The forecast for this winter season? Partly cloudy with a chance of snow day…
One thing to keep in mind when you consider an office closing: how to pay workers who stay home, writes attorney Charlie Plumb of McAfee & Taft:
“When employee hours are reduced due to inclement weather, employers must, at a minimum, follow the requirements set forth by the Fair Labor Standards Act. […] Non-exempt employees are only paid for hours actually worked. If you have decided to close your workplace because of weather, non-exempt employees are not paid for the missed work time. […] Exempt employees … must be paid on a salary basis, regardless of the number of hours they actually work during a workweek. For exempt employees, their salary is not reduced if you choose to close your office on account of bad weather.”
But employee wages are far from the only issue you might encounter during inclement weather (think weather-related workplace injuries, accidents caused by slippery roads, etc.). The solution: you need a weather policy, before the storm hits. These updates will help:
- Snow, ice and blizzard tips for employers – Charlie Plumb of McAfee & Taft
- Winter Weather Woes: What are My Obligations to Pay Employees During Inclement Weather? – Jillian Collins of Mintz Levin
- Week in Review – Pamela Kovacs at Gray Plant Mooty
- Who’s Afraid Of A Little Snow? – Fisher & Phillips LLP
- Hurricane Sandy: Have Employers Learned the Lessons From Last Year’s Storms? – Pullman & Comley
- With Hurricanes Come Unprecedented HR Challenges – Duane Morris LLP
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Related reading:
- Riding Out the (Franken)Storm: 5 Ways to Prepare Your Business for Disaster Recovery
- Disaster Preparedness: What’s Your Business Plan?
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Read more on dealing with Natural Disasters at JD Supra Business Advisor>>
