State employees should plan now for winter storms. 

On stormy days, be sure to check alerts on maine.gov, sign up for Citizen Alert emails, call the State employee weather announcement line at 207-624-7546, or tune into Maine news/radio stations for office closure, delayed start, and/or early release notices.  

In the event of an ALL DAY OFFICE CLOSURE of State Government: 

All employees who would have otherwise reported to work – including teleworkers – who are not directed to report to work receive ADMIN LEAVE (per the memo sent out after the closure).   

Employees required/directed to work on an all day closure due to the essential services they provide (like 24/7 operations, public safety, etc.) would be eligible for up to 8 hours of comp time for working on an all day closure (per the memo sent out after the closure).  

As a reminder, employees who are not required/directed to work who decide to work, or employees who worked because they didn’t know they didn’t have to on an ALL DAY CLOSURE, are not eligible for earning comp time. They would just receive regular pay for any hours worked.  

Also, employees already on a scheduled day off, on leave time such as sick or vacation, or on a leave of absence, do not receive any administrative leave for the closure. 

In the event of a DELAYED START, EARLY RELEASE, and/or POWER OUTAGE AT YOUR HOME: 

Office employees: As always, if you do not feel safe driving in stormy weather, you may request use of your own leave time from vacation, comp time, or personal leave. Operational needs must be considered in granting leave, but requests will not be unreasonably denied. 

Office employees with approval / ability to telework: If you are an office employee who also has approval/ability to telework, make plans with your supervisor on options for an upcoming storm. If travel may be a concern due to a forecasted storm, your supervisor may approve you to telework on the day of the storm. Prepare ahead of time and work with your supervisor on work to be done from home and tasks that may be performed should the storm include power/internet outages (see ‘telework employees’ guidance below). 

Telework employees: Delayed starts/early releases allow for employees working at State offices to arrive to work or return home safely during inclement weather. A delayed start or early release due to winter weather does not impact teleworking employees who are expected to work their regular workday. Sometimes stormy weather includes power outages. Work with your supervisor NOW to understand work options during times of no power/internet:  

(1) charge all mobile devices ahead of time for work use to make calls, tend emails, join meetings, etc.;  

(2) identify work that can be done without power/internet (Can you pick up/take home work that can be done without power/internet? Can the time be used to make phone calls; plan; prioritize; draft correspondence/responses/reports; review documents or files; mark up documents for editing electronically later; read articles/books for professional growth and development; etc.?);  

(3) if work can be performed but you prefer to take off the time without power/internet, request vacation/comp/personal leave, which may be approved based on operational need;  

(4) let your supervisor know if you prefer to work at the office while your home is without power;

(5) ask your supervisor if you are able to make up time without power/internet after the power returns.