2:30 PM
Dear SPIN Employees,
This is an important communication update on the situation at SPIN in the aftermath of the recent weather situation. All individuals in SPIN’s homes are safe and secure thanks to our dedicated Direct Support Professionals and Residential Management and an expanded Emergency management team. Our deep gratitude and appreciation to all who have worked to keep everyone safe and well. Updates include:
- All staff who have worked in Residential homes are being paid time and a half from 4pm Sunday 10/28 through 4pm Tuesday 10/30 at 4pm.
- Since the Mayor declared an emergency requesting nonessential people stay off the roads, SPIN closed its commercial buildings. All personnel (Day Services, Children’s Services, B & D Services, Program Specialists, Employment Specialists, Health Services, and Confidential Staff) who were unable to work because of this will be paid for their usual work day for both Monday 10/29 and Tuesday 10/30, without loss of leave time. HOWEVER, as per the Union agreement (which we will also use as a guide for non union staff), after two days are provided without loss of leave time due to a declaration of emergency by the Mayor, any further emergency days in the contract year requires the use of leave time. Therefore, all staff must plan accordingly. If there are other emergency days when SPIN must close between now and 9/30/13, and you have been paid for both of these emergency days, you will need to use your leave time.
- Tomorrow, Wednesday October 31, all SPIN services and offices will reopen (Children’s Services is pending an announcement that Philadelphia Schools are open. Childcare will be open.). All staff are expected to report as usual.
If you have any questions, please contact your Director.
Thanks to everyone,
Kathy
12:44 PM
As of noon Tuesday Septa will resume services to 80% of the city bus routes and 60% of the suburban bus routes. In addition the Broad Street, Market-Frankford and Norristown High Speed lines would resume, as well as trolley services.
Area bridges that are open are the Commodore Barry, Walt Whitman, Ben Franklin and Betsy Ross.
The Tacony-Palmyra Bridge, the Burlington-Bristol Bridge and the Riverside-Delanco Bridge remain closed to all vehicular traffic.
Please continue to be safe.
Kathy
9:26 PM
As you have probably heard many roads are closed and of course conditions are treacherous. Although your on call Supervisors are doing all they can, it is very unlikely that relief will be able to arrive until tomorrow morning.
We greatly appreciate all you are doing to support people through this extreme weather event and we greatly appreciate your patience in dealing with this coverage concern.
Thank you,
Kathy McHale
UPDATE 5:00PMAs of Monday at 4:30pm all individuals in SPIN's Residential Services are safe and well thanks to the dedicated DSPs and Managers of Residential.
In compliance with Mayor Nutter, SPIN will again close Children's, Day and Outpatient Services on Tuesday. All office and commercial buildings of SPIN including Norcom Community Center will remain closed.
We will continue to stay connected and if it becomes safe to travel on Tuesday and managers are needed, we may make the call for certain needed personnel to come in.
Please stay tuned and stay safe.
Again, tremendous thanks and gratitude to Residential Staff.
Kathy
UPDATE - Available to work extra shifts?
Direct all inquiries for availability to work extra shifts to the Staff Deployment hotline and Press 2
Important Announcement
All SPIN's commercial buildings will be closed tomorrow (10/29) and homes will be closely supported by SPIN management. All nonessential staff should stay home.
Be careful and thanks again,
Kathy
As of 5:20pm Sunday, Mayor Nutter has advised that all nonessential personnel stay home and off the roads on Monday. SPIN will comply with the Mayor's requirement and with this in mind, the update at SPIN is the following:
- Children's Services will be closed on Monday.
- Day Services and Norcom will be closed Monday.
- Behavior and Developmental Outpatient Services will be closed Monday.
- Nonessential employees should take Monday as a leave day.
- Essential staff are Residential staff and managers and staff qualified to work in Residential or others essential to safety. Please take all precautions to get to work safely and come prepared to stay in homes until your relief can safely arrive which may take until late Tuesday or even Wednesday.
- As requested in the previous message, if you are qualified and willing to work in Residential, but are not scheduled, please call one of the on call Supervisors.
Stay tuned for updates and be careful.
Kathy Brown McHale
SEPTA Operations suspended at midnight on Sunday
SEPTA announced that it will shutdown all services at approximately 12:30 am on Monday - meaning that all transit services will be suspended Sunday at midnight. It is strongly recommended that SPIN staff who use SEPTA for the 12am shift should plan to arrive early for their shift in light of the SEPTA announcement. For more information on the SEPTA announcement go to: http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=8863583
SPIN All Employees,
With the imminent arrival of Hurricane Sandy, we are making plans and taking all precautions to assure the safety of all individuals in service and all employees. The storm is expected to be at its peak in our region from Monday evening through Tuesday at 9am. As of Sunday all homes have been contacted by an expanded force of the Emergency Management team to assure they have all necessary provisions through Wednesday. Other important information from SPIN is as follows:
- All SPIN vehicles must be off the road as of 5pm Sunday until 9am Tuesday.
- If Philadelphia Schools are closed, SPIN will also close Children’s programs with the exception of Childcare which will be open until 1pm Monday and reopen at 10am Tuesday. If Philadelphia schools are not closed, all children’s programs will close at 1pm Monday and reopen at 10am Tuesday.
- Day Services will be open Monday from 8:30am until 1pm with no transportation. Day Services will reopen Tuesday at 10am.
- SPIN offices will be open Monday until 1pm and will reopen at 10am Tuesday. Non essential employees should only travel into work if they feel safe. All employees who do not come into work will need to take leave time for their full day.
- Employees working in CLAs will be paid time and a half from 1pm Monday through 10am Tuesday.
- Any employee trained to work in CLAs who are not scheduled and are able to work during this emergency, please contact your supervisor and you will be considered for deployment.
Please contact your supervisor or the On Call Supervisors: Michele 267-784-9520, Kevin 267-232-2166 or Calvin 267-688-4325. If you need further support or have questions! Thank you and please take all precautions for your safety. Stay tuned to the portal & SPIN email for updates as storm conditions and our plans for safety may change.
Thank you,
Kathy Brown McHale