When a BU-announced official emergency closing occurs, special time entry actions are required to ensure that all regularly scheduled University employees are paid properly for their full, planned work time during the closing. Similarly, for those who are required to work during the emergency closing, special codes are used to generate comp time or additional pay.

Quick Reference Guides (QRG) are available through BUworks Online Help to address both circumstances; explaining the process for employees who don’t work during the closing, and how to process compensation for those who do. Employees are encouraged to refer to the Employee Handbook and/or the collective bargaining agreement for details on emergency closing policy and procedures. A brief synopsis:

Full Day Closing
If the closing occurs before the employee’s regular planned work time and remains in effect up to or beyond the end of his or her planned working time, the employee, or manager, should enter the Absence (ABS) code 2009 Emergency Closing and the number of planned work hours. (Do not use start and end times for absences.)

Partial Day Closing
If an Emergency Closing is declared during an employee’s working day, time should be entered for the period before the EC in the usual manner using Attendance (ATT) code 1000 Hours Worked. For the hours after the EC starts, the ABS code 2009 Emergency Closing and the number of hours to complete the employee’s regular workday should be entered. (Do not use start and end times for absences.) Example: if a seven-hour per day employee works 8 am to Noon (four hours) when the EC starts, they should enter three hours, without start and end times, with the ABS 2009 code, for a daily total of seven hours.

Late Openings
If the University announces a late opening, the employee should enter the ABS code 2009 Emergency Closing and the number of hours from their regular start time until the official opening of BU. After the official opening, enter start and end times with the regular Hours Worked ATT code 1000. Example: Scheduled start at 8:30, BU opens at 11 AM, enter 2.5 hours with the ABS code 2009 then 4.5 hours with start and end times for a daily total of seven.

Work During Emergency Closing
When an employee is requested or required as essential personnel to work during an EC, in addition to recording their planned work hours as described above using the ABS code 2009, they will record the hours actually worked, with start and end times, using ATT code 1015 Hours Worked Emer. Closing. If the hours are to be taken as comp time, the code 01 must be entered under the OT Comp Type column on the same line.

NOTE: Please forward this link to the Quick Reference Guides (QRG) to any hourly employees who enter time using ESS and/or post them in a location convenient to your employees. Should you have any questions, please contact Jeff Small, Time Management Administrator at 617-358-4817.