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Handbook of Operating Procedures

Controlled Access Status for Emergency, Disaster or Severe Weather

Policy Number: 85

Subject:

University controlled access, attendance of employees, students and trainees, compensation and expenses in emergencies, disasters or severe weather

Scope:

Employees, students and trainees

Date Reviewed:
March 2026
Responsible Office:
Office of the President
Responsible Executive:
President

I. POLICY AND GENERAL STATEMENT

The President may determine that The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston ("University") or specific operating unit(s) or building(s) may be changed to controlled access, suspending normal operations and classes, in the event of an emergency, disaster or severe weather.

II. DEFINITIONS

Emergency: A disruption to normal operations which requires prompt or immediate action to protect life, property, or the environment, and/or to restore normal operations.

Essential personnel: Essential employees are those designated by their department heads for each declared emergency event, as essential to the continued performance of their departments for the protection of university assets during an emergency. Essential employees will be required to report to their designated work site (on or off campus) even when the University has issued a controlled access status due to adverse conditions. Essential personnel are comprised of two categories:

Category 1: Executive Control Team members; Advisory Call personnel as listed in the Emergency Management Plan; Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) personnel; Facilities, Planning, and Engineering personnel; The University of Texas Police at Houston (UT Police); Information Technology personnel; Office of Public Affairs personnel; and employees required to sustain clinical and animal care operations; and other personnel as designated by the department head. 

Category 2: Departmental personnel who will be the last to leave their area during an evacuation, and the first to reenter when the facility is cleared;  are responsible for securing property (e.g., controlled substances, perishables, turning off equipment, covering sensitive property) prior to evacuation.

Controlled access: A state of limited access to one or more of the University’s facilities declared by the Executive Control Team during which access controls similar to after-hours or holidays will be implemented so that only authorized University personnel may gain access to institutional buildings.  All personnel will be required to enter the facility using their institutional identification badges. Note that there may be instances where a shift to remote work and learning activities may be implemented as a control measure to ensure safety and security of campus stakeholders.  

Emergency lockdown: A state of limited access to one or more of the University’s facilities declared by the Chief of UT Police where all exterior badge access to a facility is limited to emergency and/or any necessary Category 1 support teams.  In this scenario, personnel may gain access to facilities based on safety or security-related conditions within the facility and need to follow any established procedures, including signing in and out at the designated checkpoints.

Executive Control Team: Team of executive administrators with institutional authority in times of emergencies; as designated by the  President or designee (see HOOP 141, Emergency Management and Business Continuity Plans).  

III. PROCEDURE

A. Controlled Access Procedure

UT Police and the Office of Safety, Health, Environment and Risk Management (SHERM) are responsible for monitoring potential emergencies, disaster or severe weather situations. The Chief of UT Police and the Vice President of SHERM, or their designees will contact the President and the Senior Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer or their designees to notify them of the status of potential emergencies, disasters or severe weather. The President, in consultation with the Executive Control Team, will decide whether to shift the University or a specific operating unit(s) or building(s) to controlled access. If the University, an operating unit(s) or building(s) is changed to controlled access, the Chief of UT Police, Vice President of SHERM, or their designees will notify the Associate Vice President of Public Affairs or designee and the UT Police dispatch supervisor in charge that the University, operating unit(s), or building(s) will shift to controlled access.

The Associate Vice President of Public Affairs or designee is responsible for notifying others of the change in operational status as indicated in the Emergency Management Plan.  Further notifications will proceed as described in the Emergency Management Plan.

B. Employee and Student Procedures

When an emergency, disaster or severe weather occurs, employees and students should check the University's emergency information website, or contact their supervisors to find out whether the University or a specific operating unit or building is open. Additional options include calling the University's emergency lines, or check local radio and television stations for more information. Additionally, a text message notification will also be distributed via the UTHealth Houston ALERT emergency communication system according to the campus Emergency Management Plan to provide urgent notifications when necessary.

C. Attendance Requirements Related to Adverse Conditions

If the University, an operating unit(s) or building(s) is changed to controlled access, all non-essential, benefits eligible employees and all essential, benefits eligible employees who are not scheduled/requested to work will be granted administrative leave for the hours they were scheduled to work, except for those who have already been scheduled and received approval for leave. Their absences will be reported according to the leave that was previously approved.

If your work location (on-site or remote) is operational all employees will be expected to report to their work location There may be instances where a shift to remote work and learning activities may be implemented as a control measure to ensure safety and security of campus stakeholders.   Employees who do not report to work and are unable to work remotely will have the option to use vacation time (if eligible), other applicable time off, or take leave without pay. Employees are expected to call, text or email their supervisors to advise them of their situation if possible. An employee who alleges illness may be required to submit proof of illness in accordance with HOOP 30, Sick Leave.

Essential employees who are scheduled/requested to work will be required to report to their designated work site (on or off campus) during their appointed work schedule even when the institution or specific operating unit(s) or building(s) has been changed to controlled access due to adverse conditions. Essential employees who do not report to work on a day the University or a specific operating unit(s) or building(s) is on controlled access and who were scheduled/requested to do so must use leave without pay or other appropriate leave at the discretion of the supervisor. No administrative leave will be given. If an essential employee cannot report to work, the employee must contact his or her direct supervisor as soon as possible. Such employees may be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with applicable University disciplinary policies (HOOP 44, Faculty Reappointment and Non-Reappointment, HOOP 133, Faculty Termination, HOOP 153, Termination of Appointment: Administrative and Professional and/or HOOP 187, Discipline and Dismissal of Classified Employees). 

D. Compensation

Employees who are essential in category 1 and 2 listed above, scheduled and report to their designated work site (on or off campus) will be compensated as follows:

1. Exempt Employees
a. Classified Exempt Employees

Classified employees who are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act will receive compensatory time off on an hour-for-hour basis for all hours they are required to work off-site or to be present . This compensatory time must be taken during the 12-month period following the end of the workweek during which the time occurred. Exempt employees will not be paid for compensatory time not taken during this 12-month period, nor will an exempt employee be paid for outstanding compensatory time on termination of employment. Additionally, classified exempt employees may receive additional compensation as determined by the Executive Control Team in consultation with the Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer and the Senior Vice President, Finance and Business Services and Chief Financial Officer.

Exempt employees at  the  Behavioral Sciences Campus are compensated in accordance with the Emergency Operations Plan.  

b. Management Administrative & Professional, Faculty, and General Administrative & Professional Employees

Employees who hold these types of appointments will receive up to eight hours of compensatory time for each controlled access day they are required to work on-site or remote.

2. Non-exempt Employees

Employees who are not exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act will be compensated for all hours they are required to work off-site, to be present or remote and may be eligible to receive additional compensation as determined by the Executive Control Team in consultation with the Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer and the Senior Vice President, Finance and Business Services and Chief Financial Officer.  Overtime pay will be calculated in accordance with regular pay guidelines.  See HOOP 154 Overtime Pay and Compensatory Time Off. 

E. Expenses Necessitated by Emergency or Disaster Conditions

In a work-related emergency situation, employees may receive reimbursement for incurred travel and lodging expenses which are contrary to normal reimbursement policies. To qualify for reimbursement under the terms of this policy, conditions of dire emergency must exist that endanger or profoundly affect the University and/or its locale. Emergency situations are non-recurring in nature; they are the result of unusual or unforeseen circumstances for which no prior arrangements for travel or lodging could have been made. The employee must have been required to remain at work beyond the daily scheduled time and found that reasonable or expected transportation was unavailable. This kind of reimbursement may be made only from departmental discretionary funds and requires the authorization of the Senior Vice President, Finance and Business Services and Chief Financial Officer.

IV. CONTACTS