![](media/image1.jpeg){width="1.0833333333333333in"
height="1.0881944444444445in"}February 4, 2003

MEMORANDUM FOR DENVER FEDERAL EXECUTIVE BOARD (DFEB) MEMBERS AND ALL
FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

SUBJECT: Emergency Situations Plan Procedures

In light of the continuing security threats and finally a hint of winter
we are asking your timely cooperation in updating your current Emergency
Situations Plan information. Please complete the attached Hotline
Information Authorization Sheet. If you have not already submitted your
Agency Directory Update Sheet, please do so ASAP. By keeping this
information current we are able to contact your agency in the event of
an emergency or provide you information. The Hotline, broadcast fax, and
email are all ways we can get information out to you quickly. Therefore,
we **need** to have your current information to develop an
email/address/phone listing that will enable us to get information out
to you and your alternate points of contacts in a hurry---this is to all
of our benefit. So now is the time to review the Emergency Situations
Plans for your office; and update and return the DFEB Hotline
Authorization sheet and Agency Directory Update. If you do not know the
DFEB Hotline phone number please contact the DFEB Office at\
303-676-7009.

Attached is a copy of the current DFEB Emergency Situations Plan, dated
January 2003. The following are **highlights** for review. Please share
this information with your staff.

-   The Federal Government is never "closed." Local conditions force
    some government offices to shut down, but the essential business of
    government continues.

-   When weather and man-made disaster force closure of some offices,
    \"emergency" employees (as designated by their agencies) are still
    expected to be in their assigned location to handle the necessary
    business.

-   Federal government is vital to serving the public. The DFEB will
    endeavor to avoid widespread curtailment of public services. This
    policy is consistent with that of the U.S. Office of Personnel
    Management and the Administration.

-   This policy encourages and allows for more general use of
    **"unscheduled"** leave for workers who truly find it impossible or
    unsafe to make it to the office, or who arrive late.

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\- Unfortunately, various weather conditions may exist in the Denver
metropolitan area at any given time. An agency leader may independently
determine that it is in the best interest of his or her agency to close.
But, just because one agency excuses its workforce does not mean the
rest of the government is shutting its offices for the day or that all
Federal buildings are closed

-   Agency leaders should check the DFEB (Confidential) Hotline number
    for any recommendations. Federal employees will be directed to check
    with your agency.

-   Occasions of federal buildings closing completely are extremely
    rare. Decisions for delayed reporting, early dismissal or closure
    must be carefully considered before recommendations are made.

-   The DFEB Executive Committee will make a recommendation during
    emergencies, on the Hotline, KOA radio, Channel 4 and Channel 9,
    [but each individual Agency Leader is responsible for making the
    final decision about his or her office and for communicating that
    decision to employees.]{.underline}

-   Employees should look or listen for the "Denver Federal Executive
    Board" on the television or radio closure list, it will not mention
    "federal agencies or offices" as the federal government is never
    "closed".

-   If the weather/emergency is localized in one half of the city the
    message would say "Denver Federal Executive Board east of I-25 is
    closed.", meaning that only the agencies east of Interstate 25 are
    closed and that those west of I-25 still report for work and
    visa-versa if the weather is west of I-25. If the emergency is
    citywide then the message would read "Denver Federal Executive Board
    is closed." *Closure is related to the agency's location, not from
    an employee's home.*

-   Individual federal employees should consult with their manager for a
    copy of their agency emergency procedures.

# DFEB EMERGENCY COMMITTEE

The DFEB Executive Committee coordinates announcements regarding
emergency situations and weather conditions. Committee members are
located throughout the Denver metropolitan area. No
**[one]{.underline}** individual makes a recommendation without the
proper coordination among the Executive Committee.

![](media/image3.png){width="2.6in" height="0.7333333333333333in"}Your
cooperation in communicating the above information to your employees is
encouraged. As always, we appreciate your continued support to the
Denver Federal Executive Board.

Michael S. Hacskaylo Lawrence D. Grandison, Jr.

Chairperson Executive Director

![](media/image1.jpeg){width="1.0833333333333333in"
height="1.0888888888888888in"}**DENVER FEDERAL EXECUTIVE BOARD (DFEB)**

##### EMERGENCY SITUATIONS PLAN

## January 2003

**INTRODUCTION:**

Under the direction of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM 5CFR,
Part 960.107, subparagraph c (6)), the following guidelines apply to
snow emergencies, severe icing conditions, floods, earthquakes,
tornadoes, air pollution, power failures, interruption of public
transportation, and other situations preventing significant numbers of
Federal employees in the Denver area from reporting for work on time, or
which require agencies to close all or part of their activities.

These procedures apply to all executive agencies in the Denver
metropolitan area. It excludes the Boulder area and military
installations. Facilities outside the Denver metropolitan area (Boulder)
may prefer to develop their own plans, since they are subject to
different emergency and traffic conditions.

It is recommended that Federal agencies in the metropolitan area comply
with this area-wide plan and the announced recommendation on dismissal
or closure.

Some agencies and/or operations and employees must continue on the job
regardless of any group dismissal plan. The determination and
designation of those positions, which cannot be temporarily suspended or
interrupted, is a matter for the head of the office or activity. It is
recommended the agency leader advise, in writing, those employees who
are to disregard any announcement concerning dismissal, late reporting
or non-reporting (possible example: security personnel, maintenance
personnel, medical personnel, postal employees, etc.)

**DFEB Responsibilities:**

1\. All employees are to presume, unless otherwise notified, that their
offices or activities will be open each regular workday regardless of
weather or other emergency conditions which may develop. Employees are
expected to cope with difficult driving conditions and moderate
disruptions of the public transportation system.

2\. The DFEB (Confidential) Hotline recording system (two lines) is
operational in the DFEB office. The confidential phone numbers are
provided to federal agency leaders (DFEB members) and their alternates
**after** the DFEB receives a copy of your updated ESP Hotline
Authorization Sheet and Agency Directory Update. These numbers should be
kept confidential and given only to those

2

persons within each agency, department and/or installation who have the
authority, in the absence of the agency, department and/or installation
leader, to release employees. Under **[NO]{.underline}** circumstances
should these numbers be disseminated to employees. This would defeat the
intent of the system, namely, to provide agencies, etc., with immediate
access to the DFEB recommended course of action.

3\. The DFEB Chairperson and/or Vice Chairpersons and Executive Director
will determine if an emergency situation exists which warrants
consideration of closure, delayed reporting, or early dismissal of
Federal offices and installations. Input from local authorities will be
obtained and a determination made.

4\. The DFEB Executive Director will activate the DFEB "HOTLINE" and
contact the radio and television stations if necessary.

5\. The DFEB Chairperson, Vice Chairpersons or Executive Director will
notify Channel 4,\
Channel 9, and KOA radio if agencies are recommended to close, or to
initiate delayed reporting. The code words to listen for are: "The
**Denver Federal Executive Board or DFEB."** The following are the
**official** DFEB emergency situation media stations:

a.  KOA -- 850 AM radio station

b.  KCNC -- Channel 4 television station

c.  KUSA - Channel 9 television station

**Possible Announcements:**

> \(1\) The Denver Federal Executive Board is closed.

(2) The Denver Federal Executive Board is on delayed reporting.

(3) The Denver Federal Executive Board is closed east/west of I-25

> (Reference DFEB Announcements, paragraphs (a), (b) and (c), pages 4
> and 5.)

Agencies are strongly encouraged to inform all employees of the media
outlets. If an agency does not participate in the DFEB plan, it is the
agency leader's responsibility to advise all employees to disregard the
above announcement when aired. The DFEB will not be responsible for
agencies not participating in the DFEB plan, e.g., Boulder area and/or
military installations.

# Agency Responsibilities:

1\. All agencies are to assume that buildings will be open for business
at the normal hours under all conditions. If GSA determines they will
not be able to have any particular Federal building available for
occupancy, GSA will unilaterally notify the agency/agencies affected
directly. Agencies in leased buildings are required to make similar
arrangements with the building managers.

2\. At least annually, agencies should provide written procedures for
emergency situations to employees working in the Denver metropolitan
area. The notice should inform employees how they will be notified, and
include the DFEB text of the media announcements to be used. This notice

3

should also explain the "unscheduled leave" policy whereby employees may
request to use annual leave, leave without pay, and/or previously earned
compensatory time off.

3\. At least annually, agencies should identify "emergency" personnel
and notify them in writing that they are designated as "emergency
employees." The term "emergency employee" is used to designate those
employees who must report for work in emergency situations. The notice
should include the requirement that emergency employees report for, or
remain at work in emergency situations, and an explanation that
dismissal or closure announcements do not apply to them unless they are
instructed otherwise. If an agency determines a situation requires
non-emergency employees to report for, or remain at work during an
emergency, the agency should establish a procedure for notifying them
individually. (Possible example: security personnel, maintenance
personnel, medical personnel, postal employees, etc.)

4\. Agencies are responsible for determining closure, dismissal, and
leave policies for employees on shift work and alternative work
schedules (i.e., flexible or compressed work schedules) and for
informing employees of these policies.

5\. There may be occasions in emergency situations that individual
employees may face special family situations (e.g., when employees are
expected to report for work on time, but the schools open late or are
closed). The DFEB will not provide a "HOTLINE" announcement to cover
these situations. Agencies should notify employees of procedures to be
followed when this occurs, and should be as flexible and understanding
as possible in approving leave in these situations.

# [INITIATING THE DFEB EMERGENCY SITUATIONS PLAN]{.underline}

# 

# If Federal agencies are OPEN, employees are expected to report for work on time.

# Agencies may grant a reasonable amount of excused absence to employees who are unavoidably delayed in arriving for work. Factors such as distance, availability of transportation, and the success of other employees in similar situations should be considered in determining the amount of excused absence to grant. Employees are responsible for notifying their supervisors of their situation.

**Unscheduled Leave Policy.** Employees may take leave without prior
approval.

When Federal agencies are open on time, but employees not designated as
"emergency employees" may take annual leave or leave without pay (LWOP)
without the prior approval of their supervisors. Employees designated as
"emergency employees" are expected to report for work on time. Employees
should inform their supervisors if they plan to take annual leave or
LWOP.

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**[DFEB ANNOUNCEMENTS]{.underline}**

The DFEB will provide one of the following announcements on the
"HOTLINE" and to the media stations when an emergency occurs before the
workday begins. Every effort will be made to make a decision and record
the message on the "HOTLINE" by 5:30 a.m. Federal agencies, departments
and installation leaders can call the DFEB's HOTLINE to be guided by the
DFEB recommendation.

**(a) The DFEB is closed.** (Employees not designated as "emergency
employees" are excused from duty without loss of pay or charge to leave.
Employees designated as "emergency employees" are expected to report for
work on time.) (Workdays on which a Federal activity is closed are
non-workdays for leave purposes. **Employees who are on approved leave
before the closure must be granted excused absence.** This does not
apply to employees on LWOP, military leave, suspension, or in a non-pay
status. Employees on alternate work schedules (AWS) are not entitled to
another AWS day off "in lieu of" the workday on which the agency is
closed.)

> **Message: "This is the DFEB HOTLINE. Today is \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ and
> the time is \_\_\_\_\_\_\_. The DFEB recommends closure on (insert
> date or dates) because of (insert reason). You are requested to
> implement your agency procedures for non-reporting due to emergency
> situations."**
>
> **(b) DFEB is on (\_\_ hours) delayed reporting.** (Employees are
> requested to leave home \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ hours later than their normal
> departure time.)

### Message: "This is the DFEB Hotline. Today is \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ and the time is \_\_\_\_\_\_. The DFEB recommends delayed reporting (number of hours). You are requested to implement your agency procedures for delayed reporting due to emergency situations."

Federal agencies are operating under a delayed reporting policy.
Employees are requested to leave home (\_) hours later than normal
departure time.

> When Federal agencies are operating under a delayed reporting,
> agencies will open on time, but non-emergency employees should adjust
> their normal home departure time consistent with the announcement, and
> non-emergency employees who arrive late will be excused without loss
> of pay or charge to leave. Employees designated as "emergency
> employees" are expected to report for work on time. (Agencies may use
> the guidance in OPM's "Handbook on Alternative Work Schedules,
> December 1996" (section 12, "Flexible Work Schedules," paragraph 1) to
> determine the "normal arrival and departure times" of employees on
> flexible schedules.

# 5

# 

# 

# [EMERGENCIES DURING NORMAL WORK HOURS]{.underline}

Message: "This is the DFEB Hotline. Today is \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ and the time
is \_\_\_\_\_\_\_. The DFEB recommends a (number of hours) early
dismissal."

When the DFEB recommends an "early dismissal," employees should be
dismissed relative to their normal departure times from work. For
example, if a 2-hour early dismissal were announced, as a result of a
snowstorm or other emergency situation, workers who normally leave their
offices at\
4:30 p.m. would be authorized to leave at 2:30 p.m. Supervisors should
exempt individual employees from recommended dismissal times under this
policy only to avoid hardships (e.g., when younger children are released
early from school and no alternative forms of childcare are available to
the employee). When a supervisor exempts an individual employee from
authorized dismissal times, the agency should not charge leave.

**[VARYING CONDITIONS]{.underline}**

There will be occasions when weather and/or emergency conditions vary
throughout the metropolitan area. The DFEB will recommend Federal
agencies consider operating under a liberal leave policy based on their
particular situation. If the weather and/or emergency effects just half
of the city the DFEB will make a recommendation based on the conditions,
such as:

\(c\) **The DFEB is closed east of I-25 or The DFEB is closed west of
I-25.** This policy encourages and allows for more general use of
**"unscheduled"** leave for workers who truly find it impossible or
unsafe to make it to the office, or who arrive late. Employees
designated as "emergency employees" are expected to report for work on
time.) (Workdays on which a Federal activity is closed are non-workdays
for leave purposes. **Employees who are on approved leave before the
closure must be granted excused absence.** This does not apply to
employees on LWOP, military leave, suspension, or in a non-pay status.
Employees on alternate work schedules (AWS) are not entitled to another
AWS day off "in lieu of" the workday on which the agency is closed.)

> **Message: "This is the DFEB HOTLINE. Today is \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ and
> the time is \_\_\_\_\_\_\_. The DFEB recommends closure (east or west
> of I-25) on (insert date or dates) because of (insert reason). If your
> agency is in the effected area you are requested to implement your
> agency procedures for non-reporting due to emergency situations."**

-   Closure is based on the location of the agency, not of an employee's
    home.

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[EARLY DISMISSAL LEAVE POLICIES]{.underline}

**How is leave handled when an "adjusted" work dismissal is
authorized?**

1.  **Employee is on duty**. Agency should grant excused absence for the
    remainder of the workday following the employee's authorized time of
    dismissal even if the employee is scheduled to take leave later in
    the day.

2.  **Employee leaves before the time set for his or her authorized
    dismissal (with supervisory** **approval.**) In a situation not
    involving a hardship, the agency may charge leave for the period
    remaining before the employee's authorized departure time.

3.  **Employee leaves before official word of "early dismissal" is
    received**. The agency should charge leave or absence without leave,
    as appropriate, for the remainder of the workday.

4.  **Employee is scheduled to return from leave after the announcement
    of an "early dismissal" policy, but before his or her authorized
    departure time.** The agency should charge leave for the period
    during which the employee is on approved leave and should grant
    excused absence for the remainder of the workday following the
    employee\'s authorized time of dismissal, even if the employee is
    scheduled to take leave later in the day.

5.  **Employee is absent on previously approved leave (annual, sick, or
    leave without pay (LWOP)) for the entire workday.** The agency
    should continue to charge the employee leave for the entire workday.

6.  **Employee fails to report for work before his or her authorized
    dismissal time.** The agency should charge annual leave, sick leave,
    or LWOP, as appropriate, for the entire workday. Exceptions to this
    policy should be made only in unusual circumstances.

7\. **Employee is scheduled to report for work after an "adjusted work
dismissal" policy is officially announced.** The agency may grant
excused absence to the employee even if the employee is scheduled to
take leave later in the day.

![](media/image1.jpeg){width="1.0833333333333333in"
height="1.0888888888888888in"}**DENVER FEDERAL EXECUTIVE BOARD**

# EMERGENCY SITUATIONS PLAN

#### HOTLINE AUTHORIZATION SHEET 2003

Indicate below the names and phone numbers of 3-4 individuals (including
yourself, as the DFEB member) who are authorized to use the DFEB Hotline
in your absence. (Remember these numbers are **CONFIDENTIAL**.) If you
do not have the phone numbers you may call into the office for them
AFTER you have submitted your authorization sheet. Please remember to
update this sheet when changes to the information occur.

**AGENCY NAME:**

**MAILING ADDRESS:**

**AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL:**

**NAME, PHONE NUMBER & EMAIL ADDRESS OF AGENCY DIRECTOR/COMMANDER (DFEB
Member):**

(Name) (Phone Number) (Email)

**ALTERNATE NAMES, PHONE NUMBERS & EMAIL ADDRESSES:**

1\.

2\.

3\.

DFEB Member Signature Date

Please do **NOT** give these phone numbers to anyone other than those
designated.

Return form to: Denver Federal Executive Board

6760 E. Irvington Place

Denver, CO 80279-8000

FAX: (303) 676-6666