Human Resources Guideline

Weather – New England (Associates)

OBJECTIVE:

It is the expectation of Verizon to maintain essential services and operations during any severe weather or emergency condition while providing for the protection, safety and health of all employees and customers.

SCOPE:

These guidelines apply to all associates in the following states:

· Maine

· Massachusetts

· New Hampshire

· Rhode Island

GENERAL:

Because of the essential telecommunications services Verizon provides to the community at large, the Company is not at liberty to cease operations during severe weather and emergency conditions.

Service demands, weather, and transportation conditions may vary from location to location. The administration of this guideline should be appropriate to meet the situation in each location and should be uniform between locations and departments to the extent that the situation is similar.

If travel bans or curfews are imposed by federal, state or local authorities, Verizon leadership will contact civil authorities and will seek appropriate exemptions for essential employees to report to work and perform their jobs.

Authorization, Coordination and Notification:

In the event of inclement weather or other abnormal condition, the respective Area/Region Presidents and/or Business Unit Leader(s) will work through the appropriate Area Control Center (ACC) and the National Emergency Coordinating Center (NECC) to establish an incident management bridge. The ACC/NECC will engage the required Working and Planning Committee Members for the affected area. In consultation with regional Health, Safety, Environmental, HR Business Partners and Labor Relations, a decision will be made by the respective Area/Region Presidents and/or Business Unit Leader(s) on whether to release employees and/or trigger facility closure(s).

Once a declaration to release employees and/or close facilities is made, the ACC/NECC will work with Employee Communications to craft and distribute the appropriate messaging to the affected employees and their line management.

Any access issues due to restrictions implemented by government authorities (local, county, state or federal) should be addressed with the ACC/NECC and will be managed in accordance with their existing standard operating procedures.

Employee Responsibilities

An understanding should be developed with each employee, outlining his or her responsibility in an emergency.

Generally, each employee is responsible for the following:

· To report to his or her regular place of employment on time.

· If delayed, to call his or her manager or the coordinator for the work unit and advise of his or her progress or problems in reporting to work. This will enable the manager to plan and coordinate the force necessary to meet the service needs and to give advice to the individual. The supervisor may be able to offer assistance in transportation or suggest an alternative location where the employee can be of needed assistance.

Payment Criteria

Payment
Most employees recognize their personal responsibility and conscientiously respond to emergencies. For this reason, generally an employee will be paid if he/she meets one of the following criteria:

Employees who reach their regular work location:

· Employees who work some part of their normal assignment will be paid for the full assignment.

· Paid absence for part of a session will be considered as “Time Worked” for purpose of determining overtime payments.

Employees who do not reach their regular work location:

· When taken in accordance with a prearranged plan or upon the direction of his/her supervisor or coordinator, employees with necessary skills and experience who report to a different work location, where they can be of real assistance in an emergency.

· Employees who have medical conditions that may jeopardize their health or safety by attempting to travel during a severe storm. For example, an employee with a chronic serious health condition, or who is currently recuperating from recent surgery, illness, or accident.

· Employees who, despite making reasonable and conscientious efforts appropriate for the circumstances and being in communication with their supervisor, are unsuccessful in reaching their work location.

Non-Payment

Employees who do not report to work and fail to meet any of the above criteria should not be paid. This determination and recommendation should be made locally based on close, detailed knowledge of the individual, of his or her effort, and the prevailing conditions. Appropriate entries should then be made on the