classes beginning at 4:00 p.m. and after) will be made after 2:00 p.m. The same media outlets will be used in addition to the College switchboard.
When the College is closed, only essential employees should report to work.
Our Human Resources Office may be reached by email mailto:dsoares@bristol.mass.edu
This policy is designed to establish clear direction regarding the charging of time and coverage responsibilities for Bristol Community College employees during inclement weather.
Essential Employees
During inclement weather, certain employees are considered essential employees who must report for work during their scheduled shifts. These employees include:
- Campus Police Officers
- Institution Security Officers
- Maintainers
- Grounds crew
During inclement weather or another emergency, the College will close early during regular working hours if the College President in consultation with the Dean of Administration, and/or other members of the President's Council, believe the closing is necessary to protect the health, safety, and security of the students, faculty, and staff.
Procedures
The Dean of Administration (or his/her designee) will advise the Director of Human Resources and Affirmative Action and the Director of Public Safety and communicate the time and terms of the early release to the following key people in each building:
| Bldg | Key Person |
| A | Assistant Dean for LRC |
| B | Assistant Dean for Division I Assistant Dean for CDE |
| C | Assistant Dean for Division IV |
| D | Assistant Dean for Administration |
| E | Assistant Dean for Division II |
| F | Director of Facilities Management |
| G | Dean of Enrollment Services |
| H | Art Center Technical Assistant |
| K | Assistant Dean for Division III |
| L | Assistant Dean for Community Services Assistant Dean for Division V |
The Director of Public Safety will notify the staff of the Childcare Center, the Cafeteria, and the Bookstore of early release.
Unless otherwise indicated by the Early Release, the switchboard must remain open for normally scheduled hours. Other essential employees who are scheduled for work that day are expected to work their normal hours.
Delayed Opening
Weather conditions or other emergencies may lead to a decision to begin classes later than usual. An announcement of delayed opening will be made on local radio and television stations as listed below, and will be placed on the switchboard automated answering system.
Classes will follow the normal schedule after the delayed opening. Essential personnel are expected to report as scheduled. Those not designated, as essential, should report at the delayed opening. For example, if opening of the College was delayed until 10:00 a.m., faculty are expected to meet with classes that start at 10:00 a.m. All other employees, who are not designated as essential, should report at 10:00 a.m., or whenever scheduled to report after the opening.
College Closing
If weather conditions or other emergencies dictate that the College should be closed, an announcement will be made on media outlets listed below as soon as possible. An announcement will also be made on the on the switchboard automated answering system. When the College is closed, essential employees must report for work.
Generally when the decision is made to close the College all day (8:00a.m. - 3:45p.m.), evening (4:00p.m. and after), and satellite campus classes will be included. This decision will be made as early in the day as possible. Under certain circumstances, the College may withhold a decision on evening classes until early afternoon. In those instances when day classes are cancelled, but evening classes are held, all employees scheduled to work during the evening hours must report as scheduled or at the time of the college's re-opening, whichever applies.
If no announcement is made regarding evening classes and/or satellite campuses, classes will be held as usual.
Compensation Policies
- Full-time benefited employees will be paid for hours scheduled for that day. If the College closes before end or beginning of a shift, or opens later than scheduled, and essential employees are expected to work, they will receive compensatory time for hours worked.
For example: If an early release is declared for 2 p.m., all essential employees scheduled to work the day shift will receive appropriate compensatory time for hours worked. - Full-time benefited employees scheduled to work second or third shift, who are not designated as essential employees, will also be paid for the day; and essential employees will receive compensatory time for the number of hours worked.
- Non-benefited essential employees who work after early release or before a delayed opening will be paid at their regular rate for the hours worked, and non-benefited non-essential employees will only be paid for the number of hours worked before the early release or delayed openings.
- Employees who have elected to be absent from their regular schedule before the announcement of a cancellation, early release or delayed opening, whether on vacation, personal time, sick leave, or compensatory time, are not entitled to compensatory time.
- If there are inclement traveling conditions but the College is open, faculty and staff must use their own judgment about the safety of traveling conditions in their own geographic locations. Those who determine that travel conditions are unsafe must use vacation, personal, or compensatory time (if applicable) to charge their absences.
- Essential employees who call in sick when the College closes, is in a delayed opening, or an early release will be charged for sick time, and not awarded compensatory time.
All announcements about College closing and delayed openings will be made on the following radio and television stations:
| Boston | 1030 AM | WBZ |
| Fall River | 1480 AM | WSAR |
| New Bedford | 1420 AM | WBSM |
| 107.1 FM | WFHN | |
| Providence | 630 AM | WPRO |
| 920 AM | WHJJ | |
| 92.3 FM | WPRO | |
| 93.3 FM | WSNE | |
| 94.1 FM | WHJY | |
| 101.1 FM | WWBB | |
| 105.1 FM | WWLI |
| Providence | 6 | WLNE |
| 10 | WJAR | |
| 12 | WLVI | |
| 64 | WNAC | |
An announcement will also be put on the College's switchboard at the Elsbree Campus, which can be reached by calling (508) 678-2811.
Announcements regarding evening closings (classes beginning at 4:00 p.m. and after) will be made after 2:00 p.m. The same media outlets will be used in addition to the College switchboard.
When the College is closed, only essential employees should report to work.
Our Human Resources Office may be reached by email mailto:dsoares@bristol.mass.edu