Subject: Time and Leave Policy in the Event of a Major Public Transportation Work Stoppage

Supersedes: Personnel Services Bulletin No. 440-1r

Date: December 9, 2005

Policy

In the event of a major public transportation work stoppage, travel to and from work will, in many cases, become more difficult.  All City employees have a special obligation to continue to provide services to the public during times of emergency.  They must make every effort to overcome transportation difficulties and report to work.

The following time and leave policy applies to all City employees who are subject to the “Leave Regulations for Employees Who are Under the Career and Salary Plan” or the “Leave Regulations for Management Employees.” Uniformed employees of the Police, Fire, Correction and Sanitation Departments are not subject to this policy.

Employees covered by this policy should be advised of the following:    

A. Absence

Employees are expected to find alternate means of reporting to work.  Agency heads shall allow unscheduled absences to be charged against either annual leave or compensatory time balances upon a showing by the employee that reporting to work would have caused an undue burden for the employee.  Where an employee has no leave balances, annual leave may be advanced for this purpose.

B. Lateness

Employees who anticipate delays in reaching their work locations because of a major public transportation work stoppage are expected to allow extra time for travel.  However, lateness found by the agency head, or an individual designated by the agency head, to have been caused by transportation circumstances beyond the ability of the tardy employee to control, shall be excused.  A request for excusal should not be unreasonably denied.  For employees covered by the Citywide Agreement, a refusal to excuse a lateness may be appealed to the Commissioner of Labor Relations, whose decision shall be final.

C. Alternative Work Schedules

Agency heads are reminded that, in the event of a major public transportation work stoppage, they should explore and, wherever feasible, institute a system of staggered work hours and flexible schedules consistent with agency operations and the effective delivery of services to the public.

D. Alternative Work Sites

Where feasible, agency heads may permit employees to report to authorized alternative work sites.  In addition, at the discretion of the agency head, appropriate managerial employees may be permitted to telecommute from home during the period of a major public transportation work stoppage.

Martha K. Hirst
Commissioner

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