POLICY STATEMENT

Title Emergency Operating Procedures

Number 4109

Effective Date January 12, 2017

Approval

Clifford T. Keenan, Director

PRETRIAL SERVICES AGENCY 

for the

DISTRICT of COLUMBIA

EMERGENCY OPERATING PROCEDURES

Table of Contents

Overview...........................................................................................................................................2

Notification Systems and Employee Designations...........................................................................3

Office of Operations Employee Designations...................................................................................5

Activating Emergency Teams- Office of Operations........................................................................6

PSA Administrative Offices- Employee Designations.....................................................................8

Designations for Change in Status..................................................................................................10
Policy Statement 4109

Emergency Operating Procedures

Effective Date: 01/12/2017

Page 2 of 13

Overview

Purpose The purpose of this policy is to establish standard Emergency Operating 

Procedures (EOP) for the Pretrial Services Agency for the District of 

Columbia (PSA or Agency) when there are changes to the Agency’s operating 

status (not including furloughs or government shutdowns).

Given PSA’s role as a Federal law enforcement Agency and the important 

services it provides to the Court, the community, and the defendant 

population, PSA must maintain adequate staff coverage even when:

• D.C. Superior Court (DCSC) announces a change in operating status;

• Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announces a change in the Federal 

Government’s operating status; and/or when

• PSA is adversely impacted by unforeseen events (e.g., emergency building 

closures).

Coverage This policy applies to all PSA employees.

Superseded This policy supersedes Policy Statement 4109- Emergency Operating 

Procedures, dated April 22, 2013 (number revised July 1, 2015).

Related 

Guidance

PSA Policy Statements:

• 4040- Telework Program

• 4010- Absence and Leave

• 4050- Hours of Work and Overtime

Authorities OPM -Washington, DC, Area Dismissal and Closure Procedures, December 

2015.

OPM- Handbook on Pay and Leave Benefits for Federal Employees Affected 

by Severe Weather Emergencies or Other Emergency Situations, June 2008.

Administrator This Policy Statement is administered by the Office of Human Capital 

Management (OHCM) for control and review.
Policy Statement 4109

Emergency Operating Procedures

Effective Date: 01/12/2017

Page 3 of 13

Notification Systems and Employee Designations

Notification 

Systems

The Personnel Notification System (PNS), PSA’s external and internal

websites, and local news entities, are the methods by which employees are 

made aware of the Agency’s operating status.

PSA attempts to notify employees of changes in operating status by the 

following times, or as soon as possible:

• Monday – Friday, Day shift by 5:00 AM;

• Weekend Day shift by 5:00 AM;

• Evening shift by 1:00 PM; and

• Midnight shift by 9:00 PM

Employees should note that while Management intends to meet these 

notification times, the variable nature of events that can lead to changes in the 

operating status might affect Management’s ability to meet established 

notification times.

Employee 

Designations

For the purposes of changes in operating status, PSA has three designations of 

employees:

Emergency- employees within the Office of Operations who are deemed 

essential to the continuation of operations at PSA.

Mission-Critical- employees outside the Office of Operations who are 

deemed essential to the continuation of operations at PSA.

Non-Emergency- employees in any office of PSA who are deemed 

neither emergency nor mission-critical.

Telework Telework is an important tool for PSA during office closures and changes in 

operating status; therefore, all employees must be aware of their telework 

status. Employees with telework agreements generally should no longer be 

granted excuse absence during a change in operating status.

The teleworker’s supervisor may excuse a telework employee from duty 

during an emergency situation if the:

• Event adversely affects the alternate worksite (e.g., disruption of 

electricity, loss of heat, etc.);

• Teleworker faces a personal hardship that prevents him/her from 

working successfully at the alternative worksite; or

Continued on next page
Policy Statement 4109

Emergency Operating Procedures

Effective Date: 01/12/2017

Page 4 of 13

Notification Systems and Employee Designations, Continued

Telework, 

(continued)

• Teleworker’s duties are such that he/she cannot continue to work 

without contact with the regular worksite.

In any of these scenarios the employee must submit a Justification for Excused 

Absence.

In order to continue normal Federal government operations, all employees 

with an approved telework agreement who have not been notified to report to 

work due to a change in operating status, are expected to request leave or 

telework for the duration of their regular tour of duty during weather-related 

or other unusual closure events.

Refer to Policy Statement 4040- Telework Program for specific guidance on 

teleworking.

Scheduled 

Leave/RDO

Employees on approved leave or on a regularly scheduled day off that 

coincides with changes in PSA’s operating status are not required to report 

for duty or to telework.

Pay and Leave 

Benefits During 

Change in 

Operating 

Status

The OPM Handbook on Pay and Leave Benefits for Federal Employees 

Affected by Severe Weather Emergencies or Other Emergency Situations,

June 2008, outlines work schedules affected during a change in operating 

status. Employees reporting for duty or teleworking during a change in 

operating status are not entitled to overtime pay, credit hours, or 

compensatory time for performing work done during their regularly scheduled 

duty hours.

When a change in operating status requires the day, evening, night, weekend, 

or holiday shift in any office component of PSA to remain at work beyond 

their normal tour until staff from the next shift report, those working beyond 

their tour of duty receive overtime compensation. See Policy Statement 4050-

Hours of Work and Overtime for additional guidance regarding overtime.
Policy Statement 4109

Emergency Operating Procedures

Effective Date: 01/12/2017

Page 5 of 13

Office of Operations Employee Designations

Introduction The Office of Operations has designated employees as “emergency” or “nonemergency” personnel.

Emergency 

Personnel

Emergency personnel are employees who are expected to report to or remain 

at the worksite as directed by the Agency during a change in operating status. 

The following positions are considered emergency personnel:

• Deputy Associate Director;

• Program Managers;

• Supervisors and Special Assistants;

• Clinical Services Specialists;

• Pretrial Services Officers, Assistant Pretrial Services Officers; and

• Drug Testing Technicians.

NonEmergency 

Personnel

The following positions are considered non-emergency:

• Program Assistants;

• Program Support Specialists;

• Program Analysts; and

• Management Analysts.

Non-emergency personnel are not expected to report or remain at the worksite 

during a change in operating status, and must follow OPM guidance for late 

arrival, early dismissal, liberal leave, or telework situations. Non-emergency 

personnel with an approved telework agreement are required to work during 

a change in operating status unless they use leave.
Policy Statement 4109

Emergency Operating Procedures

Effective Date: 01/12/2017

Page 6 of 13

Activating Emergency Teams - Office of Operations

Emergency 

Team 

Activation

Recognizing that not all emergency personnel are needed in every situation, 

PSA Operations utilizes a team concept. All emergency personnel are 

assigned to a team within their program area. During a change in operating 

status, the Office of the Director assesses the Agency's needs and the Office of 

Operations activates the appropriate number of teams to ensure adequate 

office coverage during the event.

Emergency personnel are notified of PSA’s operating status via the PNS. 

The current list of team assignments can be found on PSA’s internal and 

external websites.

Order of Team 

Activation

All Operations emergency personnel must be aware of their current team 

assignment and report for duty on time when required. Team activation rotates 

throughout the course of the year and from year-to-year.

Reporting for 

Duty

During a change in operating status, emergency employees scheduled to work 

any shift (i.e., day, evening, midnight, weekend or holiday) are expected to 

report on time for their regular tour of duty unless otherwise notified by their 

supervisor or via PSA’s PNS.

Reporting 

Location

Activated emergency teams report for duty on time directly to Court Services 

(500 Indiana Avenue, NW, Room C-225) to receive their assignments.

Failure to 

Report for 

Duty

All Operations emergency personnel are responsible for knowing whether or 

not his/her team has been activated. 

When an activated emergency team employee is unable to report for duty on 

time or for the entire day, the employee must contact the emergency team 

supervisor1 to inform him/her of their situation prior to the start of their tour 

of duty. Failure to report to the worksite without reasonable justification may 

result in the employee being placed in an absence without leave (AWOL) 

status and could subject the employee to disciplinary action.

Continued on next page

 1 An activated emergency team may have a different supervisor than an employee’s regular supervisor.
Policy Statement 4109

Emergency Operating Procedures

Effective Date: 01/12/2017

Page 7 of 13

Activating Emergency Teams - Office of Operations, Continued

Excused 

Absences

Supervisors may grant an excused absence for emergency personnel with 

extenuating circumstances. When needed, the employee completes a 

Justification for Excused Absence form and returns it to his/her supervisor on 

the next available business day.

Changing 

Emergency 

Team 

Assignment

With the emergency team supervisor’s prior approval, emergency personnel 

on an activated team may switch with other emergency personnel on an 

alternate team in the same unit if both employees agree.

The employees must also notify their supervisor and the other emergency 

team supervisor. This means an employee on Team A can agree to cover for 

an employee on Team B, provided both are in the same unit and their 

emergency team supervisor approves the switch prior to the start of his/her 

tour of duty.

Leave Status of 

Activated Team 

Members

Emergency personnel on scheduled leave on the day their emergency team is 

activated are not required to report for duty or to call the emergency team 

supervisor.

The emergency team supervisor is responsible for knowing the duty status of 

the employees assigned to their team.
Policy Statement 4109

Emergency Operating Procedures

Effective Date: 01/12/2017

Page 8 of 13

PSA Administrative Offices - Employee Designations

MissionCritical 

Personnel

In all PSA administrative offices, there are employees designated as missioncritical. These employees are critical to Agency functions during a change in 

operating status. Office Directors designate additional mission-critical 

employees within each office and must communicate this designation to the 

employee.

The following Office Directors are designated as mission-critical employees 

and may be required to remain at or report to the worksite during a change in 

operating status:

• Director of Forensic Toxicology Services

• Director of Finance and Administration

• Director of Strategic Development

• Director of Information Technology

• Director of Human Capital Management

Mission-critical personnel who have an approved telework agreement are 

required to telework for their full tour of duty if not notified to report to the 

worksite for duty.

Mission-critical personnel who fail to report as directed may be placed in an 

AWOL status and subject to disciplinary action.

NonEmergency 

Personnel

Non-emergency personnel are not expected to report to or remain at the 

worksite during a change in operating status, and must follow OPM guidance 

for late arrival, early dismissal, liberal leave, or telework situations. Nonemergency personnel with an approved telework schedule are required to 

work during a change in operating status unless they use leave.

Office of 

Forensic 

Toxicology 

Services

Due to the service the Office of Forensic Toxicology Services (OFTS) 

provides to the Court, it functions in a manner similar to Operations during 

changes in operating status.

OFTS has designated emergency teams that are activated during a change in 

operating status. OFTS emergency team designations are on PSA’s internal

and external websites.

Continued on next page
Policy Statement 4109

Emergency Operating Procedures

Effective Date: 01/12/2017

Page 9 of 13

PSA Administrative Offices - Employee Designations, Continued

Office of 

Forensic 

Toxicology 

Services, 

(continued)

All OFTS employees are considered mission-critical, and are notified of 

PSA’s operating status via the PNS. 

OFTS emergency team members are notified of their reporting duty status and 

location by the Office Director or designee.
Policy Statement 4109

Emergency Operating Procedures

Effective Date: 01/12/2017

Page 10 of 13

Designations for Change in Status

Federal 

Government 

and DC 

Superior Court 

CLOSED

No emergency teams are activated. No employees are expected to report for duty. Employees with an approved 

telework agreement must telework2 a full tour of duty or request leave for hours not worked. Employees without an 

approved telework agreement are granted excused absence.

Federal 

Government 

CLOSED/ DC 

Superior Court 

C-10 OPEN 

ONLY

Operations Emergency 

Personnel

Mission-Critical Personnel Non-Emergency 

Personnel

Teleworking 

Personnel

• Office of Operations designates 

and notifies activated teams. 

• Activated teams report for duty 

ON TIME.3

• Activated teams are not eligible 

for unscheduled leave/telework.

• Non-activated employees with an 

approved telework agreement, 

telework a full tour of duty or 

request leave for hours not 

worked.

• A limited number of 

mission-critical personnel 

are expected to report for 

duty as directed by the 

appropriate Office Director.

• Mission-critical personnel 

are to report ON TIME 

despite any announced 

change in status.

Employees without an 

approved telework 

agreement are granted 

excused absence. 

All non-activated 

emergency and missioncritical personnel as well 

as non-emergency 

personnel with an 

approved telework

agreement notify their 

supervisor and telework a 

full tour of duty or 

request leave for hours 

not worked.

Continued on next page

 2 When the employee’s telework location is adversely impacted (e.g., power outage, no network connection), the employee may be granted an excused absence 

after submitting a Justification for Excused Absence form. 3

Failing to report for duty without a justifiable reason, could result in being placed on absence without leave (AWOL), and be subject to disciplinary action. 

Supervisors may grant excused absence due to individual hardship or circumstances unique to the employee after approving a submitted Justification for Excused 

Absence form.
Policy Statement 4109

Emergency Operating Procedures

Effective Date: 01/12/2017

Page 11 of 13

Designations for Change in Status, Continued

Federal 

Government 

CLOSED 

DC Superior 

Court OPEN or 

with Delayed 

Arrival

Operations Emergency 

Personnel

Mission-Critical Personnel Non-Emergency 

Personnel

Teleworking 

Personnel

• ALL Operations teams are 

ACTIVATED report ON TIME.

4

• No unscheduled leave/telework 

unless approved prior to the start 

of the tour of duty.

• Mission-critical personnel 

report for duty as directed by 

the Office Director.

• Mission-critical personnel 

directed to report ON TIME 

despite any announced 

change in status.

Employees without an 

approved telework 

agreement are granted 

excused absence. 

All non-activated 

emergency and missioncritical personnel as well 

as non-emergency 

personnel with an 

approved telework 

agreement notify their 

supervisor and telework a 

full tour of duty or 

request leave for hours 

not worked.

Continued on next page

 4 Failing to report for duty without a justifiable reason, could result in being placed on absence without leave (AWOL), and be subject to disciplinary action. 

Supervisors may grant excused absence due to individual hardship or circumstances unique to the employee after approving a submitted Justification for Excused 

Absence form.
Policy Statement 4109

Emergency Operating Procedures

Effective Date: 01/12/2017

Page 12 of 13

Designations for Change in Status, Continued

Changes in 

Departure 

Times

(Staggered, 

Early and 

Immediate 

Departure)

Emergency and Mission Critical 

Personnel

Non-Emergency Personnel Teleworking Personnel

• Remain at the worksite until 

otherwise directed by the 

supervisor.5

• When employees are dismissed by 

the supervisor, administrative leave 

is granted for the remaining hours.

• Depart from the worksite relative to the 

employees’ established work schedule 

when a staggered departure time is in 

effect.

• Early staggered departure, depart from 

the worksite relative to established work 

schedule but all employees must depart 

prior to time established by OPM.

Example: If OPM announces a threehour staggered early departure with a 

final departure time at 2:00 p.m., a nonemergency employee who works 9:30 

a.m. to 6:00 p.m. must depart at 2:00 

p.m. (the final departure time) instead of 

the employee’s staggered departure time 

of 3:00 p.m. In this case, the employee 

would receive four hours of excused 

absence (e.g., 2:00 to 6:00 p.m.).

• Depart immediately if an immediate 

departure is in effect. Excused absence is 

granted for hours remaining in the 

workday.

• Continue to work the full tour of 

duty, or request leave for hours 

not worked.

Continued on next page

 5 Employees who depart prior to their early departure time will be charged leave for the remainder of their workday and will not be granted excused absence. In 

rare situations, a supervisor may grant excused absence for the excess time because of individual hardship or circumstances unique to the employee after the 

employee completes the Justification for Excused Absence form.
Policy Statement 4109

Emergency Operating Procedures

Effective Date: 01/12/2017

Page 13 of 13

Designations for Change in Status, Continued

Shelter in Place OPM has introduced a Shelter-In-Place (SIP) operating status as an additional tool to help protect the federal 

workforce during certain severe weather events or emergencies. SIP procedures are initiated when employees are 

directed to remain in the office or take immediate shelter in a readily accessible interior location to protect 

themselves.

A SIP announcement could be used in conjunction with other OPM operating status announcements for the 

Washington, DC area. SIP announcements are extremely rare and likely would be in effect for a relatively short 

period of time. OPM’s announcement is not intended to supersede any Agency-specific SIP plans or procedures, 

and the Agency retains its authority to act on its own without an OPM SIP announcement as circumstances dictate.