Essential Service: Jobs that are required to maintain essential services and operations during any severe weather or emergency condition while ensuring for the safety and health of all patients, students, staff and faculty. A 10 percent base pay differential will be paid to hourly paid employees for hours worked on site during any shift in which the policy is activated. Childcare services will be provided.

Reserve Service: Jobs that are not immediately required to provide service but function as "Delayed Service" during severe weather or emergency conditions and may be upgraded to "Essential Service" based on the needs of the department/organization. Employees in this category should not report to work unless instructed to by their supervisor.

Delayed Service: Jobs that can be delayed until severe weather/emergency conditions have passed.

Unlike the existing policy, the revised policy also defines the weather conditions that can trigger the implementation of the new rules:

Severe Weather/Emergency Conditions - Defined as heavy snow or ice accumulations, flooding, hurricane or tornado damage that significantly affects the normal operations of Duke. Regardless of the severe weather/emergency condition event, the hospitals and university must remain open in support of patient care and residential support. However, classes and clinic appointments may be canceled. Staff holding positions assigned to the Essential Service category must report to or remain at work.

State of Emergency - Only the governor and/or mayors of affected areas can declare a state of emergency. In the event that a state of emergency is called, all Duke staff members should contact their supervisor for instructions. Staff holding positions assigned to the Essential Service category must report to or remain at work as scheduled or directed.

Hazardous Conditions - There are some weather or emergency conditions that occur when the local school systems are closed and the health system and university offices are open and services continue. During these conditions employing units will provide operating and attendance guidelines.

The policy carefully spells out the decision-making process, noting that "because of the diverse and numerous customers served by Duke and the multiple locations at which services are delivered, efficient discussion of the weather conditions is required to enable appropriate and coordinated decisions for each locale and work shift."

The following criteria will be considered in declaring a severe weather or emergency condition for each shift, the policy states:

The condition or anticipated worsening condition of local streets and highways in the general locale of each campus/entity.

Other conditions that may pose a threat to the safety of students, patients, faculty, staff and visitors.

Duke Police Chief Clarence Birkhead is responsible for gathering weather and condition information and he will report his findings to Executive Vice President Tallman Trask III and Health System Executive Vice President Bill Donelan. Trask and Donelan will confer and then Trask will decide on whether to activate or terminate the severe weather/emergency conditions policy for each shift. Once implemented, the policy will remain in force for the duration of the work shift.

Trask also will confer with Provost Peter Lange, who will determine whether classes need to be rescheduled.

Existing telephone numbers will provide information for the various Duke entities. Campus and medical center employees should use 684-INFO (4636); Duke Hospital employees should call 681-SNOW (7669); Durham Regional Hospital employees should call 470-SNOW (7669); and Raleigh Community Hospital employees should call 954-3003. In addition, ongoing severe weather or emergency condition updates will be available on the Daily Dialogue Web site http://www.dukenews.duke.edu/daily.html.