Inclement Winter Weather

This page addresses winter weather. Guidance and process for general weather-related operations are available on the Inclement Weather webpage. 

University Closures

The University of Oregon is a residential campus with 24/7 operations, so we rarely close entirely. Occasionally, hazardous winter conditions do force the university to cancel classes or events, and/or to reduce operations on campus. The university manages closure decisions and procedures in accordance with the Closure of Facilities and Operations policy.

See the Inclement Weather webpage for information on closure notifications.

Essential work

Employees who perform essential functions, such as responding to inclement weather or other critical functions under the university's closure policy are expected to report to work, and should work with their supervisors if they have concerns about traveling to campus. Those required to be on campus should use extreme caution outdoors and be aware of downed trees, power lines, and other hazards.

Supervisors of employees who perform essential service work are responsible for communicating attendance expectations in advance and planning for any anticipated difficulties (transportation, childcare, etc.).

Childcare

It's possible the university will be open while local schools and childcare centers are closed due to weather. In this situation, supervisors should respond with as much flexibility as possible and allow parents and guardians to work remotely or work flexible schedules if their families are affected by school or childcare closures.

Absences Due To Inclement Weather

Not everyone will be able to travel safely to campus in inclement weather. Employees should use their best judgement to assess the risk of traveling to work, based on their individual circumstances, and should work with their supervisors on any schedule or work location changes.

Working remotely

Employees who normally work remotely are expected to work as usual from their remote location during periods of inclement weather. However, if weather at their home or other remote location disrupts their ability to perform work, they should contact their supervisor and make a plan for alternate duties, flexible hours, or time off.

Employees who normally work in person at a UO site but cannot travel safely to work (or their worksite is closed) should consult with their supervisor to determine whether there is work they can perform remotely. If so, they should perform this work with written supervisor approval.

Compensation during campus closures or delayed openings

Compensation during periods of inclement weather follows collective bargaining agreements and UO policies and procedures. General guidance is available for faculty and officers of administration, and for SEIU employees. For more detailed explanation and guidelines, and information for other employee groups, please review the applicable CBA or policy.

Guidance is highly dependent on the circumstances of a particular closure or delayed opening. Therefore, more information about compensation during periods of inclement weather will be issued if/when a weather event occurs.

The SEIU collective bargaining agreement provides paid time for the first 48 hours of campus closures and delays due to inclement weather or hazardous conditions that occur during the contract period for employees who are scheduled to work at the time of a closure.

Supervisor Planning

Supervisors need to prepare for inclement weather in two ways:

First, notify those employees (if any) who perform essential duties of the expectation to report to work during inclement weather regardless of a university closure and make plans for any anticipating difficulties in reporting to work.

Second, all supervisors should prepare to communicate with your employees during a closure:

  • Discuss how your team will contact each other (for example, Teams, email, personal or cell phone if necessary, etc.)
  • Maintain an up-to-date contact list with that information.

Instructor-Student Communication

Instructors who are unable to travel to campus to teach are responsible for notifying students in a timely manner when classes are cancelled or the teaching modality changes. Instructors should ensure that students fully understand how to get inclement weather information before traveling to campus; please include this information on the syllabus. 

When class is canceled or the modality changes, instructors should:

Instructors should exercise flexibility with students who miss class or are unable to submit coursework as a result of inclement weather.

Questions

Please contact your direct supervisor or department director with any questions.  Questions may also be directed to the Human Resources Service Center at hrinfo@uoregon.edu.