21 April 2025

MEMORANDUM FOR The Department of Military Affairs
SUBJECT:  Absences Due to Inclement Weather – TAG POLICY MEMORANDUM 13

1. Purpose. This policy establishes procedures concerning treatment of work hours that may be lost due to severe weather or other safety issues.
2. Applicability. This policy applies to state employees, military members, and federal civilian employees (Title 32 and Title 5) of the Wisconsin National Guard.
3. State Employees. (See Wisconsin Human Resources Handbook (WHRH) Chapter 736, dated December 2023, for entire policy).
   1. Agencies may direct employees who normally work in the affected state office building(s) to work at alternate sites. Additionally, Situational Telework due to inclement weather may be an alternative to lost work time. Employees and supervisors are encouraged to review state Practice and Procedure Bulletin No. 3.110 when circumstances warrant.
   2. Unless directed otherwise by the Department of Administration, Division of Personnel Management or in an executive order, weather or safety-related employee absences will be treated as follows:
      1. Employees may be ordered to leave or not report to work because the governor has determined that conditions exist which are detrimental to the health and safety of employees. In this instance, employees will have the following options with respect to lost work time, subject to any restrictions set forth in WHRH 736, unless otherwise provided for in an Executive Order.
         1. Employees may use accrued annual leave, accrued holiday time, or accrued compensatory time.
         2. Employees may take leave without pay; or
         3. Employees may make up the lost work time at a time to be determined by the appointing authority. Employees who are non-exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act must make up the time lost in the same week as the absence to avoid overtime the following week. Employees who are exempt must make up lost time within the pay period.
      2. Employees may request or be allowed to be excused from work when they believe that weather conditions or emergency situations make it unsafe to get to or remain at work. In this instance, the supervisor may charge any such approved absence to the appropriate paid leave type designated by the employee or require the employee to make up the lost time, consistent with conditions noted above. The employee may be given the additional option of taking leave without pay at the discretion of the supervisor with approval from the State Human Resources Director.
      3. Questions can be directed to the State Human Resources Director at (608) 242-3163.
      4. Federal Civilian Employees (T32 Dual-Status Military Technicians/ TS Civilian Employees). See CNGBI 1400.25, Volume 630, dated 23 April 2021 for all possible leave options.
         1. If the agency decision is to remain open at the start of workday with employees expected to report for work on time, then grant annual leave, leave without pay (LWOP), accrued compensatory time, or excused reasonable tardiness for employees who experience commuting delays. If employees might be prevented from reporting to work or if they believe that they might not be able to return home if they do come to work, annual leave, accrued compensatory time, or LWOP may be granted without prior approval.
         2. If the agency decision is to close all or part of agency before the start of the workday and remain closed throughout it, then excused absences without charge to leave for all employees affected whether or not leave was previously approved (leave cannot be charged for non-workdays even if previously approved). Continue current status of employees on LWOP, pending disability retirement, while in receipt of Workers’ Compensation, on military leave, on suspension, or in a non-pay status the workday before and after the closure.
         3. If the agency decision is to continue operations with employees expected to complete the day’s tour, then agencies may grant annual leave, accrued compensatory time or LWOP to employees who request it.
         4. If the agency decision is to suspend operations as much as possible, then:
            1. Excuse absences without charge to leave (Weather and Safety Leave) for all employees on duty at the time of dismissal even if employee was scheduled to take leave later in the day.
            2. Grant annual leave, accrued compensatory time, excused absence or LWOP to avoid hardship to employees who leave after official notice of dismissal, but before official departure time for the period remaining until official departure time.
            3. Grant annual leave, accrued compensatory time or LWOP, or charge absent without leave (AWOL) to employees who leave before official notice of dismissal for the period remaining until the end of the regular workday.
            4. For employees scheduled to return from leave during the dismissal period, grant excused absence from the time scheduled to return to duty in the same manner as absences of employees on duty when dismissed. Charge appropriate leave until scheduled return.For employees scheduled to report for work before the dismissal, but who do not report, charge leave or AWOL (if appropriate) for the entire workday. Make exceptions only in unusual situations.
         5. Commanders and supervisors may determine that certain offices and installations of their organizations, or parts thereof, must remain open and that specific Soldiers, Airmen, or Civilian employees must report for duty for reasons of national security, defense, or other public need.
         6. Situational Telework due to inclement weather may be encouraged to ensure safety when weather conditions make commuting hazardous.
         7. Questions can be directed to the Human Resource Officer at (608) 242-3700.
      5. Points of contact for this memorandum are the WING Human Resources Office (NG employees), (608) 242-3700, and the State Human Resources Office (state employees), (608) 242-3153.

Matthew J. Strub
Maj Gen, Wisconsin National Guard
The Adjutant General