Business Continuity FAQs for Supervisors

Business Continuity Information

Priorities for Supervisors

Contact Information: Supervisors/Managers should have a list of employees and their contact information (both home and work numbers).

Availability to Work: If phones are still in operation, supervisors should contact their staff as soon as possible after the disaster to find out if staff are available to come in to work.

Consultation: Managers can get information and consultation from CARE Services to help address challenges with individuals, workgroups, and organizational demands. Visit http://www.uhs.berkeley.edu/facstaff/care/index.shtml or contact (510) 643-7754 or careserv@uhs.berkeley.edu.

In the Event of a Death: If there has been a staff death, the department should report the death via the Chancellor’s Death Reporting website (http://death-response.chance.berkeley.edu/staff/index.html) or by contacting the Benefits Unit (510-642-7053, benefits@berkeley.edu), so they can assist with death payments.

Job Descriptions: Managers should have current job descriptions for every position so that emergency hires can be made quickly.

Emergency Hiring: HR will advertise on its web page if we are hiring. HR will work with Public Affairs on campus communication.

Contracts and Personnel Policies: Managers should refer to the proper contract that covers their employees. Union contracts can be found at http://hrweb.berkeley.edu/hrlabor.htm. For PPSM covered employees, policies can be found at http://atyourservice.ucop.edu/employees/policies/staff_policies/index.html. If managers have any questions, they should contact Human Resources at 510-642-9046.

HR Contacts:

Benefits: call 510-642-7053 or email benefits@berkeley.edu
Compensation and Classification: call 510-643-7563 or email compdesk@berkeley.edu
Employee Relations: call 510-642-7163 or email askeru@berkeley.edu
Employment Services: call 510-642-4621
Labor Relations: call 510-643-6001 or email labrel@berkeley.edu
Payroll: call 510-642-3513 or email payhelp@berkeley.edu

Labor and Employee Relations

Can I order my staff to come in?
Pertinent contract articles: Hours of Work, Leaves of Absence;
Pertinent PPSM Policies: #31 Hours of Work, #43 Leaves of Absence.

Staff can be directed to come in to work on their normal work days. If an employee states that s/he cannot come in, the matter should be handled as a leave request. Supervisors should follow their normal protocol in approving or denying the requested leave.

PPSM and most contracts have provisions for call-back. Supervisors can use these provisions to call employees back to work on their non-work days or for hours on work days that fall outside the employee’s regular hours of work.

Supervisors can also require employees to work overtime. In all instances, supervisors should review the overtime provisions found in the Hours of Work articles of the collective bargaining agreements and PPSM Policy #32, Overtime. Supervisors should check the policy or appropriate contract covering the bargaining unit that the employees who are being assigned the work.

Can we require staff to work overtime?
Staff can be required to work overtime. Under the contracts, overtime is offered on the basis of seniority. If no one accepts the offer of overtime, then it is assigned on the basis of inverse order of seniority. Some contracts permit employees to file “requests not to be assigned overtime.” To the extent possible, supervisors and managers should honor those requests. If a particular skill is required to be performed during the overtime, supervisors and managers can assign that overtime to employees who possess that skill regardless of seniority. PPSM has no requirement to assign overtime by seniority; thus, management has discretion to assign overtime as it deems necessary.

What are the consequences if staff do not come in to work?
Supervisors should handle this on a case-by-case basis and exercise good judgment. In this instance, supervisors may have to balance the personal needs of the employee with the needs of the department.

If a supervisor does not grant the employee leave, the employee will be considered absent without approval and will not be paid for the time. The decision whether or not to take formal disciplinary action is a decision to be made on a case-by-case basis.

Can staff be required to perform work normally performed by employees in other classifications?
Yes, if they possess the necessary skills, knowledge and ability and meet all other requirements of the position. Most contracts have provisions for out-of-class work. If the work assigned is at a lower classification, the employee retains her/his current salary. If the work is at a higher level and is performed for 20 or more days, the employee should be paid at the higher rate. For PPSM employees, see PPSM Policy #30, Salary, I. Administrative Stipends for temporary appointments. The change should be documented to the employee and a copy of the documentation should be placed in the personnel file.

Will special consideration be made for people who are caretakers of children or the elderly?
Supervisors should take such demands into consideration, but may require some proof or written documentation that the employee is required to be present and be the care-giver. It may be that the supervisor and the employee can reach some agreement regarding hours of work or a reduction in time. Again, this should be handled on a case-by-case basis.

Can staff use vacation time if they do not come in?
Staff can use accrued vacation and compensatory time off if approved by the supervisor in accordance with departmental policy and PPSM or the appropriate contract. Operational needs will need to be taken into consideration when granting any type of leave.

Are staff required to fill out timesheets during this time?
To the extent that staff are present or can fill out timesheets via some other form of communication, timesheets should be completed in accordance with department policies. If employees are not available, timesheets may be delayed or may have to be amended. Please remember that the University cannot recoup overpayments to an employee without going through proper legal proceedings. If an employee has been overpaid, the supervisor will have to contact Payroll to secure the necessary forms for adjusting subsequent paychecks.

How is time accounted for if the Chancellor declares a “campus closure”?
Information on campus closures can be found primarily in the vacation articles of the contracts; information on how sick leave accrual is handled during campus closures is found in the sick leave articles of the contract. For PPSM, see PPSM 43, Leaves of Absence, G., Curtailment Leave and/or PPSM 46, Administrative Leave, E. Emergencies.

During a curtailment, employees are allowed to use accrued vacation or compensatory time off, or up to three days of vacation leave prior to accrual. Employees may also opt to use leave without pay. Additionally, under PPSM 43 G.1., up to three days of an unpaid curtailment leave shall be considered time on pay status for the purpose of accruing vacation credits and sick leave.

How do we account for staff’s time?
Supervisors and managers should follow departmental procedures. Supervisors or managers with questions regarding hours of work, leave of absence, vacation and sick leave should consult PPSM or the appropriate collective bargaining agreement and/or a campus Employee Relations Specialist.

Can staff work alternative work schedules?
The regular work schedule at the University is eight hours/day for five consecutive days within a week. Alternate work schedules are schedules that are not five days at eight hours, for example, working ten hours per day over four days within a week.

PPSM and the contracts covering staff employees permit alternate work schedules. The contracts require 30 days advance notice to employees and the union when the University is attempting to establish an alternate work schedule. Most of the contacts permit some flexibility on the notice requirement. Supervisors and managers who need to have employees work an alternate schedule or who get requests from employees for alternate work schedules that they can accommodate should contact their Employee Relations Specialist to determine how best to proceed.

Can staff change their work schedule?
PPSM and the contracts permit changes in work schedules at either the employee’s request or the request of management. Most of the contracts require some advance notice to employees and the union of schedule changes. Again, it may be possible to waive those notice requirements. Supervisors and Managers should contact their Employee Relations Specialist for guidance.

If an employee who receives a shift differential is temporarily (4 days or less) transferred to a shift that does not receive a shift differential, PPSM and the contracts require the University to continue to pay the shift differential.

If an employee is moved from a shift that does not get a shift differential to one that does, the employee should be paid the shift differential at the appropriate rate.

Will staff be given time off to go to the bank?
Staff are free to use break and lunch time as they wish. As is the case now, supervisors can permit employees to occasionally combine lunch and break periods on a case-by-case basis. They can also approve the use of vacation or compensatory time off or permit the employee to make up the lost time during that same workweek.

Will employees be granted any administrative leave?
The decision to grant administrative leave with pay rests with the Chancellor.

Is a supervisor’s presence required for staff to perform work?
A supervisor or manager should be available to employees in a work area. Lead employees can be used to give out work, direct work or oversee the performance of a task. However, only a supervisor can give a direct order, impose discipline, reschedule the employee, assign overtime, and make determinations regarding health and safety issues. Specific questions regarding the authority of a lead employee should be directed to an Employee Relations Specialist.

Will background checks be required for new hires?
If there is a legal mandate that an employee be subject to successful completion of a background check before commencing work, the University is obligated to comply with the law. The campus has identified positions that, under policy (not the law), require background checks. In an emergency situation, a decision will be made by senior campus management as to which of those positions would require an individual to have a background check.

Can volunteers work for money?
No, volunteers cannot be paid. The receipt of money for services performed would render these individuals “employees.”

Can we offer to pay our volunteers?
No, we cannot pay volunteers, but we can hire them as employees.

Whom do I call regarding contract questions?
You should consult first with your department human resources manager, who may wish to consult with Employee Relations. If you do not have a department human resources manager, you should contact campus Employee Relations at 642-9046.

Whom do I call regarding state of emergency issues?
This could be either Public Affairs or Employee Relations depending on the question.

Compensation

If staff are exempt from overtime, can they collect additional pay/compensation?
Exempt employees (under the FLSA) are not eligible for additional pay, nor do they earn overtime.

Exempt employees are eligible for stipends if they perform work for an extended period of time outside their normal assignments (typically at a higher salary level).

What will my duties and responsibilities be? Are there classification issues around this?
In an emergency situation, the duties and responsibilities will be determined by the unit management. It is expected that employees will work in their units and perform the tasks necessary to restore the department to operating status. Depending on the length of time and whether the person performs duties at a higher level, the person may be considered for a stipend or temporary reclassification

Could I or my staff be reassigned?
Yes. Employees may be re-assigned, depending upon the operational needs of the campus.

Will I receive more compensation if I work at a higher level?
That depends on the scope of the work assigned and the duration of the assignment. Decisions are handled on a case by case base, in accordance with standard campus procedures governing the performance of work at a higher level for an appropriate period of time.

Employment

Can we hire contractors? What types?
Yes, please refer to the Procurement Services’ website to review contractor-hiring procedures. Procurement Services will have a complete list of eligible titles.

What are the titles of contractors we are allowed to hire?
Departments can hire individuals offering “common or professional services,” i.e., Building and Maintenance Contractors, Janitorial Services, Security Guards, Doctors, Evaluators, System Analyst, etc. Please review the Procurement Services’ website for a complete list and hiring process.

How will we advertise that we are hiring?
The Deployment Center will advertise all open positions. You may request advertisement on the Deployment Triplicate form used to notify the Deployment Center of your vacancy.

Can we use temporary agencies to hire staff?
The Deployment Center will have contracts in place with selected temporary agencies. If you have a special request that a contracted agency cannot fulfill, please contact the Deployment Center to help you secure a contract with a specialized agency.

How do we contact these agencies?
The Deployment Center will contact the agencies.

Who is in charge of working with these agencies?
The Deployment Center.

How will we track temporary help?
Each employee assigned to work in your department will need to record his or her time and pay on a temporary timesheet, which you can obtain from the Deployment Center or Payroll Office. This timesheet must have the correct approval signature before submitting it to the Payroll Office.

How do we fill out time sheets if someone works for multiple departments?
Employee timesheets are able to capture multiple departments. Please approve employee work hours completed in your department. Departments should work with Payroll to determine the best method to use.

Benefits

Will I continue receiving benefits?
Your benefits will continue as long as your appointment makes you eligible to receive them. New employees must enroll in the benefits package that matches their appointment status, and their benefits will be effective as of the date of hire.

How do I receive medical services?
Continue to use your medical plan as usual. If you need to pay out of pocket to receive service, please keep your receipts and contact your medical plan directly to file a claim for reimbursement.

If I am out on a leave without pay, how do I pay my benefits premium?
Payments, payable to "UC Regents," should be sent to the normal location unless other instructions are announced:
Business Services - Insurance Section
University of California
171 University Hall
Berkeley, CA 94720-1104

If the Berkeley campus is shut down, payments should be sent to the Office of the President unless the disaster is affecting them as well:
UC Human Resources & Benefits
Health & Welfare Administration
PO Box 24570
Oakland, CA 94623-1570

What if I am out on disability or need to go out on disability? How would this work?
If you are already out on disability, your benefits will continue through Liberty Mutual as long as they are approved by the Plan. If you need to file a new disability claim, contact the Benefits Office and request a Disability Packet to begin the disability process.

Payroll

When will employees get paid?
Employees will be paid on the next regular pay day.

What will the next pay date be?
Normal dates will be adhered to unless the disaster requires changing the dates.

What will the frequency of payment be?
Payments will be made as regularly scheduled unless the disaster requires a change.

Will staff be paid by paper check or direct deposit?
If the direct deposit system is available, staff will continue to be paid in that manner.

If I am out on a leave, how do I pay my benefits premium?
Payments, payable to "UC Regents," should be sent to the normal location unless other instructions are announced:
Business Services - Insurance Section
University of California
171 University Hall
Berkeley, CA 94720-1104

If email is still running, emails giving pertinent information would be sent out. Website communications would be used if available as well.

Who do I pay?
Make checks payable to "UC Regents," and send them to the normal location:
Business Services - Insurance Section
University of California
171 University Hall
Berkeley, CA 94720-1104

How do we fill out time sheets if someone works for multiple departments?
Depending upon the nature of the disaster, the types of systems available, and length of time of work stoppage, we would pay employees the same as the previous pay period. Other factors that will be considered include timing of the disaster and the length of time functions are expected to be down.

CARE Services

What type of assistance does CARE Services provide?
CARE Services consultants are a diverse team of licensed mental health professionals with graduate degrees in behavioral health and experience in organizational dynamics. We can provide assistance to individuals, managers, or entire workgroups. We offer counseling, consultation, onsite debriefings, referrals, resource identification, handouts, coaching, and ongoing support.

What is the best way to communicate with employees after a traumatic event?
There are two main parts of communication to focus on during this time. First, provide information regularly and repeatedly. Our cognitive abilities are literally impaired when we are experiencing intense emotions. People often cannot remember or process information as well as the normally could. Be sure to share important information over and over in the aftermath of a significant event and whenever possible both verbally and in written form. Avoid overloading the message with too much content. Pick the one or two key elements you need to communicate and repeat them. The second critical aspect of communicating during this time is to listen carefully. People are looking for comfort and reassurance during these times. They will almost always tell you what they need. Compassionate and attentive responses to employees' needs during this time typically leads to a quicker recovery and a dedicated workgroup.

How long will it take for employees to recover and return to their normal level of functioning?
This is no specific timetable for recovering from a traumatic event. Individuals may vary significantly in their recovery process based on a number of factors. Most people have intense but normal reactions to an abnormal event. With information, good support, coping skills and self-care, the majority of people will be able to return to a level of functioning where they can adequately and safely perform their job duties within the first two weeks. While some individuals may require longer to reach a baseline of functioning, it is important to note that some aspects of recovery for most people may take months or even years and often require ongoing attention.

What actions can I take to help support employees after a critical incident?
There are many things that may be useful or unique depending on the incident and your connection to it. Here is a general list that is a good place to start.
1. Inquire about their well-being.
2. Provide caring and empathic leadership.
3. Create opportunities for employees to support each other.
4. Address and express your own feelings about the incident.
5. Attend to your physical recovery.
6. Reach out to others for support.
7. Consult CARE Services and other available resources.