STATE OF LOUISIANA

DEPARTMENT OF STATE CIVIL SERVICE

BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA

 

General Circular No. 001617

 

To:                   Heads of State Agencies and Human Resource Directors

 

Subject:            Correction to General Circular No. 001616: Special Information Related to State Employees Impacted by Hurricane Katrina

 

Issue Date:       September 7, 2005

 

SPECIAL NOTE:  Much of this information may also apply to unclassified state employees as well as classified employees.  Unclassified employees should use the same contact information provided in this General Circular.

 

We are issuing this general circular to assist you with issues that may come up as a result of Hurricane Katrina.  You may expect additional circulars in the coming days.  We express our sincere sympathy to all of you who are suffering through this catastrophe.  Please call us at 225-342-8274 or 225-342-8272 if we can assist you in any way. 

This circular will address the toll free hot line for displaced state employees, payday for classified state employees, status of state employees, special leave, official closure, and work location.

 

Toll Free Hot Line for Displaced State Employees

We have established and will publicize a toll-free number for the approximately 28,000 employees directly affected by Katrina so that we can put them in touch with their employers the number is 1-866-783-5462.  Displaced state employees may call this number Monday through Friday between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Central Daylight Time.  The number will also be posted on our website (www.dscs.state.la.us).   We will obtain the employee’s name, agency, and current location and phone number, and we will give the employee the phone number of the contact that has been provided to us by the agency.

Pay Day for Classified State Employees

 

If employees receive their pay via direct deposit, it should have been in the bank on their regular payday.  If they receive their pay via mail, their checks have been mailed unless they receive mail in a zip code beginning with the following numbers:  369, 393, 394, 395, 396, 700, 701, or 704.  

 

If employees did not receive their pay either through their banks or the mail, they should call their payroll office.  If employees cannot reach their payroll offices, they should contact the numbers provided below:

 

• Employees who work within the LSU system, other than the Health Care Service Division,  (UNO, LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, etc.), should visit www.lsusystem.lsu.edu/aboutlsusystem.html or call 225-578-6953.

 

• Employees who work in the LSU Health Care Services Division (e.g., Medical Center of Louisiana in New Orleans, Bogalusa Medical Center, Lallie Kemp Regional Medical Center, etc.)  please call 225-922-0753.

 

• DOTD employees should call 225-379-1675 or 225-379-1288.

 

• Louisiana Community and Technical Colleges employees should call one of the following numbers 225-922-2800, 225-922-0958, 225-922-0959, 225-922-0804, or 225-922-1633.

 

• Employees of Southern University in New Orleans should call 1-866-334-7638 or 1-866-334-8294.

 

• Employees of Southeastern Louisiana and Nicholls State universities, please visit www.ulsystem.net/. 

 

• Other state university employees should call 1-866-415-2269 or go to www.regents.state.la.us.

 

• Port of New Orleans employees should call 504-452-3210

 

• Housing Authority of New Orleans has established a “command center” in Houston.  Employees should call 713-652-2924 or 713-652-2925 between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.

 

• Orleans Levee Board employees should call 225-767-6130 and ask for Max Hearn

 

• All employees paid through ISIS HR should call 225-342-0713 if they cannot reach their payroll offices.

 

The phone numbers provided above are for those employees who did not receive their paycheck as usual.

 

Status of State Employees

Persons who were classified state employees on August 26, 2005 will continue to be classified state employees until they are informed by their appointing authorities that they are no longer employed—if and only if that should be necessary later.

 

Special Leave, Official Closure, and Work Location

 

Civil Service Rules require that special leave be granted during office closures and authorize overtime compensation to those who work during office closures.   

We recommend that all appointing authorities grant an initial period of special leave from August 27 through September 30, 2005 for an employee if the appointing authority determines that

1.       an act of God prevents the employee from performing his/her duty or

2.       because of local conditions it is impracticable for the employees in such locality to work.

(See Civil Service Rule 11.23 (d) and (g)). 

 

Employees can be called back to work at a different location from their normal work locations.  They must report to work as directed, whatever the location.  State travel regulations will apply.  They can be read at www.state.la.us/osp/travel.

 

We urge and request all classified state employees on special leave to volunteer to help others.  

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

s/Anne S. Soileau

Acting Director