Blue Sky Assignment. Assignments normally performed by an employee that are not being performed for the purpose of restoration efforts as the result of a declared emergency.
Note 1: An individual employee may be designated either Essential or Non-Essential at different times during the full duration of a declared emergency (System or Limited Emergency). Example: during a major storm event, many employees will likely be deemed Non-Essential initially; but once the storm passes and JEA mobilizes its restoration efforts, those same employees may be deemed Essential. Note 2: The designation of Essential or Non-Essential may be applied by management to some or all of a bargaining unit, geographical area or department (System or Limited Emergency). In Limited Emergencies these provisions related to designation of Essential and Non-Essential shall apply to the areas covered by the Limited designation, but other areas will continue to operate under “Blue Sky” parameters. Example: A Limited Emergency declared at Northside Generating Station requiring some employees to be designated Non-Essential and placed on administrative leave does not mean that employees downtown are thereby designated Essential. Note 3: For the period(s) during which Essential Employees are so designated, they shall be deemed to be on a unique, stand-alone schedule – one inherently unpredictable due to the unique nature of each declared emergency and the requirements to achieve restoration, and progress made toward it once underway. Therefore, certain CBA provisions will not apply: rest period(s); schedule premium nights; schedule premium weekends; notice of shift change; vehicle assignment notice; standby pay; training / instructor supplement; daily and weekly overtime thresholds. Note 4: Transition back to Blue Sky duties. Upon being relieved of duty from Essential Employee status and having worked at least eight (8) consecutive hours, the employee will be entitled to a minimum eight (8) hour transition period before resuming Blue Sky duties. Should that transition period overlap what would have been their normal schedule, they will lose no (regular rate) pay thereby. Note 5: Preparatory activities in anticipation of a declared emergency period (such as when a hurricane is approaching) or wind-down activities after a declared emergency period will be scheduled and compensated in accordance with the regular CBA provisions.
