Do you have snow policies in place? Do your employees know pay policies for weather related disruptions? Clarify in advance to avoid any misunderstandings.
Employers in Buffalo are grappling with how to deal with pay policies related to the recent weather-imposed closures and driving bans. Even companies with strict disciplinary measures related to unplanned absences were forced to relax policies.
Does your organization have a policy about snow and other weather-related work disruptions? Do your employees understand where your organization stands on the issue of pay should they be unable to make it into work or if your organization shuts down due to weather? It’s best to clarify in advance to avoid any misunderstandings. If you haven’t already, the week after Thanksgiving week might be a good time to issue a reminder about your policy.
HR Specialist offers some guidance on pay for snow-day absences based on Department of Labor guidance on the matter, noting that while the DOL letters on the topic don’t have the weight of law, courts are deferential to them. And BLR has a great flow-chart on FLSA/FMLA payments in weather-related events (see below).
If you don’t have a policy, here’s a sample to get you started:Inclement Weather Policy Sample
Winter Weather and the Workplace: FLSA, FMLA and When to Pay: by HR.BLR.com
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