With much of the east coast and Midwest digging themselves out of record snowfalls, HR professionals and employers have been reminded of the need for an inclement weather policy. With more snow on the way for many of these places (and hurricane and tornado seasons in future months), this may be your opportunity to put together your company’s severe inclement weather policy and make sure everyone is on the same page when the next storm hits.
ACCR’s “Sample Inclement Weather policy” reads as follows:
“If the local public school district is closed due to weather creating bad travel conditions, then the office will be closed. In the event of bad weather that would create unsafe travel conditions and the public schools have not yet announced whether they will close, please stay in touch with the main reception voice mail box for announcements of office closure. Above all employees should use prudent discretion regarding their ability to report to work under such conditions”.
You may want to further personalize it by addressing the following topics:
- payment for hourly employees
- how employees will be notified of the business closing
- Collective Bargaining Agreements (if you are unionized)
- guidelines for working from home.
A great reference for our Pennsylvania readers is “The Weather Outside is…” by Kathy Speaker MacNett of Skarlatos & Zonarich, one of our partner firms. Click here to read the article.
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