Emergency Closure

(Please see the USF Hurricane Milton update page for more details) 

USF business operations will resume remotely on Monday, Oct. 14, with only employees reporting to campus if they are essential, critical, working in a facility that is open on Monday or if they don’t have power at home and need a place to work.
Beginning on Tuesday, Oct. 15, and continuing this entire week, normal USF business operations will resume on all campuses using a hybrid approach to provide employees with maximum flexibility. USF employees who can work remotely have the option to do so, if their job allows for it, in consultation with their supervisors.  Supervisors are strongly encouraged to offer flexibility for those who may need additional time, including for those who are still without power. This may include adjusting work schedules to ensure employees have the necessary time to focus on their safety.  
USF anticipates fully reopening in-person classes and normal business operations in person on Monday, Oct. 21.

The USF Call Center will be open from 12-5 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 14. The call center can be reached by calling 855-699-2710. 

 What is the status of USF's closure due to Hurricane Milton?

On Monday, Oct. 14, normal USF business operations will continue remotely. Only USF employees who are 1) classified as essential personnel, 2) identified by their supervisors as critical to campus operations, or 3) working in a facility that will remain open on Monday should report to work in person on Monday, in consultation with their supervisors. Employees who do not fall into these categories should work remotely on Monday. Please contact your supervisor if you are unsure of your status. Supervisors are strongly encouraged to offer flexibility for those who may need additional time to prepare their families, homes and personal belongings ahead of the storm. This may include adjusting work schedules to ensure employees have the necessary time to focus on their safety.

All USF campuses will remain closed until at least Monday, Oct. 14. Classes scheduled for Monday, Oct. 14, on the Tampa, St. Petersburg and Sarasota-Manatee campuses will only be held asynchronously, which means students will not have to meet on Monday and will instead receive an assignment from their instructor that does not have to be completed on Monday. No in-person classes will be held on these three campuses on Monday.

Classes held in MDD (USF downtown) will meet in-person starting on Monday, Oct. 14, as that facility is fully operational.

Who decides if the university will close for a storm or emergency?

The President has the authority to determine if the university needs to close for emergency circumstances, like a hurricane. There may be times when the President will authorize that some, but not all, USF campuses will close, so please pay careful attention to which locations may remain open.

Where should I go to find out if the university will close?

All updates regarding changes to normal business operations will be shared via usf.edu, USF’s official social media channels, MyUSF and USF email. You may also call the emergency hotline at 800-992-4231 or visit local news stations, including WUSF (89.7 FM), for updates on closings.

Who should be on a USF campus during the emergency closure?

Only employees who have been identified as essential personnel should report to work when the campus and its business operations are officially closed. For safety and accountability, the university must know who is on campus and their locations during an emergency closing. It is critical that all non-essential personnel (even those deemed critical) stay away while the university is officially closed. However, if non-essential personnel work during an emergency closing, they will be paid regular time for the hours worked.

Per Policy 6-037, an essential personnel may include the following: An employee who is essential to the operation of the university, whose absence would adversely affect the health and safety of the campus community or the viability of campus facilities and/or critical infrastructure, as determined by the employee’s department.

How do I know if I’m considered Essential Personnel?

The Vice President, Deans, and Directors or their designees of the college, division or department will identify personnel that are deemed to be essential personnel. Your supervisor will notify you if you are part of this group and are required to come to work during the emergency closure.

Will I be required to work if I’m not considered Essential Personnel?

The Vice President, Dean, and Director or their designees of the college, division or department may identify additional critical roles necessary to continue university operations. Your supervisor will notify you if you are part of this group and are required to work during the emergency closure.

If the university has closed for an emergency, will I get paid?

The following guidelines will determine if you are paid for an emergency closure:

• Exempt employees are not eligible to earn special compensatory leave during the closure.
• Special compensatory leave is provided to Staff employees required to perform essential duties for hours worked outside of their normal work schedule to prepare for or respond to a declared university emergency, as determined by the SVP, Chief Administration Officer and Chief Human Resources Officer or designee.
• Employees who are not required to work during an emergency closure are granted administrative leave in an amount equal to the number of hours scheduled to work during the closure or in an amount necessary to bring them up to their normal hours for the work week.
• Salaried Temporary employees will receive their regular pay.
• Employees who are on a previously-approved leave of absence that began prior to the administrative closure day, shall not have the leave of absence changed for such administrative closure time. However, if an employee has not started their leave prior to the announcement of the closure, the employee can cancel their leave request for the day(s) the university is closed. Administrative leave for closures shall not apply during a leave of absence (i.e.: Sick leave, Annual Leave, Medical Leave of Absence, FMLA, Parental Leave, Leave without Pay, etc.). University-wide exceptions to this may be approved by the SVP, Chief Administration Officer and Chief Human Resources Officer based upon business needs.
• Hourly Temporary employees will not receive paid leave time during an emergency closure, but if the workload permits it, a supervisor may adjust an employee’s schedule during the affected pay period to allow the employee to work additional hours in the work week.

What happens if USF is open but I can’t come to work because I live in an evacuation zone or have to stay home with my children whose childcare facility was closed?

The university understands that a variety of circumstances may arise during a storm which may impact your ability to come to work during a storm situation. Although the university monitors school closings, we cannot guarantee that USF will close its business operations, even if other facilities close. For extenuating circumstances such as these, you may request to use your annual leave to cover your absence.

When should I return to work, and what time should I arrive?

Please check www.usf.edu, USF’s official social media channels, MyUSF or email for updates. On the day the campus reopens, you should report to work at the time you would normally start your shift. If the university opens later than the start of your scheduled start time, you should report to work as soon as the campus reopens.

If I am an exempt employee and I work during the closure, am I eligible to earn special compensatory leave?

No. Administration and Faculty employees are expected to work the number of hours necessary to accomplish their assigned responsibilities.

I work a four-day work week, 10 hours each day. How many hours of administrative leave do I get for an emergency closure, 8 hours or 10 hours? 

You may be eligible to receive up to 10 hours of administrative leave, which is equal to the number of hours in your regular workday, not to exceed your normal hours in a workweek.

How do I apply for administrative leave?

A written request must be submitted by the VP, Dean, Director, or Designee to the Chief Human Resources Officer or Designee, along with appropriate documentation supporting the request. No action may be taken to place an employee on administrative leave for these events until approval has been received from the Chief Human Resources Officer or Designee. More information about administrative leave can be found in the Employee Leave Guide starting on page 24. 

I am designated to be on-call. Will I continue to receive on-call pay during the closure?

Yes, unless your supervisor advised you in writing prior to the emergency closure that you were not on-call during the closure.

When I am on-call during an emergency closure, which rate do I receive?

If the closure is on a regular workday, then your on-call rate is the one for the workday. However, if the closure is on the weekend, your on-call rate would be the one specified for the weekend.

Are the benefits fairs canceled or postponed?

The benefits fairs on all campuses are postponed. The Division of State Group Insurance (DSGI) confirmed that new dates will be set if it is feasible to reschedule the events.

Can I get assistance with my benefits questions while the university is operating remotely?

Yes, you can still receive assistance by emailing benefits@usf.edu or calling 813-974-2970.

Are the open enrollment dates changing?

Currently, the open enrollment dates have not changed. We will update you if the dates change. Learn more about Open Enrollment.