POLICY AND PROCEDURE
House of New Hope
POLICY: HR 445
TITLE: Emergency Closings and Cancellations
EFFECTIVE DATE:
REVISED:
1/02
10/11
9/12
Summary:
At times, emergencies such as severe weather, fires, power failures, or earthquakes, can disrupt
company operations. In extreme cases, these circumstances may require the closing of a work facility. In
the event of a condition necessitating closure, employees should be prepared to use PTO or Unpaid
Leave Time when they are unable to carry out their essential functions.
Voluntary Closure
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At the discretion of the Executive Management Team, the work day can be shortened to
accommodate certain upcoming events or situations. In such a condition, non-exempt and/or
hourly employees will receive payment for the remainder of their work day.
A voluntary closure has no payment effect on exempt salaried employees or to non-exempt
and/or hourly employees already on approved PTO or other approved leave.
Short-Term Condition — lntra-Day
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In the event that there is a condition that precludes the agency's ability to function as usual, a
member of the Executive Management Team will make a decision regarding voluntary closure of
the facility for the remainder of the clay.
At the discretion of Executive Management, non-exempt and/or hourly employees may be given
an opportunity to leave work prior to the end of their assigned work hours/shift and receive
payment for that work day.
Alternatively, during a Short-Term Condition and at the discretion of Executive Management,
the facility may be left open. In this case, non-exempt and/or hourly employees unable to
accomplish their essential job functions may request PTO from their supervisor. For those with
depleted PTO accruals, Executive Management may authorize Leave Without Pay when
requested.
A Short-Term Condition has no payment effect on exempt salaried employees or to non-exempt
and/or hourly employees already on approved PTO or other approved leave.
Extended Condition
POLICY AND PROCEDURE
House of New Hope
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In the event of a condition that precludes the agency's ability to open for the entire day, both
exempt and non-exempt employees must use PTO if they are unable to accomplish their
essential job functions. Upon depletion of accrued PTO, Executive Management may grant
Leave Without Pay. Employees claiming the ability to meet their essential job functions in an
alternative location must get permission from their supervisor and be prepared to demonstrate
evidence of such work.
In the event that there is an emergency condition that prohibits the employee's ability to
perform their essential job functions and/or come to work (e.g. level 3 weather emergency,
tornado damage), both exempt and non-exempt must request PTO from
their supervisor. Upon depletion of accrued PTO, Executive Management may grant Leave
Without Pay. Employees claiming the ability to meet their essential job functions in an
alternative location must get permission from their supervisor and be prepared to demonstrate
evidence of such work.
A Short-Term Condition has no payment effect on exempt salaried employees or to non-exempt
and/or hourly employees already on approved PTO or other approved leave.
Scheduled Transportation Services
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By contract, House of New Hope is often required to provide transportation for the
children/youth served in order that they might attend visitation with family, meetings, court
hearings or other events. Attendance by the children/youth served by HONH is often ordered by
a juvenile court judge. Therefore, cancelling a scheduled transport may have major legal
consequences.
In the event of a condition that makes a scheduled transport illegal or unsafe prior to or during
the transport, the assigned Transporter is responsible to Contact their supervisor or a member
of the Administrative Team for assistance.
In absolutely no case is a Transporter to cancel a scheduled transport without the expressed
permission of the Transportation Supervisor or a member of the Administrative Team.
When conditions within the vehicle becomes sufficiently unsafe as to threaten the physical
safety of the driver or passengers, it is the driver's responsibility to stop the vehicle at the
earliest and safest convenience and utilize de-escalation and trauma—informed crisis
intervention skills. Safety is always more important than timeliness.
Law enforcement is only to be called with the expressed permission of the Transportation
Supervisor or a member of the Administrative Team.
In the event of a condition that falls outside of the ordinary, the Transporter is required to
complete a Critical Incident Report and submit to the supervisor.