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***Atlanta Federal Executive Board***

**UNIFORM WEATHER, EMERGENCY ALERT AND EARLY DISMISSAL PLAN**

**(The plan contains sensitive telephone numbers and is not being
distributed beyond Agency Heads.)**

I.  **Introduction**

> This plan covers Federal employees in the Atlanta Federal Executive
> Board's area of coverage. The plan does not include U. S. Postal
> Service employees or employees designated by their agency as emergency
> employees or mission-critical employees.
>
> Federal Register, Vol. 49, No. 169, pages 34193-34195 provides the
> regulatory authority for the Uniform Weather Emergency Alert and
> Dismissal Plan. Notification of any emergency situation generated
> under this plan is **Advisory Only.** The final decision regarding the
> dismissal of employees reside with each individual agency or
> installation head. Each agency, is, however, encouraged to avoid
> independent action and is requested to follow the plan in order to
> present a uniform government policy and to discourage disparities
> between agencies, therefore allowing affected employees to be treated
> as consistently as possible. Each agency should also establish agency
> unique policy and procedures for implementation of the plan and
> actions to be taken upon notification of an emergency situation.

II. **Communication**

> The Atlanta Federal Executive Board (FEB) will communicate the
> decision to designated Agency leadership. The message will be reported
> to agencies in two ways: We will utilize the FEB hotline to post
> messages. We will also communicate with agencies via the USP3 network
> which will provide a telephone message as well as an email message.
> The FEB hotline number is **404-331-3161.** Designated agency
> officials should check this number for up-to-date messaging. **This
> number should not be released to agency employees for checking. The
> system cannot handle that volume of calls.** It is the responsibility
> of each agency to inform agency employees. The designated persons will
> depend upon the agency information furnished to the FEB in previous
> Emergency Notification Request information.
>
> If your agency did not respond to previous requests for notification
> information, your agency may not receive correct or timely
> notification. It is critical that your agency contact the FEB as soon
> as possible with the name and contact information of your agency
> leader and/or contact information for the designated alternative. You
> may reach the FEB at <AtlantaFEB@gsa.gov>. You may also call the FEB
> at 404-331-4400.
>
> Where possible, for emergency situations occurring during non-duty
> hours, local media outlets will be notified. However, we will not rely
> heavily on media contacts to communicate to employees because the
> information has not always been reported timely or accurately. In
> addition, different media outlets use different methods of reporting
> the message. Some report orally others use an abbreviated scroll line
> at the bottom of the screen. Additionally, some outlets now charge a
> fee to air the alert message.
>
> When possible, the following media outlets will be used:

-   **Television**

    -   WSB- Channel 2

    -   WAGA- Channel 5

    -   WXIA -- Channel 11

    -   WGCL- Channel 46

    -   CNN -- Channel 34

-   **Radio**

    -   WSB

    -   WGST

    -   WCNN

    -   WAOK

-   **Possible Media Messages**

> Media messages are often limited to 40 characters. The following are
> likely messages that might be announced or scrolled:

-   **Federal offices will be closed today.**

-   **Federal offices will open at XX (time).**

-   **Federal offices will close at XX (time) today.**

-   **Federal offices will open as usual today. (This message will only
    be used in extenuating circumstances).**

III. **Hazardous Weather Develops During Non-Duty Hours**

> The FEB Emergency Team, consisting of the FEB Director, the FEB Chair,
> FEMA representative, GSA representative, and OPM representative, will
> convene an early morning conference call, having consulted with the
> National Weather Service, the Georgia Department of Transportation,
> and the Atlanta Police Department to assess the weather and road
> conditions. The FEB Chair will make a decision regarding the
> implementation of this Plan. The FEB Executive Director will then post
> the decision to the FEB Emergency Hotline and implement the USP3
> system. This Advisory will be posted by 5:30 a.m. It is then the
> responsibility of each agency or his/her designee to call the Hotline
> for the advisory decision or to communicate the information from the
> USP3 system to notify his or her agency employees.
>
> Each agency is encouraged to make use of telephone cascades,
> interagency hotlines, or other appropriate methods of notification of
> your employees.
>
> An advisory message will be issued when there is a decision of a
> **Delayed Arrival** or **Agencies Are Closed.** In the event of a
> **Delayed Arrival** the message would be that employees should plan to
> arrive at work by XX hour (i.e., 10:00 a.m.). Employees who arrive
> later than the advisory time of arrival may be charged leave. When the
> emergency situation is as such that Federal agencies will be closed,
> the message will stated that Federal agencies in the Atlanta area are
> closed.
>
> Normally an advisory message **will not** be release if employees are
> expected to report to work as usual with no alteration of their normal
> office work hours. An exception will be made if there are extenuating
> circumstances or conflicting media messages warranting the issuance of
> a statement that **Federal agencies are open for business as usual.
> There is no change in normal working hours.**
>
> Agencies should follow their already established telework, alternative
> work schedule, and designated emergency employee rules.

IV. **Hazardous Condition Develops During Duty Hours**

> When the emergency situation develops during the work day, the FEB
> Emergency Team will convene via conference call to conduct the same
> level of operational readiness coordination as during non-duty hours.
> The team will determine the severity of the developing weather
> condition through either the webinar or conference call with the
> National Weather Service. The decisions effecting closure will be
> conveyed to the Agency Head via the USP3 system and by posting a
> message to the FEB Hotline Number. Again, the decision is Advisory
> Only. The agency head is responsible for the dissemination of the
> message to internal agency employees.
>
> Employees should be released from work on an incremental basis,
> generally one-third every half-hour in the following order:

-   Disabled employees first

-   Employees using public transportation and carpools

-   Employees whose residences or destinations are located in the
    direction and area of greatest impact of the adverse weather system.

V.  **Employee Accountability**

> As a general rule, employees excused or dismissed from work due to
> hazardous weather conditions or other emergency should qualify for
> administrative leave for the specified time period to ensure
> uniformity in the Atlanta Metropolitan area. Employees who chose to
> leave **should not** be granted **administrative leave BEFORE** an
> early dismissal or a delayed opening advisory is rendered. A **liberal
> leave** policy should be granted on an individual basis for employees
> who want to leave while agencies remain open.
>
> Employees who are on official travel on a workday when his or her
> agency is closed or there is implementation of a delayed or early
> closing is expected to continue working. If the travel assignment
> requires frequent contact with the home agency, an excused absence may
> be appropriate. The agency is responsible for determining whether an
> employee is required to continue working or will be granted excused
> absence under these circumstances.
>
> An employee who is on leave does not received excused absence when an
> agency is closed. These employees should remain in their current
> status. An employee in a nonpay status has no expectation of working
> and receiving pay for a day which the agency is closed and is
> therefore not entitled to be paid for his or her absence.
>
> Agencies should following their already established rules for
> employees on an alternative work schedule (AWS), telework or employees
> who telework from a remote location. Agencies may use the guidance in
> OPM's *Handbook on Alternative Work Schedules* (see information on
> "Excused Absence" in the "Flexible Work Schedules" section) to
> determine the "normal arrival and departure times" of employees on
> flexible schedules. The handbook is available on OPM's Website at
> <http://www.opm.gov/oca/aws/index.htm>.
>
> Employees who have been designated as emergency employees and
> mission-critical emergency employees are expected to report for work
> on time unless otherwise directed by their agencies.

VI. **Extended Emergency Situations**

> In any emergency situation, Government operations may be disrupted for
> extended periods. OPM has provided numerous resources to enable
> Federal agencies to continue functioning effectively during an
> emergency situation. This information is available at
> <http://www.opm.gov/emergency>. In addition, the following fact sheets
> and *Handbook*, available on OPM's website, offer further guidance on
> continuing operations during extended emergencies:

-   **Handbook on Pay and Leave Benefits For Federal Employees Affected
    By Severe Weather Emergencies or Other Emergency Situations**

> <http://www.opm.gov/oca/COMPMEMO/2005/2005-18hb.pdf>

-   **Emergency Situations That Prevent Employees From Reporting for
    Work**

> <http://www.opm.gov/oca/compmem/2003/PreventEmpsReportingforWork.asp>

-   **Emergency Situations That Restrict Employees To Their Agency's
    Premises ("Shelter in Place")**

> <http://www.opm.gov/oca/compmemo/2003/ShelterInPlace.asp>

-   **Furloughs Due to Extended Emergencies**

> <http://www.opm.gov/oca/compmemp/003/Furloughs.asp>