Dear SUNY Poly Faculty and Staff,

Due to inclement weather, beginning Tuesday, February 2, 2021, through 5:00 p.m.:

SUNY Poly administration is implementing liberal leave, which means employees, with supervisory approval, who are performing non-immediate, non-essential functions, may leave early and/or take time off whereby employees will use their vacation, holiday, or personal paid time off accruals. If possible, non-essential employees are encouraged to work remotely with supervisory approval but may also elect to request time off. Those non-essential employees unable to complete a remote assignment will not need to charge accruals.

Please note that online classes will continue as scheduled.

In addition, Utica-campus faculty and staff who had been planning to participate in Tuesday’s pooled COVID-19 testing should plan to do so Thursday, Feb. 4 from noon to 2 p.m.

What is liberal leave?

Liberal leave encourages employees to mitigate their own risk when traveling to and from work and is implemented at the discretion of administration for exceptional circumstances such as inclement weather or emergencies and only in cases where it is feasible for employees to take liberal leave based on duties (essential versus non-essential duties). Some employee functions are deemed essential (i.e. security, certain facilities and operational units, maintenance, etc.); therefore, staffing in some areas will be maintained as determined by management. For more information, please see the Essential Employee Policy located at: https://sunypoly.edu/contact/offices/human-resources/human-resources/policies-procedures.html. If you are not sure if your position is essential, please contact your supervisor for clarification.

If an employee does not have vacation, holiday, or personal paid time off accruals, the administration will consult with SUNY Poly Human Resources and make a determination on a case-by-case basis.

Please share this message with your direct reports.

The Office of Human Resources