Site Status Notification

In the event of contingencies, such as winter storms, wildfires, and power outages, NIST may find it necessary to restrict access to facilities to ensure the safety and well-being of personnel and to expedite site recovery. 

NIST will provide notice to employees and associates through a variety of means including GovDelivery ENS notifications using text and email, messages on the NIST Status line, and notices via social media. NIST encourages all staff to subscribe to email and text alerts. 

NIST employs various levels of closure depending on the campus conditions. Below is an outline of those levels that you may hear when receiving Gov Delivery text/email notifications or looking at social media. 

Site is Closed - NO ACCESS [Emergency Event]

• The site is closed for onsite business, and no public access is permitted; previously approved accesses are revoked.
• Access may be granted to designated emergency response officials under NIST and the Department of Commerce (DOC), as well as other local, state, and Federal emergency incident responders.
• Employees/associates (all facility users) are NOT permitted access UNLESS APPROVED by the Emergency Services Office (ESO) Director or designee.
• Telework Employees are expected to telework. The telework will not count toward the 52 hours. Generally, telework employees may not receive weather and safety leave.
• Remote Workers are expected to work. Generally, remote workers may not receive weather and safety leave.
• Non-Telework Employees generally will be granted weather and safety leave for the number of hours they were scheduled to work. However, weather and safety leave will not be granted to employees who are on official travel outside of the duty station or on an Alternative Work Schedule (AWS) day off or other non-workday.
• Employees on Preapproved Leave (paid or unpaid) or other paid time off (e.g., compensatory time off, credit hours) generally should continue to be charged leave or other paid time off and should not receive weather and safety leave.
• If no additional messages are issued, the campus will resume OPEN: Normal Operations status on the next business day.
• Questions? Review the NIST Emergency Closure, Delayed Arrival, and Early Dismissal Guidance or consult your supervisor.

Site is CLOSED [used for weather events that ARE impacting the campus]

• The site is closed for onsite business, and no public access is permitted.
• Conferences are cancelled.
• Non-emergency employees and associates who have a requirement to access the site and who are currently authorized 24/7 access can be granted entry if site conditions warrant. Associates without After-Hours Access will need approval from their division chief for their need for access to campus, as well as to identify who their federal escort will be. This request must be sent via email to ESO [at] nist.gov (ESO[at]nist[dot]gov). Due to the nature of construction work, it may be unsafe to allow construction work to continue during campus closures.
• Site closure vehicle access procedures may be put in place, and entrants must park in designated areas. Designated emergency employees may be required to report to work as scheduled.
• Designated Emergency Employees may be required to report to work as scheduled.
• Telework Employees are expected to telework. The telework will not count toward the 52 hours. Generally, telework employees may not receive weather and safety leave.
• Remote Workers are expected to work. Generally, remote workers may not receive weather and safety leave.
• Non-Telework Employees generally will be granted weather and safety leave for the number of hours they were scheduled to work. However, weather and safety leave will not be granted to employees who are on official travel outside of the duty station or on an Alternative Work Schedule (AWS) day off or other non-workday.
• Employees on Preapproved Leave (paid or unpaid) or other paid time off (e.g., compensatory time off, credit hours) generally should continue to be charged leave or other paid time off and should not receive weather and safety leave.
• If no additional messages are issued, the campus will resume OPEN: Normal Operations status on the next business day.
• Questions? Review the NIST Emergency Closure, Delayed Arrival, and Early Dismissal Guidance or consult your supervisor.

OPEN: REDUCED STAFF [used for weather events that MAY impact the campus]

• Campus is open, but when staff arrive on campus, please park in designated areas.
• Designated Emergency Employees may be required to report to work as scheduled.
• Telework Employees are encouraged to telework. The telework will not count toward the 52-hour limit, unless the employee is already approved for situational telework for another reason. Employees must notify their supervisor of their intent to use unscheduled telework. Employees wanting to report to the worksite should consult with their supervisor regarding the need to work on campus or use unscheduled leave.
• Remote Workers and Telework Employees Scheduled to Telework are expected to begin their workday on time, unless requesting unscheduled leave.
• Non-Telework Employees must report to the office on time or notify their supervisors of their intent to use unscheduled leave.
• If no additional messages are issued, the campus will resume OPEN: Normal Operations status on the next business day.
• Questions? Review the NIST Emergency Closure, Delayed Arrival, and Early Dismissal Guidance or consult your supervisor.

OPEN: Optional Precautions [used for weather events in the surrounding areas]

• The site is open for business.
• Designated Emergency Employees may be required to report to work as scheduled.
• Telework Employees who are prevented from safely traveling to the worksite may request unscheduled leave or telework if they are prepared to telework. Supervisors are responsible for determining the legitimacy of the request and approving or denying. If the supervisor determines the employee is prevented from safely traveling to the worksite, the telework will not count toward the 52-hour limit, unless the employee is already approved for situational telework for another reason.
• Remote Workers and Telework Employees Scheduled to Telework are expected to begin their workday on time, unless requesting unscheduled leave.
• Non-Telework Employees must report to the office on time or notify their supervisors of their intent to use unscheduled leave.
• If no additional messages are issued, the campus will resume OPEN: Normal Operations status on the next business day.
• Questions? Review the NIST Emergency Closure, Delayed Arrival, and Early Dismissal Guidance or consult your supervisor.

Site has a delayed opening, OR Site will open at a designated time, and unscheduled leave or unscheduled telework is authorized.

• The site will open after a [xx]-hour delay, and staff should report [xx] hours after their normal reporting time. OR The site is closed for business, and no public access will be permitted prior to the designated time.
• Conferences will be held, but attendees may not arrive prior to the designated time.
• Shuttle services will begin running one hour before the site opens.
• Designated Emergency Employees may be required to report to work as scheduled.
• Telework Employees have the option to request unscheduled telework, unscheduled leave or other paid time off, or a combination of both to account for the entire day. The telework will not count toward the 52 hours. In general, weather and safety leave is not available to telework employees who do not report to the office. If reporting to the office, telework employees will be granted weather and safety leave for up to the number of hours specified in the announcement past their normal arrival time.
• Remote Workers and Telework Employees Scheduled to Telework are expected to begin their workday on time, unless requesting unscheduled leave. In general, weather and safety leave is not available to remote and telework employees who do not report to the office.
• Non-Telework Employees are expected to either report to the office and be granted weather and safety leave for up to the number of hours specified in the announcement past their normal arrival time or request unscheduled leave for the entire workday. Weather and safety leave is not available to those employees requesting unscheduled leave.
• Employees on Preapproved Leave (paid or unpaid) or other paid time off (e.g., compensatory time off, credit hours)—including an employee who requests unscheduled leave or other paid time off—generally should be charged leave or other paid time off and not receive weather and safety leave.
• If no additional messages are issued, the campus will resume OPEN: Normal Operations status on the next business day.
• Questions? Review the NIST Emergency Closure, Delayed Arrival, and Early Dismissal Guidance or consult your supervisor.

Site will close after [xx] hours early release, OR Site will close at a designated time for early dismissal

• The site will close [xx] hours early, and staff should leave [xx] hours earlier than their normal departure time. OR The site will close at [a designated time] for onsite business, and no public access is permitted after the designated time for early dismissal.
• Conferences will adjourn by the designated early release time.
• Shuttle services will stop running one hour after the site closes.
• Non-emergency employees and associates who are currently authorized 24/7 access and who have a legitimate requirement to access the site may be granted access or remain on site as site conditions warrant.
• Designated Emergency Employees may be required to remain at work as scheduled.
• Telework Employees at the Office will receive weather and safety leave only for the time required to commute home. Once these employees arrive at home, they must complete any remaining portion of the workday by teleworking (will not count toward the 52 hours), taking unscheduled leave (paid or unpaid) or other paid time off, or a combination.
• Non-Telework Employees at the Office will be dismissed no later than the final departure time and granted weather and safety leave for the number of hours remaining in their workday.
• Telework Employees Performing Telework are expected to continue working and generally may not receive weather and safety leave. They must account for the entire workday by teleworking, taking unscheduled leave (paid or unpaid) or other paid time off, or a combination.
• Remote Workers are expected to continue working and generally may not receive weather and safety leave. They must account for the entire workday by working, taking unscheduled leave (paid or unpaid) or other paid time off, or a combination.
• Employees Departing the Office Prior to Their Early Departure Time may request unscheduled leave (paid or unpaid) or other paid time off. Such employees will not be granted weather and safety leave for any part of the workday.
• Employees on Preapproved Leave (paid or unpaid) or other paid time off (e.g., compensatory time off, credit hours), including an employee who has requested unscheduled leave, generally should continue to be charged leave or other paid time off during the scheduled time and should not receive weather and safety leave.
• If no additional messages are issued, the campus will resume OPEN: Normal Operations status on the next business day.
• Questions? Review the NIST Emergency Closure, Delayed Arrival, and Early Dismissal Guidance or consult your supervisor.

Subscribe to Site Status

Subscribe to Site Status - Boulder

The U.S. Department of Commerce Boulder Laboratories site status is provided via three mechanisms. 

• Website status announcement
• Telephone status update at (303) 497-4000 or (303) 497-3000 (Option 2)
• Email and/or text alerts
• Social media

NIST encourages staff to subscribe to the email and text ENS alerts as there may be instances where the site status is changed to other than open for reasons other than heavy snowfall. 

To receive email and/or text alerts on changes to site operating status or emergencies, you can subscribe here.  

Subscribe to Site Status - Gaithersburg

NIST Gaithersburg status is provided through: 

• Website status announcement
• Telephone status update at (301) 975-8000 and (toll free) (800) 437-4385 ext. 8000
• Email and/or text alerts
• Social media

NIST encourages staff to subscribe the email or text alerts as there may be instances where the site status is changed to other than open for reasons other than heavy snowfall. 

To receive email and/or text alerts on changes to site operating status or emergencies, you can subscribe here.  

NOTE: You have to subscribe twice to receive email AND text messages.

Return to the campus status page.