Hurricane Helene Resources

COMMUNITY SERVICE LEAVE (CSL)

OSHR is offering a temporary expansion of the Community Service Leave Policy. This expansion will allow state employees to volunteer for organized storm-related efforts coordinated by a local government entity (county or municipality) in addition to established nonprofits. Accordingly, each employee will have available an additional 16 hours (two days) of paid CSL leave specific to storm-related activities to expire on December 31, 2024. This increases the maximum amount of paid CSL leave from 24 hours to 40 hours for the remainder of 2024. Employees should obtain prior approval from their supervisor and will be responsible for providing documentation that additional hours used are storm-related, according to institutional HR office guidelines. 

Employee Resources

• Flexible and Remote Work Arrangements: The University Policy 106: Flexible and Remote Work Arrangement Policy facilitates flexible and remote work arrangements where practical while meeting employees’ personal needs and the needs of the University.

• ComPsych Direct Hurricane Helene: If you or your family need assistance, trained counselors are available by phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, via the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). The EAP is a confidential counseling and resource program available to you and your family. Please call 866-511-3373 or visit https://www.guidanceresources.com/groWeb/login/login.xhtml  (WebID: UNCAEAP).

• Dealing with Workplace Trauma

North Carolina Support Resources

• NC Safety Information: North Carolina Department of Public Safety
• Evacuation, Shelter, & Conditions: North Carolina Emergency Management
• Reporting issues of Price Gouging: Price Gouging Complaints

Donation Opportunities

• City of Greensboro & WFDD
• Appalachian State University Disaster Relief Fund
• North Carolina Arboretum giving website (Select “The ONE Fund” designation)
• NCSSM-Morganton Helene Recovery Fund
• UNC Asheville Disaster Relief (Select “UNC Asheville Fund” designation)
• Western Carolina University Emergency Fund
• North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund 

Adverse Weather Make-Up Leave: Normally, employees have 90 days to make up missed work time during Conditions 1 and 2 from the point of use. OSHR has extended the makeup provisions for an additional 90 days to allow employees up to 180 days (March 26, 2025) to make up work time missed due to the hurricane during the period between September 27, 2024, and October 31, 2024. 

Other Management Approved Leave (OMAL) for Difficulty Living Situations:

• If a permanent employee's living situation is still evolving either 1) due to ongoing safety risks from damage to their primary residence, or 2) due to other serious hurricane-related impacts, the employee may be eligible for Other Management-Approved Leave (OMAL). Based on available institutional funds, N.C. A&T will provide up to 80 hours of OMAL to permanent employees who are unable to work remotely either because 1) road conditions due to hurricane-related impacts prevent them from getting to work or because 2) the employee had to evacuate their residence due to hurricane-related impacts, and the area to which they evacuated is not within a “reasonable driving distance.” If an employee is able to work remotely (regardless of whether they typically work remotely) the employee shall not be entitled to this type of OMAL.
  • If an employee who typically works remotely is unable to work remotely but is able to work from an onsite location within a “reasonable driving distance” where they can reasonably perform their job duties, the employee shall not be entitled to this type of OMAL.
  • A “reasonable driving distance,” for this exception, is defined as being either beyond 90 minutes of travel time or beyond 50 miles traveled (miles on the road, not a straight line).

Remote Workers from Affected Institutions: Those impacted by the hurricane and without power, cellular, water, and/or road clearance by the time the campus reopens are encouraged to work on campus. Employees may use available leave, Adverse Weather Make-Up Leave or Other Management-Approved Leave to cover their absence if they cannot come to campus.

2025 Open Enrollment: Open Enrollment for the 2024 State Health Plan has been extended to Friday, November 1st, 2024, for the employees in the impacted counties. Members in the impacted counties that do not take action during open enrollment will be placed in the Base PPO 70/30 Plan for 2025 and will have the tobacco credit applied (members will not be charged the tobacco surcharge). After November 1, members that would like plan changes, add or remove dependents or cancel their enrollment for 2025, can contact that University Benefits Representative and request an exception. This will be the only way to process updates after the enrollment window is closed. This includes retirees in the designated counties that didn’t complete their enrollment. You must contact the State Health Plan at 919-814-4400 to request an exception.

• Virtual SHP ID cards are available and can be accessed by logging into Blue Connect via eBenefits
• For assistance with medical benefits, members can call Blue Cross NC Customer Service at 888-234-2416.
• CVS Caremark, the Plan’s Pharmacy Benefit Manager is also available to help members in need of assistance with their medications, members can call CVS Caremark at 888-321-3124.

*Access to SHP ID Cards, assistance with medical benefits and pharmacy resources are available to all employees regardless of location. 

EyeMed

• EyeMed Cares – With the EyeMed Cares program, EyeMed will have Customer Care Center representatives ready to provide the following services for affected hurricane members via a dedicated emergency toll-free line 1.866.652.0018.
• Temporary adjustable glasses - The glasses enable individuals to adjust for different distances for reading, computer and distance. The glasses will be shipped free of charge. If an employee is displaced, EyeMed will work with the employee to determine a location where they can be pick up.
• Free shipping for glasses and contacts – EyeMed agents can provide discount codes that can be used online at Glasses.com and ContactDirect.com to receive free, expedited shipping for replacement lenses and contact lenses.
• EyeMed also understands the need for immediate assistance may extend beyond just members. So, EyeMed has partnered with OneSight, a non-profit organization that provides eye care and eyewear solutions for those in need around the globe, to provide assistance to non-EyeMed members in need. Non-EyeMed members can reach out to OneSight for assistance at 1.888.935.4589 or onesight.org.

NCFlex 

• MetLife Legal Plans is also offering free attorney document review and consultation services to all NCFlex employees who have been impacted by the storm. They do not have to be enrolled in the legal plan to contact an attorney for help with issues related to this event.
• With this offer, employees can contact an attorney for consultation and document review for issues such as:
  • Reviewing documents related to federal aid and insurance claims
  • Providing consultation for identity theft issues due to lost personal documents
  • Answering questions about damaged property for renters or homeowners
  • Providing advice on dealing with creditors and bill collectors
• Employees also have access to our self-help document library to complete wills, living wills and power of attorney documents. They can access the library at MetLife Legal Plans.
• This free assistance is available through December 31, 2024. To get connected to an attorney, employees should call our Client Service Center at 800-821-6400. They will need to identify themselves as an NCFlex employee and indicate they are interested in the document review and consultation services being offered as part of the Emergency Response Legal Assistance Plan.
   

*Access to NCFlex benefits are available to all employees regardless of location.

If an employee who is a parent (or guardian) is required to stay home with a child (as defined in the FMLA policy) because of the closure of a day care facility or public/private school, the employee may use sick leave. This also applies for eldercare facility closings. This exception will expire on December 31, 2024.

If an employee is unable to work, either onsite or remotely (from their home or other alternate work location), due to Hurricane Helene and the employee has exhausted the OMAL options, compensatory time, vacation leave, and bonus leave, then the employee may utilize their sick leave for absences due to direct impacts of Hurricane Helene. This exception will expire on December 31, 2024.

Any employees who are members of an emergency volunteer response organization or the American Red Cross may receive paid time off under the Other Management Approved Leave Policy to provide support services to affected areas. Other UNC Institutions may also help affected institutions through temporary work reassignments for employees to assist with restoring campus operations.

• More employees may need to be designated as mandatory to address storm damage on campus impacted by the Hurricane. While tasks may differ from their usual duties, they should align with their general job scope.
• Flexibility is encouraged to balance institutional needs with employees' personal situations, especially for those not typically designated as mandatory. Under existing state policy, institutional management has the discretion to provide permanent SHRA-exempt employees (who normally do not receive overtime compensation) hour-for-hour compensatory leave for hours worked over 40 in a work week. OSHR has allowed an exception to the policy so that institutions may provide straight-time overtime pay in lieu of compensatory leave to permanent SHRA-exempt employees. This exception requires prior approval from OSHR and OSBM.
• With these approvals, institutions may pay straight-time pay for law enforcement or response/recovery activities to FLSA-exempt employees who are required by management to work overtime during the emergency/disaster. Per the Hours of Work and Overtime Compensation Policy, such pay is subject to available institutional funds or federal disaster funds as applicable. 

For questions and consultation regarding benefits please the following HR team members: 

• Hurricane Helene Disaster Assistance Programs
• Understanding Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) in North Carolina
• FEMA Assistance for North Carolinians