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FOREST SERVICE MANUAL
OTTAWA NF (REGION 9)
IRONWOOD, MI
FSM – 6100 PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
CHAPTER 60 – ATTENDANCE AND LEAVE
Supplement No.: 6160-2016-1
Effective Date: 20 January 2016
Duration: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
Approved: LINDA L. JACKSON
Forest Supervisor
Date Approved: 01/04/2016
Posting Instructions: Supplements are numbered consecutively by Manual number and
calendar year. Post by document; remove the entire document and replace it with this
supplement. Retain this transmittal as the first page(s) of this document. The last supplement to
this Manual was 2010-1 to Chapter 60.
New Document
6160-2016-1
2 Pages
Superseded Document(s)
(Supplement Number and
Effective Date)
6160-2010-1
2 Pages
Digest:
2010 – Adds clarifying statement regarding eligible employees; some minor editorial changes
throughout chapter.
R9 OTTAWA SUPPLEMENT
EFFECTIVE DATE: January 20, 2016
DURATION: Effective until superseded or removed
6160
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FSM 6100 – PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
CHAPTER 60 – ATTENDANCE AND LEAVE
6160.3 - Policy
The following policy will be observed for all units of the Ottawa National Forest in the event
overnight or early morning weather conditions are sufficiently severe to cause school/work
closings or delays. This policy applies for EITHER the school district in which you live or the
school district where your work site is located. This policy applies only to those employees who
earn leave under their respective appointments.
If weather conditions have caused schools to be either delayed or closed, Forest employees have
the flexibility of using up to 2 hours of administrative leave or adjust their work schedule if not
eligible to earn leave. Employees must use their own judgment in determining if it is safe to
travel to their worksite. During this two-hour period, employees are expected to find alternate
child-care if necessary, wait until weather conditions or road conditions improve, or determine to
stay home for the remainder of the day. If the office remains open and the employee chooses not
to come in, the employee will need to use personal leave (credit hours earned, annual leave,
comp time, etc.). If on maxiflex work schedule the employee may use flex hours for the
remaining work hours. The employee will notify their supervisor and the appropriate individual
at their duty station that they will not be at work for the remainder of the day. Employees are
responsible to know about weather related school closings or delays.
When weather conditions are such that an office will be closed for the day or a portion of the
day, the unit notification system will be used. Each unit will determine a notification system that
works most effectively and efficiently for that facility. Decisions on office closures will be made
no later than 7:00 am (local time). Decisions on District/Nursery closure or delayed opening will
be made by the District Ranger/Nursery Manager or their acting and decisions for the
Supervisor’s Office and Bessemer Ranger District will be made by the Forest Supervisor or
acting. When the decision to close the office for part or all of the day is made, employees are not
to come to the office until a pre-determined time has been established.
When hazardous weather conditions exist prior to morning office opening and/or schools are
NOT in session and there has been no decision to close the office, employees should use their
own judgment in deciding if it is safe to travel to work. This may mean they will place
themselves on leave or use flex-time status until a decision on closure is made or the individual
feels it is safe to travel. If the unit is going to open, but with a delayed start, employees will
follow the same protocol as listed above but for a delayed start.
If the employee is not notified of an office closure or delay, it is to be assumed the office is
open and employees are to follow the direction listed above.