Dear Colleagues,

Last week, the University of Oregon experienced a significant weather emergency. The ice storm interrupted power and created a hazardous environment on campus. I want to extend my sincere gratitude to those employees who labored over the past few days to remove hazards, keep core facilities operational, and ensure our campus is safe.

The decision to close campus on Thursday and Friday was not made easily. Ultimately, the safety of our community was the deciding factor. Under current university policy and our collective bargaining agreements, employees must use accrued leave — such as vacation, personal leave, or compensatory time — to be paid during a university closure.  In light of the unique nature of last week’s events, however, senior leadership has decided to make a one-time exception to our practices.

Employees who were not already on approved leave and were scheduled and available to work last week on Thursday, December 15th and/or Friday, December 16th will receive their regular pay and will not be required to use leave to cover that period. This decision applies to all employees*, represented and unrepresented, with additional details provided for the following specific employee groups:

SEIU essential employees are required to work during periods of closure or curtailment. Essential employees required to work on Thursday and/or Friday shall be paid at the rate of time and-one half for all hours worked.

Faculty who are on 9 month contracts will be compensated pursuant to the terms of their appointment. Principal investigators should check with their sponsored projects officer to determine how this will affect their specific grant.

UO employees at sites other than Eugene (e.g. Portland, Charleston, Pine Mountain) should consult your payroll administrator with any questions.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we transition back to regular operations. Please contact Human Resources with questions about the university decision regarding pay during the UO closures last week.

Best regards,
Nancy Resnick
Chief Human Resources Officer and Associate Vice President

*All employees include student and temporary employees, SEIU classified, Teamsters classified, officers of administration, faculty, and graduate employees.