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HRM: Weather and safety leave associated with the impacts of Hurricane Helene

October 1, 2024
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With the wide-spread impacts of Hurricane Helene ongoing, it is important to provide a reminder related to the use of weather and safety leave as it pertains to those unable to work as a result of the associated impact to their worksite.  Weather and safety leave may be granted when employees are prevented from safely traveling to or safely performing work at their normal worksite, telework site, or other approved location due to:

  • An act of God (severe snowstorm, wildfire, tornado, etc.),

  • A terrorist attack, or

  • Another condition such as power outage, building fire, etc.). 
     

Officials authorized to grant weather and safety leave
There are three different situations which senior management officials may approve Weather and Safety leave.

  1. Office closures: The senior management official (Regional foresters, deputy regional foresters, Washington Office staff directors, directors, deputy directors, forest supervisors, district rangers or Job Corps center directors) at the agency worksite who has delegated authority to close a Forest Service office due to emergencies, may approve up to 5 days (40 hours) of weather and safety leave. For unique circumstances, the Office of Human Resources Management at USDA may approve additional time. For applicable situations, send requests to HRM for coordination and routing.

  2. Safe travel and/or performing work: Regional foresters, deputy regional foresters, Washington Office staff directors, directors, and deputy directors have authority to grant weather and safety leave when they have determined employees are prevented from safely traveling to or performing work at an approved location, i.e road closure, etc. The amount of weather and safety leave they may grant is up to their discretion based on the emergency situation but may be granted only for hours within an employee’s scheduled daily tour of duty.

  3. Personal emergencies: Regional foresters, deputy regional foresters, Washington Office staff directors, directors, and deputy directors has authority to grant Administrative Leave to employees who face a personal emergency as the result of a “public emergency”.  Up to 5 days (40 hours) of administrative leave may be granted only when the employee can be spared from their usual job responsibilities. For unique circumstances, the Office of Human Resources Management at USDA may approve another 40 hours of admin leave.  For applicable situations, send requests to HRM for coordination and routing.

Supervisors can approve unscheduled leave (annual) or flexing of hours if unforeseen weather and safety concerns are prevalent or expected.

You can also review Departmental Regulation on Telework and Remote Work Programs and Telework and Remote Work – Frequently Asked Questions.

  • Telework employees: Generally, don’t receive weather and safety leave and are expected to work unless a telework employee is prevented from safely working at their home and alternate work site because of severe weather or an emergency event such as electrical power or broadband outage, fire, flooding or heating/cooling failures.

  • Remote workers: Generally, don’t receive weather and safety leave and are expected to work.

  • Non-telework employees: Generally granted weather and safety leave for the hours they were scheduled to work. However, employees will not be granted weather and safety leave while on official travel outside of the duty station or on an Alternative Work Schedule day off or another non-workday.

  • Emergency employees: Are Expected to report to or remain at their worksite unless otherwise directed by the agency.

  • Employees on pre-approved leave (paid, unpaid, or other paid time off generally): Should continue to be charged leave or other paid time off and should not receive weather and safety leave.

Paycheck8 Codes

  • Weather and Safety Leave approved by designated official: Use Transaction code 66 with Descriptor Code 34.

  • Working onsite, not Telework or remote: Transaction Code 01.

  • Telework:

    • Regularly scheduled telework: Transaction Code 01 with Descriptor Code 11.

    • Situational (unscheduled/ad-hoc) telework: Transaction Code 01 with Descriptor Code 17.

  • Administrative leave: Transactions Code 66. Note in remarks admin leave is for a personal emergency.

  • Remote work on Approved Remote Work Agreement: Transaction Code 01 with Descriptor Code 39.

Supervisors should verify their employees are aware of the correct codes to use and code their timesheets accordingly.

Emergency Leave Transfer Program
We are expecting the Office of Personnel Management to establish an ELTP for Hurricane Helene. A separate HRM Update will be sent out on how affected employees may apply to be a recipient and how others can donate hours for those in need.

Help is available