Policy

The County Chair or Library Director (or director's designee) may alter a location's operating hours when impending winter weather poses a hazard to staff, customers, or library property.

Application

Winter weather may make travel hazardous or affect working conditions within an agency.

Procedure

Potential Dangers

1. If high winds, snow, or icy conditions are predicted, be alert to potential hazards such as:
   • snow or ice covered parking lot or sidewalks
   • broken window or door glass
   • downed power lines
   • downed or dangling tree limbs
   • frozen pipes
   • flying debris
2. Use common sense and reasonable judgement to monitor the situation.
3. Call Multnomah County Facilities at 503.988.3779 if the building has been damaged or there is a hazard on the property.

If a staff or customer has been injured, see Accidents or Illness Involving the Staff or Accidents or Illness Involving the Public.

Emergency Change to Library Hours

The County's Inclement Weather Policy expects that employees will make every effort to serve the public, regardless of the weather conditions. The Library Director or Deputy Director is responsible for determining whether a facility should open late or close early. The County Chair's office must be notified of any change in Library hours.

If the decision is made to close one or more facilities early, open one or more facilities late, or not open at all, refer to Emergency Closure/Change in Library Hours in this manual.

From AA MEMO No. 131/94:

The County's Inclement Weather Policy is the same as it has been in the past: Employees are expected to make every effort to show up for work in order to serve the public, whatever the weather.

Agencies open late or close early only under the most severe conditions. Any determination we make has to be communicated to the Chair's office. The Library Director or Deputy Director are responsible for making the determination to change Library hours because of weather. The decision to not open at all would be made only in a state of declared emergency.

The following guidelines apply during period of inclement weather:

• Employees who don't report to work due to the weather will be required to use either vacation, leave without pay, compensatory time off ("return time"), or personal holiday time. Sick leave may not be used for this purpose.
• Non-salaried employees who attempt to get to work on time but are unavoidably delayed may arrive up to two hours late without penalty. Non-salaried employees who arrive more than two hours late may not receive a full day's pay.
• Supervisors may allow non-salaried employees who expect to encounter unusual difficulty in getting home to leave early without penalty. All employees who live near their work sites or on well-traveled routes are expected to stay on the job until closing time. Supervisors are authorized to make this determination independently.