We had such a mess the last time we closed early due to the weather that we have not closed early or closed the business entirely for a day due to weather since. It seems some supervisors told their ee's they would be paid for the time they missed and some told theirs they would not be. We now have a clear policy in our handbook stating basically the same as NaeNae55.
I believe the opposite should be the practice. In other words, according to the FLSA, for exempt employees, if the facility is open and the exempt employee chooses not to come in due to inclement weather, the company can properly deduct a full day (not partial deductions) when such employee is absent from work for one or more full days for personal reasons other than sickness or accident -- in this case, inclement weather. The employer cannot make any deduction to an exempt employees pay where the facility is closed but the employee is ready, able and willing to come to work. In that scenario, the company must pay the exempt employee.
The Nebraska law letter just had an article on this that I found informative - in the blue bar on the left side of this page, under Newsletters, click on Subscribers and log in. In the middle (white) section, under HR Answer Engine, click on Search the Subscribers Area. Search for the word weather and including the word exempt, and choose All States. This should provide you with several articles on this topic, which should help.
We are a government non-profit. If the county sherriff's office declares a level 3 emergency we close immediately. All staff members who were at work and on the clock are paid for the time they were scheduled to work but were off due to the closing. If the director closes due to inclement weather the same applies. Employees already on holiday, vacation, personal or sick leave time are not affected by the inclement weather policy If an employee doesn't come in or wishes to leave early, and it is approved by their supervisor, they have to use vacation or personal time.
A level 3 means no one on the roads except emergency vehicles or you can be arrested (unless going home).
>We are a government non-profit. If the county >sherriff's office declares a level 3 emergency >we close immediately. All staff members who >were at work and on the clock are paid for the >time they were scheduled to work but were off >due to the closing. If the director closes due >to inclement weather the same applies. Employees >already on holiday, vacation, personal or sick >leave time are not affected by the inclement >weather policy If an employee doesn't come in >or wishes to leave early, and it is approved by >their supervisor, they have to use vacation or >personal time. > >A level 3 means no one on the roads except >emergency vehicles or you can be arrested >(unless going home).
It's very important to have criteria in your policy about weather closures as Kathy did. Until we listed the criteria, the employees would decide the weather was bad and not come to work. If you base it on solid criteria (sheriff's department declaring a level 3) as Kathy did, you policy will have less hassles down the road.
Comments
Nae
>choice of using paid time off or taking it
>unpaid and not held against them.
We do the same. Except we will not close the entire plant for a whole day again, to much trouble.
A level 3 means no one on the roads except emergency vehicles or you can be arrested (unless going home).
>sherriff's office declares a level 3 emergency
>we close immediately. All staff members who
>were at work and on the clock are paid for the
>time they were scheduled to work but were off
>due to the closing. If the director closes due
>to inclement weather the same applies. Employees
>already on holiday, vacation, personal or sick
>leave time are not affected by the inclement
>weather policy If an employee doesn't come in
>or wishes to leave early, and it is approved by
>their supervisor, they have to use vacation or
>personal time.
>
>A level 3 means no one on the roads except
>emergency vehicles or you can be arrested
>(unless going home).
It's very important to have criteria in your policy about weather closures as Kathy did. Until we listed the criteria, the employees would decide the weather was bad and not come to work. If you base it on solid criteria (sheriff's department declaring a level 3) as Kathy did, you policy will have less hassles down the road.
We paid the employees a minimun of 4 hrs if we close before noon and if we close after noon we pay 8 hrs. We list this under "Report in Pay"
I the Plant does not open and we announce it on the radio or TV stations hourly and non-exempts do not get paid, but may elect PTO.