Emergency Preparedness Policy
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
Q Is Vanderbilt open for business during emergency situations?
A It is the policy of Vanderbilt to maintain essential business services and operations during any emergency situation while providing for the protection of life, health, and safety of all patients, students, faculty, and staff.
Q What are considered essential business services?
A Essential business services are evaluated in a disaster-specific scenario but generally include maintaining hospital operations, supporting students in residence, operating research facilities, and providing necessary support and administrative services for these functions.
Q Who is responsible for maintaining the emergency plans?
A The campus Emergency Preparedness Plan and the Medical Center Emergency Operations Plan require that all departments/units develop emergency plans for their areas.
Q What are contingency plans?
A Contingency plans identify the staff, resources and supplies needed to maintain essential business services.
Q Who defines which staff members are essential?
A: All staff members have key roles at Vanderbilt. However, managers are responsible for determining staff roles and responsibilities during an emergency to maintain operations. Communication of expectations and cross training for any new responsibilities assigned should be provided in advance.
Q Are staff required to work during an emergency situation?
A: Yes. Staff are required to report to work during emergency situations. Managers may designate staff to report to work in the home department, assign staff to report to other departments or to the labor pool.
Q: Who approves the closing of a unit or department during an emergency?
A: When a situation exists that suggests to an authorized manager that a department or unit should be closed, the decision to close must be approved by the leadership team in the Emergency Operations Center.
Q: If a staff member’s department closes or suspends services and the staff member is not reassigned to another department or deployed to the labor pool, how will the time away from work be addressed?
A: In an emergency or disaster situation where the staff member’s home department has suspended services or closed for an extended period of time, non-exempt staff may elect to take up to 7 work days of unpaid time in lieu of utilizing an accrual bank. If the staff member has not been notified to return to work after 7 work days, utilization of appropriate accruals are required before returning to an unpaid status.
Contact Employee Relations for specific information on reporting of time for exempt staff.
Q: What happens if a staff member does not have accrued time available for use during an emergency situation?
A: If there is no accrued time available for a non-exempt staff member, the time away from work will be without pay.
Q: When a department or unit that was previously closed due to a pandemic or emergency situation reopens, how will staff be notified to return to work?
A: Staff members are responsible for providing current contact information (home phone number, cell number, etc.) to their manager to be notified of reopening or the need to report to work. When the decision has been made to call in staff, various methods of communication such as phone, text messaging, email, etc. may be utilized to notify staff to return to work.
Q: What happens if a staff member who is instructed to report to work fails to do so?
A: Staff are required to have a viable family emergency plan in place that would allow them to report to work during a pandemic or other emergency situation. For more information on family emergency plans go to: http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/ep/family_plan.htm or http://emergency.vanderbilt.edu/plans/personal/
Managers should consult with Employee Relations for the appropriate application of HR policies for staff who do not report.
Q. Should I report to work if I think I have symptoms of the flu (i.e. fever, runny nose cough, etc.)?
A. For guidance about flu exposure or treatment, use the Occupational Health Flu Tool at http://occupationalhealth.vanderbilt.edu/. You provide the information and OHC will guide you as to whether or not it is appropriate to report to work. Please be advised that your supervisor will more than likely inquire as to whether or not you have utilized the flu tool if your absence is related to the flu.
Q. Will I have the option to work from home if my child’s school is closed because of the flu pandemic?
A. Staff should not anticipate that working from home will be an option. Instead, staff are expected to plan and prepare to continue reporting to work by developing a family disaster plan to address matters such as childcare. While there are some exceptions for working from home, determining what duties can be performed offsite must be coordinated and communicated in advance by the manager.
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HR Express 2525 West End Ave Suite 218 Nashville TN 37203 Hours M-F 7:30 - 5:30 Last Updated: October 19, 2009 |
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