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Section 1.
The Union acknowledges that in fulfilling its obligations to provide continuous service to the public, the Library must remain open and maintain its services, whenever possible, despite adverse weather conditions.
Section 2.
In the event of a mechanical breakdown in an agency's heating or air-conditioning system where temperatures within the agency are 62 degrees or lower or 85 degrees or higher at or after the scheduled time of arrival of public service staff, the Department should be notified. If, after two hours following such notification, the temperature remains at 62 degrees or lower or 85 degrees or higher, the following procedure is to be followed:
(A) If maintainers or outside contractors are then working on the system, or if maintenance is expected soon, the agency head should notify the Department. Upon such notification, staff at the agency will begin to accrue compensatory time. Accrual of compensatory time shall remain in effect until the temperature reaches acceptable levels, at which time the Department shall be called again.
(B) If it is ascertained from the Engineering/Facilities Planning Department that repair people will be unable to come to the agency that day or if a mechanic certifies that the system cannot be repaired that day, the agency head should determine whether the agency can be staffed by volunteers. Upon so doing, the agency head shall call the Department with the facts. Upon the concurrence of the Director's Office, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, the agency shall be closed for that day or kept open with a skeleton staff of volunteers who will continue to accrue compensatory time. In the event that the Director or his or her designee agrees to close the agency before 1:00 p.m., the staff shall be reassigned. If closure occurs after 1:00 p.m., the Director may excuse the staff.
(C) If a system cannot be repaired on the first day and the unacceptable temperatures persist to the following day or days because of equipment or manpower delays, the Department should be notified daily when the temperature reaches 85 degrees or higher or 62 degrees or lower. If a skeleton staff agrees to keep the agency open, such staff will begin to accrue compensatory time at the start of their scheduled work day if the temperature is 85 degrees or higher, or 62 degrees or lower. If repair has been certified to take more than two days, the agency head may request that the agency be closed until the completion of repairs. If at any time the temperature reaches acceptable levels because of weather conditions, the Department should be notified of this and employees shall then return to straight time. The provisions of this paragraph (C) shall apply only to a continuing condition and not to a reoccurrence of a mechanical breakdown in the system after initial repair.
(D) It is understood that the period beginning May 1 and ending September 30 is the normal cooling season for the operation of air-conditioning equipment and the period beginning October 1 and ending April 30, is the normal heating season for the operation of heating equipment. If in the event that because of unusual weather conditions, cold weather in the cooling season or hot weather occurs in the warming season, meeting or exceeding the minimum and maximum temperatures set forth in paragraph (A) for the heating or cooling of public and work areas above, the Library shall not be required to provide temporary heating or cooling unless such freak conditions exceed 48 hours in duration from the report of such conditions to the Office of the Director.
Section 3.
Assignment of staff to work during periods of mechanical breakdown shall be done at the sole discretion of the agency head. To the extent feasible, consistent with basic staffing needs, employees will be given the opportunity to volunteer to continue working. Where this is feasible, such assignments shall be evenly distributed among all staff members at that agency. Any excess staff (beyond the numbers required for skeleton staffing) shall be reassigned by the agency head. If an employee is excused by the Director because of closing of an agency as a result of mechanical breakdown as provided in Section 2 of this Article, time off granted to such employee shall not be charged to leave accruals. Employees who volunteer to work as part of a minimum staff shall receive compensatory time off.
Section 4.
One thermometer shall be placed on each level of a multi-level agency and in each core area in the Central Library. On level C2 of the Central Library, a thermometer shall be placed in the circulation section. The Union shall supply one thermometer for installation on this level. Where a thermometer is already in place as part of a thermostat, no additional thermometer need be installed. The placement of thermometers shall be in a central location of the working area, at the Library's discretion.
This document was last modified on: Friday, January 26, 2001