Reply
Valued Contributor
Posts: 891
Registered: ‎03-18-2010

Re: Employers who ignore weather emergencies

I worked for a department store in New Jersey and we always had to report in for severe weather. There was a big sign hanging on the wall at the employee's entrance that said to tune into a radio station that would tell you if the mall was closed due to the weather, which was utterly ridiculous, because they never closed! The only time I was ever late for work, (by two hours) was during The Perfect Storm of 1991. That's right, THAT Perfect Storm! My ex had driven our one car to work, and the bus I usually took wasn't running. I called a cab and held on to a stop sign (literally) for an hour until the cabbie came. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 10,371
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Employers who ignore weather emergencies

I worked for a huge corporation that said it never closed, even though 99.5% of its workers worked during the day.  The corporation went international in the late 90s so then it said it never closed because people worked all over the world.  

 

I was expected to take my work laptop home every day just in case...so I could work from home if a blizzard hit or if they felt like making me work on a vacation or day off.   It was grueling at times as I'd have to work all weekend sometimes.  I know it was great to be able to do it from home.  But they never tired of abusing those who didn't receive overtime.  I averaged 57-60 hours per week.  Retirement becomes me.  

Highlighted
Honored Contributor
Posts: 10,894
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Employers who ignore weather emergencies

An interview with a man who lives in Key West said this is the price you pay for living in paradise. 

 

We all get to choose where we live and know, or should know, what to expect weather wise. The same goes for the work we choose to do. If they live in the NE they should be prepared to drive on snow and ice. If they live in tornado ally, they should invest in a storm shelter. Florida, heat, bugs, gators, and hurricanes, I can't think why anyone would choose to live there.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,631
Registered: ‎03-20-2010

Re: Employers who ignore weather emergencies

[ Edited ]

@Kachina624 wrote:

I wonder what an employer's liability would be if an employee sustained a weather-related injury while on his way to work when people had been advised to stay home? 


@Kachina624 @Cumbercookie13

 

My friend was involved in a weather related situation.  We had a terrible ice storm.....the mayor was urging unless you were essential personnel (fire, law enforcement, medical) stay home and stay off the roads.  My friend lives on the other side of town and called the office to explain that many roads were closed and that the situation was dangerous ....Her boss informed her that if she wanted a job she better show up! (she works in an office for a company thats "not essential" in the middle of an ice storm).  She tried to come in, but guess what another driver skidded on the icy road and hit her car which was then not drivable.  She called her boss and told him what happened....of course after that she wasnt requied to come in....So when she filed the claim with her insurance agent she asked if her employer could also be held liable for making her come in, or subrogate to get her deductible from her employer.....and the insurance agent said no they couldn't be held liable.....Now if she had decided to sue instead of letting her insurance company pay (the other driver didnt have insuance).....maybe the lawyer might have been able to do something... because afterall if she hadnt been told she had to come in to save her job there would have been an accident...........Yes the insurance company subrogated against the other driver, but as the saying goes.....you cant get blood out of a stone and he had to pay a miniscule payment each month until he finally totaled her $500 deductible which she got a year and a half later........but her car was never quite the same after the accident.......

Animals are reliable, full of love, true in their affections, grateful. Difficult standards for people to live up to.”
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,889
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: Employers who ignore weather emergencies

[ Edited ]

Before I retired, I worked for a large university in a very cold part of the country. The joke among employees was that it never closed during a blizzard. We were even told to buy snow shoes (at our own expense, of course) and walk to work if need be. About 25 years ago, we had an exceptionally dangerous blizzard. Everyone was told to stay until the end of the work day. Unfortunately, while employees at all levels were becoming increasingly nervous about trying to drive home in the worsening storm, the county sheriff closed all the roads. Everyone was stuck.  

 

The University was forced to house and feed many hundreds of employees. Fortunately there was a huge armory on campus and that's where people stayed overnight. There were pregnant women, people with chronic illnesses whose meds were at home, and others who violated the do-not-drive edict because they had to get home to their kids and pets.

 

After that debacle, the University changed its policies. When weather is treacherous, especially when roads are closed, only essential employees (police, room & board, grounds, medical) need to be on campus. Classes are canceled when roads are closed. The university never again got stuck in that self-created mess. By the way, as the director of my department, I closed the office and we all went home early on that awful day. Driving home was memorable, but my beagle was very happy to see me.

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,629
Registered: ‎06-14-2016

Re: Employers who ignore weather emergencies

Many of thee jobs use intimidation to bully employees.   A supervisor will tell an employee the MUST come in BUT if that employee is killed in route..... That same supervisor will Change the story and say, he did NOT demand that the employee come to work.

 

We have to all use wisdom and do what is best for you and your family!

Happiness is ALWAYS an inside job,
Don't assign anyone else that much POWER
in your life!!!
Honored Contributor
Posts: 10,371
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Employers who ignore weather emergencies

[ Edited ]

@KKlim wrote:
I worked for a Fortune 500 Company for 9 years and the company never closed w/our extreme weather. It was very stressful during the winter as I live in NY. We would have to drive in treacherous snowstorms to and from work. My commute was 35 miles each way. The Branch Manager didn't care as he lived 2 miles from the office.

 

 

I also worked for a Fortune 500 company....for almost 40 years.  They never closed.  The pressure they put on people to get to work when there was 12" new snow and high winds was rough.  People would get written up for it.  Even now, if someone doesn't have PTO to cover it, they get written up....and depending on their performance, they can be fired.

 

 

That's big business these days.  They care about the business, not employees.  The stories I could tell.....

Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,631
Registered: ‎03-20-2010

Re: Employers who ignore weather emergencies

[ Edited ]

@Happiness Is Inside JOB wrote:

Many of thee jobs use intimidation to bully employees.   A supervisor will tell an employee the MUST come in BUT if that employee is killed in route..... That same supervisor will Change the story and say, he did NOT demand that the employee come to work.

 

We have to all use wisdom and do what is best for you and your family!


@Happiness Is Inside JOB

 

At our work our boss says, "If the weather is dangerous stay home!"...."You'll save the company from having to send flowers in case there's an accident and a funeral"---I know the statement is blunt and krass, and bad humor---but at least our company and boss has a policy that let's us stay home and off the roads when the weather is dangerous.  

Animals are reliable, full of love, true in their affections, grateful. Difficult standards for people to live up to.”
Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,602
Registered: ‎03-21-2010

Re: Employers who ignore weather emergencies

I work at a university library.  I'm considered an essential worker.  The library is open 24 hours a day.  During a two day blizzard, I was poised to go (by dog sled if I had to) they ended up closing thanks to  good news on my phone.  I was just starting to go.  The university (including the library) ended up closed for a week.  We did have about a 34" accumulation. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,630
Registered: ‎12-12-2010

Re: Employers who ignore weather emergencies

A little over 20 years ago, I lived in Dallas at the time and we had a bad winter storm that left our roads icy.  The news was reporting that we shoud stay home.  Even my driveway which was on a bit of a slope was a sheet of ice.  I couldn't back out if I wanted to much less drive to work.  I called my boss at home (actually woke him up) to find out what we were expected to do that day, and he said to just sit tight and they would call the employees (our company didn't have an employee emergency hotline back then).  So I stayed home.  At about lunchtime, our company Presiden'ts secretary called to ask if I was coming in.  I then proceeded to tell her I had already talked to my boss much earlier that morning and he said to sit tight until employees were contacted.  Apparently he never informed anyone that is the guidance he gave me!  My driveway was still a sheet of ice, which is what I relayed to the secretary & I said nol, I'm iced in at home; it's not safe to get out.  The next day when things were back to normal, & I went into work, I found out there were a handful of folks that didn't come in because of the ice.  We were downright ostracized for weeks after that, made to feel guilty as if we weren't dedicated enough to risk our lives to come to work.  Crazy...

Time is just a drop in the bucket compared to eternity. It isn’t how long you live that matters; it is how well you are prepared to die. ~~Colonel Robert B. Thieme, Jr.