Who works — and when — if schools are closed due to weather conditions, delayed openings or early dismissals? The following information covers the majority of these situations. Negotiated union agreements contain sections about full- or partial-day emergency closings. The emergency leave manual also covers the following.
Contracts outline in detail reporting procedures during emergencies
Schools, central and other administrative offices closed (systemwide closure)
Only emergency personnel designated by the superintendent report for work. All building services and selected maintenance staff have been designated as emergency personnel unless otherwise notified.
Emergency leave should not be reported for any emergency employees. Principals and directors have been delegated the authority to designate additional staff as emergency personnel if the staff member is critical to the ongoing functions of the school or location. If you are designated as emergency personnel, your supervisor will notify you to report for work. For example, payroll processing and IT employees may be designated as emergency personnel if they are required to produce payroll.
All building services staff are required to report for work. All 11- and 12-month professional employees and all 12-month supporting services employees are required to report to work at their regularly scheduled time on days when schools are closed and administrative offices are open. Emergency leave should not be reported for any of these employees.
However, 10-month professional and 9- and 10-month supporting services employees will be granted emergency leave. Long-term substitute teachers, staff development substitute teachers and temporary part-time lunch hour aides (class 2690) do not report to work and will be granted emergency leave.
Short-term substitutes do not report to work and will not be granted emergency leave. Temporary employees who are scheduled to work will report if permanent employees in the same job classification are expected to report. Emergency leave is not authorized for these temporary employees.
All 11- and 12-month professional and 12-month supporting services employees will report for duty. All 10-month professional and all 9- and 10-month supporting services employees will be granted emergency leave. Temporary employees are subject to the same provisions as above.
Administrative and central offices are defined as 45 W. Gude, CESC; Century 21, Connecticut Park, Lincoln, Lynnbrook, Rocking Horse Road and Spring Mill centers; Shady Grove Complex (Transportation/Maintenance/Food Services); Vision Programs; and Upper Montgomery County Center.
A delayed opening only applies to schools. All administrative office personnel will report at their regularly scheduled time. The workday for 10-month school-based teachers (A-D salary schedule, including kindergarten teachers, and short- and long-term substitutes) and all 9- and 10-month supporting services employees will begin 20 minutes before the delayed school day is scheduled to start.
The school-based cafeteria manager, along with the food service supervisor and principal, will determine the start time of school-based food and nutrition staff when schools have a delayed opening. The adjusted start time will depend on the adjusted meal serving times of the school. All 11- and 12-month professional and 12-month supporting services school-based employees are expected to work their normal schedule.
When there is an early dismissal, the workday for 10- month teachers and 9- and 10-month supporting services employees will end when all students have been dismissed and all students under the direct supervision of the employee have left the school. The principal may require these employees to remain on duty if they are needed to care for students.
All 11- and 12-month professional and 12-month supporting services school-based employees will work their regularly scheduled hours unless the superintendent authorizes an early dismissal of administrative offices. Temporary employees, except lunch hour aides and staff development substitute teachers, and long-term substitute teachers are not granted emergency leave pay for delayed opening or early dismissal. These employees are only paid for the actual hours worked.
When schools are closed by presidential or gubernatorial proclamation, all employees, except those specifically designated as emergency personnel by the superintendent, will be granted emergency leave.
Employees who are currently enrolled in direct deposit will not be affected by emergency paycheck distribution. Employees hired after Feb. 1, 2001, are required to participate in direct deposit. All other employees are encouraged to use the direct deposit system. The Employee and Retiree Service Center web site has a link to the direct deposit enrollment form.
Please note that when emergency procedures are in effect, no special arrangements for emergency paycheck distribution will be offered.
Normal paycheck distribution procedures will be followed.
Checks for school-based employees will be delivered on the next business day when schools are open. Employees located in administrative and central offices that remain open will have normal paycheck distribution. (Administrative offices are defined as 45 W. Gude, CESC, Lincoln Center, Connecticut Park Center, Lynnbrook Center, Rocking Horse Center, Vision Programs, Upper Montgomery County Center, Spring Mill Center, Century 21 Center.)
Watch MCPS cable channels 33 and 34 or listen to the local radio and television stations for check distribution information in the event that a decision is made to mail checks. Checks will be distributed to all schools and central and administrative offices on the next scheduled business day
The snow is coming down faster and faster. The superintendent has just announced that schools will close early. But you have a training program that you planned to attend that afternoon. You could make several phone calls to find out if it's still on. Or you could refer to the table below.
| Status of schools | Morning (8-11:30) |
Afternoon (12:30-4) |
Full day (8-4) |
After hours (4-7) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canceled | Canceled and rescheduled | Canceled and rescheduled | Canceled and rescheduled | Canceled and rescheduled |
| Early closing (2.5 hours) |
Held as scheduled | Canceled and rescheduled | Morning held as scheduled, Afternoon canceled and rescheduled |
Canceled and rescheduled |
| Delayed opening (2.0 hours) |
Canceled and rescheduled | Held as scheduled | Canceled and rescheduled | Held as scheduled |