To: Deans, Directors, Heads of Schools, Divisions, Departments, and Offices

Re: BUSINESS OFFICE MEMORANDUM NO. 152

Pay Status for Clerical and Service Staff During Emergency Building Search

Occasionally the University receives information that necessitates the emergency search of a University building. Questions have arisen as to the proper payment of clerical and service staff during and after such emergency searches. Therefore, the Personnel Administration Advisory Committee has recommended the adoption of standardized policies and procedures for payment of clerical and service staff during emergency building searches which are set forth below. This policy has been approved and is in effect immediately for all campuses.

POLICY

1. When an emergency building search must be made, it is the responsibility of the campus Safety and Security Department to determine whether to (1) vacate the building, or (2) advise the occupants that an explosive device has been reported and let each staff member decide whether or not to leave the building during the search.
   
   
2. All staff members will be in regular pay status during the emergency building search; however, both staff members who are directed to leave and those who leave voluntarily will be expected to return to their work places within 30 minutes after the search has been completed and the building declared safe.
   
   So that staff members need not stand outside the building waiting for the search to be completed, it is the policy to grant a minimum of two (2) hours in pay status for the building to be searched and to allow 30 minutes for staff members to return to their work places after the search has been completed. In some instances the building search may require more than two hours, in which case, staff members continue in pay status for the actual time of the building search plus the 30-minute check-in allowance.
   
   It is the staff members' responsibility to determine whether or not the search has been completed by calling their employing department, the campus switchboard operator, or the Safety and Security Department. The Safety and Security staff will advise those staff members at the building when the search has been completed.
   
   
3. Staff members who do not return to their work places within 30 minutes after the search has been completed and the building declared safe will not be paid for the remainder of their normal work day unless their supervisor has approved the use of vacation time.
   
   It is recommended that department heads and supervisors discuss this policy with their clerical and service staff members so that they will know their pay status if they are involved in an emergency building search.

QUESTIONS

Questions concerning this policy should be directed to your Business Administrator or Business Representative or Department of Personnel Administration at the West Lafayette Campus. At Regional Campuses questions should be directed to the Personnel Manager or Business Manager.