HR Memorandum Regarding Museum Closure: Operations and Compensation (Mar. 13, 2020)

Dear Members,

Your Local is addressing concerns with the memorandum below, and seeking some clarification with certain issues some members have had. This is an ongoing process and we will make any adjustments, corrections and clarifications in an upcoming post as necessary.

Thank you.

The following is the official memorandum from the Human Resources Department to ALL DC 37, Local 1503 Staff:

Dated: Friday, March 13, 2020

As you know the Museum has been closed to visitors. Beginning at noon today, staff access to the Museum buildings will be restricted.

Below are special procedures that will apply to staff covered by the DC 37 collective bargaining agreement during this time. Please note these procedures differ from other emergency scenarios, such as severe weather events. The below information will be effective through Wednesday, March 18. We appreciate your support and patience during this rapidly-evolving situation. Please review the below information carefully, and reach out to your manager or to humanresources@metmuseum.org with any questions. We will share an update on our next steps on Monday, March 16.

Reporting Expectations

In this context, certain Security and Buildings staff have been identified as being “essential.” Individual titles and shops in this category (Security Supervisors, Special Officers, Engineering, Custodial, Plumbing, Electricians, Roofing) have been notified by management regarding scheduling expectations during the closure. Essential staff must report to work when expected, and any absences or call outs are subject to your shop’s standard policies and practices. If you are unsure about whether you are expected to be at work for a given shift, you should contact your manager in advance; otherwise you may be subject to discipline for failing to report.

Staff in functions/shops not identified as “essential” in this context will not be expected to report to work, unless specifically notified by management to do so. While not required to be on site around-the-clock, these other functions may be called in to work as needed. Individuals notified must report to work, and any absences or call outs are subject to the department’s standard policies and practices.

Pay and Timekeeping Procedures

In order to recognize the effort of staff who must continue to work onsite, the following special pay rules will be effective for the initial closure period:

Employees who are required work onsite during the initial closure period will receive a bonus payment of four hours pay at their base rate, for each full regularly scheduled shift the employee reports to work (shifts spanning across midnight will be treated as a single shift).

For example if Judy’s base rate is $20/hour, and she worked her full regular shifts on Saturday and Sunday, she would receive the following bonus:

(employee’s hourly base rate) x (4 hours) x (number of days)
$20 x 4 hours x 2 days = $160

If you work onsite during the closure, you should follow your standard process for swiping in/out at time clocks before and after your shift. All other existing pay and overtime rules under the collective bargaining agreement will continue to apply; there will be no pyramiding of the closure bonus (i.e. existing premiums such as supper pay and shift differential will not be impacted by the closure bonus, nor will the amount of the closure bonus be impacted by such premiums. Likewise, employees will not be entitled to the closure bonus for shifts when they are already earning overtime).

If you do not work during the initial closure, but you were regularly scheduled to work on any of these days, you will be paid at your base rate for your regular shift hours. Any days already scheduled as vacation, sick time, holiday comp, or a leave of absence will continue to be applied as scheduled.

Parking

Employees who work during the initial closure may park their car in the Museum’s garage during their shift without charge. Please follow the following procedures if you do not have a monthly parking pass:

• Drive into Museum parking garage and take a ticket
• Before leaving, sign the ticket, write your Museum ID number on the back of the ticket.
• When you leave, show your ID and give the parking ticket to the attendant/cashier at the gate.
• The attendant/cashier will validate the info on the ticket, and you will be permitted to exit without charge.

As noted in the previous communication regarding the closure, the Museum is continuing to assess the
situation, and will provide an update by Monday March 16, 2020, at which time we will let you know if there will be changes to any of the above items and directions.

Thank you for your professionalism already exhibited during these challenging circumstances. It is thanks primarily to the dedication of our staff that we are able to fulfill our mission