SECTION 260:25-15-71. Leave when an office is temporarily closed due to unsafe working conditions or hazardous weather; or when services are temporarily reduced due to hazardous weather (paid administrative leave)

(a)   If agency offices are closed because of an imminent peril threatening the public health, safety, or welfare of state employees or the public, or when state offices are temporarily closed or reduced due to hazardous weather conditions, the Appointing Authority shall place employees who are scheduled to work in the affected work areas on paid administrative leave or, if applicable, shall assign them to work in another location. During their normal duty hours, employees on paid administrative leave due to unsafe working conditions are on stand-by or on-call status. Appointing Authorities may call employees to return to their normal duties or respond to the demands of the situation as necessary. [74:840-2.20A(A)]

(b)   As used in this Section, paid administrative leave means leave granted to affected employees if offices of agencies are closed because of an imminent peril threatening the public health, safety, or welfare of state employees or the public, or when state offices are temporarily closed or reduced due to hazardous weather. Examples of reasons for temporarily closing an office due to unsafe working conditions are: leaks of toxic fumes in buildings; life threatening damage to building structures; or emergency operations which would be disrupted by the presence of the usual work force; or any other condition which poses a significant threat to the safety of the work force.

(c)   Paid administrative leave shall be accorded to all affected employees only when a state office is temporarily closed or services are temporarily reduced due to hazardous weather in accordance with 260:25-15-70 and this Section. Upon its reopening, normal Merit Rules governing leave and agency procedures shall apply. The granting of administrative leave applies only to employees scheduled to work during the time period of the closure or reduced services. It does not apply to employees who are absent during the closure or reduction on any previously approved leave. Employees who are not eligible to accrue leave, such as temporary employees, shall not be granted administrative leave under this section when state services are temporarily closed or temporarily reduced due to hazardous weather conditions.

(d)   When the Governor or a designee of the Governor authorizes agencies or parts of agencies to maintain basic minimum services because hazardous weather conditions impede or delay the movement of employees to and from work, employees responsible for providing such basic minimum services shall report to work. Appointing Authorities of agencies shall be responsible for determining essential agency functions [basic minimum services] and ensuring that employees who staff such functions are so informed. [74:840-2.20A(B)] Employees who are considered responsible for basic minimum services and who are required to work when state services are temporarily reduced due to hazardous weather conditions shall be entitled to accrue administrative leave on a straight-time basis up to eight hours per day for hours worked in their regularly scheduled work periods during such reduction. Administrative leave accrued under this provision must be taken within 180 days of its accrual or the employee shall be paid for the leave. An extension of the time period for taking the leave may be approved for up to an additional 180 days, providing the Appointing Authority submits a written request with sufficient justification to the Human Capital Management Division. Accrued administrative leave must be used before granting of any annual leave except when the employee may lose accrued leave under 260:25-15-10 and 260:25-15-11(b) (5).

(e)   Employees who are responsible for basic minimum services who do not report to work have the following options to account for leave:

(1)   Charge the absence to accumulated compensatory time;

(2)   Charge the absence to accumulated annual leave;

(3)   Make up lost time in a manner consistent with the FLSA, if the Appointing Authority determines that office hours and schedules permit.

(f)   An employee who leaves earlier than a designated early dismissal time, or who arrives later than a designated late arrival time, shall be charged leave for the excess time.

[Source: Added at 31 Ok Reg 1346, eff 9-12-14]