Blizzards, Hurricanes, And That Dreaded TORCON Index

Many "it was the worst day of my life" stories begin with a weather event. I will never forget sitting with a client in an early April morning mediation several years ago when she received a call on her cell phone. She was told that she should not come to work that day. And that the company's entire service truck fleet had just been wiped out. It was a very bad day. On the heels of blizzard season and right here before tornado season, we have been receiving questions about how to handle pay for company closings, late openings, and y'all go home. I will try to summarize some of the considerations here.

Hourly Employees

Pay for hourly employees during weather disasters is fairly simple. Hourly employees must be paid for all hours actually worked. If employees do not come in, are turned away at the door, or are sent home early, the rule is the same – pay hourly employees for hours actually worked.