Go to work during bad weather?

Your employer seems to have left it to your better judgement in the phrase "it is up to you as to whether you can come to work, based on the road conditions near your home." How this will reflect in pay, sick days, etc. I can not say. It is hard for me to judge, as Texas is a little out of my scope, being in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and never having been further south than St. Paul, Minnesota. Rule of thumb round here, if the car can get out of the driveway, you can get to work. Somewhat silly, as I can VPN and do exactly what I can from home, my employer has this odd notion that if I am not there, I am not working. Whether or not they are right, well... ;)

Cheers

-Dusty

I've seen some of the demolition derby's on the news caused by ice in the southern states. I wouldn't risk my life for my job. I guess it would just depend on how bad it is. I slid through the stop sign doing a 180 at the end of my street last year on the way to work one icey morning. I said **** it and went back home.

Up here in the great white north, we do experience more than just ice, and alot of our employess drive up to 60 miles to work, so our company policy is that if there is no travel is advised for the area in which you live, you are not obligated to come into work if the company itself is open. The whether might be fine here in town where it only takes me a 5 minutes to get to work, but the whether might not be so good for another employees who lives only 20 miles away and they are advising no travel for that area. (normally though, they advise no travel for multiple counties). That person will not be punished for not coming into work because of the weather. I think it just depends on the company and where you live. If lived quite a distance from my work place and they are advising no travel, why take the risk?

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The premise:

Your boss wants you to find a way to get to work. That's understandable.

You don't want to drive on a road that's unsafe. And that's understandable.

Your coworkers think that if they can get to work, then you should be able to get to work. That, too, is understandable.

You don't want to be chastised (or worse) for not going in on bad weather days. Again, that's understandable.

Solution number 1:

On bad weather days, when the snow and ice covered roads are not cleared and the idiots are sliding amok, walk down to the bus stop and take your public transportation to work. You'll be safe in the bus, at least relatively speaking. And if the bus can't make it, who can blame you? At least you tried.

Solution number 2:

Assuming that this might happen only once or twice a year, and if your reason for wanting a "snow day" is for your own safety or is a result of your housing circumstances (you may not have access to public transportation), ask to prearrange some "comp" hours to be cashed in on such bad-weather days. Work enough extra hours (without pay) to accumulate a day or two of "comp-time" to be used only on bad weather days.

Solution number 3:

H-U-M-M-E-R

I work for a company that simply has to be open, and on top of that it's likely to have more business during bad weather. Sure, only the line staff and a skeleton crew in the computing center really need to be there. But it would be bad for morale to let us back office people stay home on days when the attendance of the rest of the employees is critical.

However, they made the rule as easy as possible. All you have to do is swipe your badge through the security portal and demonstrate that you actually got into the building at some point during the day, and you get paid. Sure, you can spend four hours making a ten mile trip, and then just turn around and spend the next four hours going home. But the fact that you were willing to do it shows that at least you tried your best, and nobody can accuse you of being a slacker.

It's an interesting compromise. Fortunately we don't get more than six or seven days a year like that, so no one really complains.

What I find most amazing is that we uprooted Californians are always the first ones in on a snow day. We all ski, so we know how to drive in winter weather. The locals apparently don't.

To be honest I've never worked at any place where they would insist on being open even in bad weather.

I live in the northeast, I'd say the only part of the country that gets more snow than us is the upper midwest (Minnesota, the Dakotas, Wisconsin, etc.).

Our company is very strict on being open for example its a 10 year old company, I've been here for 8 1/2 of those 10 years...only twice did we actually close due to bad weather-- both times it was because the governor ordered it a state emergency (only essential vehicles allowed on the roads -- police, fire, EMS, etc.).

However as long as the weather is "reasonable" bad, our comapny has a "No Pay/No Penalty" Policy.

What this policy means is you will not be "in trouble" for not reporting to work that day -- it won't count against you in any written form, you won't lose any days -- but you will not get paid for that day you are out.

It seems to go over well with the employees here...me personally, well I'm ALWAYS here...I have to be, I'm the only network guy we have..lol.

Then the ice would melt and off you go.

Sometimes it's just a matter of an hour or two before the ice melts. Taking the whole day when just an hour or two is needed would get any boss po'd.

Maureen

I'm from Northern Ontario, Canada. I guess I'm cut from a different stone. Bad weather is expected and the people are just as crazy (actually, when we don't have bad weather, people are without work...laugh it up!). I always go to work no matter what, but the distance has never been more than a ten or fifteen minute drive.

I know driving on ice a major dangerous proposition, but our place stays open even during typhoons. We got hit with 10 this year (I live in Japan) and we had to come in for every single one.
Further, once the train line was knocked out of service and I rode my bike in. That was wild.
But, wind and driving rain and just nuisances compared to ice. Ice. If that was the proposition, I'd ask the CEO if they have a plan for car insurance or something.

The reason for the clause about using your own judgement is so they can't get sued by you if they require you to come in no matter what.

If there is an atmosphere of fear for using that judgement they they will still be held accountable.

I drive 60 miles each way in Michigan. We get a few nice storms a year. The only time I did not make it into work was when the State Police shut down the highways and said anyone caught on them would get a ticket.

I just slow down (a lot) and count the SUV's that are in the ditches as I putt along. It takes an extra hour each way but I make it.

Note: I will also leave early if we have a bad storm hitting.

Don't be in a rush and make sure you CAN'T make it in, rather than don't WANT to make it in. If you can't, then don't.

While you can't get fired for this, your boss and coworkers will remember who does and who doesn't show up.

Good luck and keep skating! (it gets cold in Texas?)

I live and work in South Carolina, where we have a similar problem with snow and ice. It's common to have a couple of snow days each winter, but not common enough for ice-scrapers and road salt to be in the vernacular.

To complicate matters, I used to live on a steep hill. Even if I did manage to get to work in the snow and ice, I'd have to park 3/4 of a mile away from my house on the way home -- and walk uphill the rest of the way.

The second winter I had to deal with these conditions, I went to my supervisor and asked about e-commuting on snow days. We'd usually know the day before if there was a good chance of snow or ice. On those days, I'd spend my last ten minutes FTPing up a bunch of files to the company server. Then, if it snowed, I'd call in early the next morning and download some projects that I could work on from home. I'd call in throughout the day, just to remind people who were at the office that I was actually working. ;)

The downside was that I couldn't always work on the same projects from home, and I'd inevitably be a little behind when I returned to the office. But, to take up the slack, I had usually gotten ahead on some other projects.

If you think snow and ice will be a problem this winter, propose this solution to your boss. With any luck, he'll take it as sign of your initiative and enthusiasm for the job.

If you work for me and you decide you can't come in because of "other idiots on the road", you're fired.

If the authorities advise people to stay at home, that's different.

Cheers

Did you live where you do now when you accepted the job ?

If you did then you have no grounds for complaint, your excuse "I have no intentions on being on the road with these idiots", holds no weight .. afterall you drive on the road with these people everyday - is this a confidence issue ?

Look for alternatives .. telecommuting, (it works well in Europe); if you're an admin clerk, account manager or administrator and have DSL with a VPN client and are able to access network resources then you can work from home if needed.

One point may be to operate a corporate IM, where your manager can see that you're on-line & converse with you; VoIP is another home working package that hasn't yet reached it's full potential, (peer-peer via MSN, AOL, Yahoo ect; Skipe - you get the picture); allowing you to communicate with your office - I've forwarded my deskphone to my internal client & as long as I can connect to ISDN, DSL or Wireless then I can work anywhere ....

Provide your management with alternative solutions, rather than problems ... instead of whining offer alternative working codes - they may well see the benefits.

I may have a harsh view, but this is realistic ... if you are in business and you're costing me money then I want to see value for that investment. If you can't deliver then I ask firstly whether you are in the right job, or do I need to motivate you ... a "Pink slip" tends to offer insentive

Arthur

I grew up in eastern Canada, spent some time in the southern states including Texas and I now live in Canada's far north. I have dealt with a lot of different road conditions and a lot of different drivers.

You're right, drivers in Texas don't understand how to deal with winter conditions because they don't see them enough. Where I'm living now, the roads are covered with ice and/or snow from roughly October until May, so people get pretty used to it. Still, here and in eastern Canada it's recognized that people forget how to drive in winter conditions from year to year so there are always more accidents in early winter. People still go to work, even knowing there are more bad drivers at those times. You compensate for the other drivers just like you compensate for any other hazard on the road.

If you're really concerned, why not allow more time and take a different route? In my experience with Texas, there's always more than one way to get anywhere. What about staying off the highways and using the lower speed frontage roads? There's still the risk of fender-benders at stop lights, but they'd be lower speed than an accident on the freeways or tollways.

I do understand your concerns and I'd have the same concerns if I lived in Texas, but I can't see it ever keeping me home, which may be where your co-workers are coming from.

Overall, I agree with many of the other comments posted. I generally found public transit to be poor in Texas, so that may not be an option, but as for the rest, only you know what risks you face that your co-workers may not. And remember, it could be worse - you could live somewhere that it's -30 celsius or colder for weeks on end and when it's too cold for your car to start, you walk twenty minutes to work in the -40 wind chill instead. :-)

You didn't state in your comments how old you were or how long you had been working for your company, but there's one cold fact here. (No pun intended) When you work for a living you get up and go to work. Period. Not going to work because of inclement weather is not in the agenda. I have 33 years with my company and I've traveled in every type of weather we have in the northeast. If you want to keep your job that's what you do. Don't look for cheap excuses like you posted. In short...grow up and welcome to the real world.

Maybe the memo actually means what it says, and you should take it at face value. Maybe it means that it is up to you whether you go into work, based on your local road conditions. That is, you have to take the decision. No firings, no repercussions, just empowerment and trust.

First of all, your company is extremely imprecise: ?it?s up to you whether you come to work or not? could be argued to mean that it is perfectly acceptable to them that you stay at home (possibly working from home, though this also is omitted.) Let us assume that it is to be interpreted as: stay at home if you want, the choice is yours ? but it will come out of your annual holiday entitlement or you will face disciplinary procedures and possibly lose your job.

We in the west of Europe also have an extremely temperate climate and rarely see snow during winter. We also are ill equipped to deal with harsh snows and icy driving conditions, and we do suffer our fair share of idiot drivers; so I think we would be in the same situation as yourself.

However, I could not conceive of using the weather or driving conditions as an excuse for my absence. It is your own responsibility to get to work ? why should your company suffer for something that is not their responsibility? You have chosen to live away from work ? should your colleagues who live nearby do your work for you, and then pay you instead?? Surely you are not advocating this?

Stop being a wimp. Take public transport instead of driving if you must. Drive a car with a manual gearbox, you will have more control. Avoid driving at times when women who only use their cars to go to the supermarket and take their children to the local school are let loose on the roads! (Apologies to decent female drivers out there, but the vast majority of these almost non-driving shoppers/school-runners are women.)

sexiboi

Until three months ago I was employed by a Call Center that has locations world wide. Their Inclement Weather policy was that if you felt that it was unsafe to drive to work then it would be as if you called in sick. Calling in sick by the way was just taking a Paid Time Off. PTO was earned at a rate of 10 days a year if employed under 5 years. If you chose to take a unpaid day off you were allowed 5 per year before you were terminated for excesive absence.
Example: I live in East Tennessee and last winter Snow, sleet, rain that froze blocked the road that I live on. Yes, either direction was iced over. Due to having too many days off for illness I had to risk it and go to work. My pickup decided that it didn't want to stay on the road and I hit a tree. Only after showing the police report and the repair bill was I allowed to take that day off as a unpaid time off. The company did not allow me a paid day for that incident. Come to find out that the bridge over the nearby river which I had to cross and a spot of the road that constantly gets flooded were both iced over as well but that didn't matter. I was not at work therefore I was docked for not being there.

I guess lbbek would still expect to be paid on those days 'HE' decides weather conditions are too hazardous for him to go to work. Everybody is expected to lose but him.

If you have holdiays to take or can work from home, providing you are not letting anyone down by staying at home a reasonable employer will agree that you should stay home, but you do have a duty under contract to your employer to undertake your duties and there is no precident set that inclement weather relieves you of this duty. Under the UK health and Safety at work Act and the Offices and Shops Act, your empoyer has a duty to provide you with a safe working environment, if travelling is part of your duties to the employer then this will be covered too, however normal commuting will not be covered.
I suggest you dig out the sled and have some fun getting to work or leave the car and walk as I do.

If travel is possible it should be undertaken. Are we wimps or workers?!
Sounds too much like the "leaves on the line" excuse syndrome to me - get into work and enjoy the camararderie of the struggle.

Us in Scotland Buy 4X4 cars :)

I agree with your co-workers, and I also think you are looking for excuses not solutions.

One solution is to take an advanced driving course. These courses are freely available in Europe and most other parts of the world, so I assume also in Texas, teach you to drive well in adverse conditions.

For example, the UK police drivers are allowed one accident per 100000 miles driven, and are rated safe at 100mph on ice.

These courses also start with the basic assumption that everyone else on the road is out to get to you. It does make you a bit paranoid, but then that's defensive driving for you.

Most companies will hopefully have an inclement weather policy, so you can make an informed decision about whether to come in to work or not. If your driving skills are not the issue, and you worry more about the other drivers sharing the same road as you, there are several things that you can do:

- Use alternate transport (public, carpooling, etc.)
- Use lesser traveled routes; although it may take longer, your chances of arriving safely are better; so, leave for work at an earlier time.
- Drive slower, and be vigilant!

In the Pacific Northwest, inclement weather in the winter is a fact of life...the only reason for us not to go to work is if there is so much snow on the ground that the car will not travel through it...or the car simply will not stay on the road from the ice covering it.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Safety is always a major issue and I'm sure your employer is concerned for your safety, the CEO is basically telling you he expects you to be at work as long as it is reasonably safe to do so. In otherwords if you can make it in without risking your life any more than usual(the idiots are always on the roads) do it because in todays economy/tech market there is always someone else who needs a job and would be willing to take yours.

Why can we not trust anyone over 30, used to be the question in the 60's when I was a kid. Now I am far older I realize that statement was true because at 30 most people have shed their individuality for job security so that they can pay for their 2.5 kids, Home and hobbies, like a snake sheding its skin! At age 17 drive on ice for work - no way. At age 30, If I don't show up in this ice the boss won't take me seriously for that big promotion. I will never understand the equation Car that cost 4 - 5 years the second most expensive purchase vs One day pay in the middle of winter. The sheep drive.

I used to live up north (Masachusetts). Once, the Governor declared a state of emergency because of icy road conditions and ordered all persons to stay home unless they were "essential personnel." I stayed home. Management then declared that my department was "essential." I called our local police department and the sergeant gave me permission to use his name and he said "When there are bad road conditions, we only want emergency personnel out, not civilians." I stayed home, and will continue staying home. My life is worth more to me than these idiots who venture out in bad weather and cause accidents. Our union later argued our case and we won a days pay back. Call your local police department or fire department and ask if they want you out in bad weather. I already know whaqt they will say.

I too live and work in Texas (North Dallas). Since I moved here in 1995, I have never seen road conditions bad enough to keep me home. To be fair, I did spend 13 years driving in Germany, Austria, and Denmark, so I am used to driving in winter conditions. Yes, the roads here get a bit icy from time to time, but drivable as long as one plans ahead and leaves early enough from home to account for the conditions. If I ever found the road conditions such that I did not feel I could drive in safely, I would definitely stay home (my life, my responsibility)! If at all possible, I would suggest making an attempt to speak to your supervisor to see if an alternate work solution could be worked out for such instances. Some of the previous posts mentioned telecommuting, or coming in to work at a later time, all good ideas if possible. Otherwise, take a vacation day, personal day, or unpaid day off. Before these winter conditions arrive, plan an alternate route to work that has the most level terrain, the fewest bridges, the the fewest roads where they water the streets (Too many businesses in Dallas do not adjust their sprinkler systems and end up watering the streets all year long, yes in the winter too. Maybe they are hoping tor wider roads...) I also cary a bag of sand or kitty litter to spread under my tires if I need a bit of extra traction in a pinch (obviously not while actively driving). Lastly, the AAA and some insurance companies have printed winter driving tips, see if you can get a copy and read over the suggestions.

If you read the policy, it probably stated that you are expected to show up for work but at a later time in the day. This is usually done so that you can SLOW DOWN when you are driving and get to work in one piece. I live in Arkansas so I know about the ice on roads. My company has no inclement weather policy at all. Rain hail sleet ice, it does not matter you will be there at your scheduled time or you are automatically fired. So the choice is basically up to you, do you want to get paid or do you want to sit at home. The choice is yours.

I once worked for a company that had a similar snow day policy. This company was in western Maryland which gets about 3 or 4 good snow storms during the winter. We would hear on the radio that the area schools had closed for the day because the school busses couldn't get out, but yet they would remain open. Once we had a bad ice storm which made even the interstates nearly impassable, and they still remained open.

My suggestion would be to stay home and take a vacation day. Or if you've used up your vacation time, call in and take the day without pay. It just isn't worth risking 'life and limb' for a job. Hopefully you can request to make up the time later when the weather improves.

In this day of cut-throat competition, you can find many of these type of problems. You need to look for solutions, not just push the problems to the forefront. First, you need to make your first priority be your personal safety and your responsibility to your family. But that does not relieve you of your responsibility to your employer. They are paying you to do a job. You have to approach it from the point that you will get there, if at all possible. Part of your response gives a hint of a high-school kid looking for the day off of school. I doubt that was what you meant, but it did sound that way. So then with the expectation of getting to work, look for alternatives. (Alternative transportation, work at home, different place to live, different personal vehicle or different job.) Since you are in TX, you know that in the US we have lots of freedoms, but those freedoms come with responsiblity. I doubt that your employer will expect you to put your life on the line to get to work, but they will expect you to give them your best effort to be there and do your job. If you discuss the alternatives in advance, you will probably find an employer more than willing to work with you. If you don't find a willing employer look for another job. Remember, no one on their death bed was ever quoted as saying "I should have spent more time at the office".

I live Maryland and work in Northern Virginia. I think it doesn't matter where in the country you live (except for Buffalo, NY), NOBODY knows how to drive properly and safely in snow or ice.

Your company police reads like most, including my own, which says in essence, you have to use your own judgement in bad weather. You know your limits. No one is going to get fired for not coming to work on account of weather (within reason, of course). My company's policy states this, and if I were admonished by my supervisor because of this, I have a stong advocate in the personnel department.

Your policy states that it is up to you. Frankly, I think you're over-reacting.

Unless there is a "State of Emergency" in effect legally preventing you from being on the road, get your butt to work. It's called a job for a reason. Leave earlier, plan ahead, get yourself an SUV, do what you need to do. As your employer, I would not tolerate you being out simply because the roads are snowy or icy. You live in a Northern latitude you should know how to drive in snow. If you can't handle it, move South.

Sincerely,
Working for a living.

Not so much directed to you as you're already employed here, but when interviewing for a job at a 24/7 operation, it's a good question to ask about what's expected during inclement weather.

At a 24/7 Center I worked at in the Northeast, it was made known during the interview process that no matter the weather, we were expected to be there. It was a help desk populated by mostly young college students who were contractors and didn't get paid if they took the day off. The offer was always available that during times of horrible ice and snow, they were more than welcome to spend the night in the center. There were plenty of places to sleep, showers available, breakfast, lunch and dinner was ordered in for them, so most took the offer as opposed to calling in that day and losing money. I only lived 10 minutes away so making it in wasn't a huge deal; I just left for work early and drove VERY VERY slow, avoiding the others barreling down the iceway at 65MPH.

As far as your situation, I think the clincher is the last line of that memo: "If you have any questions, please see your immediate supervisor."
Have you asked her/him? What was their response?

The memo means what the memo says..."it is up to you whether you can come to work." They company is trusting you to make the decision. That sounds good to me.

Now, if you take unfair advantage of that policy and stay home even for the slightest snow flake, then you are not worthy of their trust.

As a manager, that is how I would evaluate your decision. If I know you to be a risk averse person and that the road conditions were questionable, I would respect your decision. On the other hand if I felt you were taking unfair advantage, I'd be watching you for other attitude deficiencies.

You have the company's trust...don't abuse it. Drive safely.

The idiots you mentioned are on the roads during good and bad weather. Your business won't be the only one open when the roads get bad. Your customers have deadlines to meet, and bad weather doesn't make them go away. So my advice to you is to leave an hour earlier than you usually do to get on the roads before the idiots do. The world doesn't stop because you don't like to drive in bad weather. I live in hilly country where snow and ice comes often, and that is why I purchased a 4WD vehicle to keep my comitment to my employer. Sorry if this sounds like I'm calling you a cry baby, but if you don't want to drive in bad weather see if you can get a ride with someone.

For me this seems like a strange question to ask .

I was born & lived in the UK until I was 30 & the idea of not going to work because of the weather has never even occurred to me.

When I was 17-18 I went to work every day on a Vespa scooter (had no car) including several winters, on occasions I?ve had to strip the carburettor & clean it out at the side of the road because the 2 stroke oil had congealed from the cold & stopped the engine. I just set off earlier when it was really cold & carried a few tools. I?ve also had the clutch cable freeze to its outer & had to ?crash? the gears to go anywhere. But I always got to work.

I now live & work in rural France where winters can be relatively harsh (-20?c) and roads do not get cleared. So I bought a 4X4, it?s not a fashion statement here! I chose to live here so I am equipped accordingly.

Just drive slowly, maybe fit winter tyres if available where you live or buy an SUV, after all they?re dirt cheap in the USA ;-)

I think if you?re not ill then you should try to go to work, if you can?t get through then nobody can say anything.

It is obvious that your CEO is just giving you the responsibility for a decision only you can make. If you think he is picking on you, you better get some help quick.

Don't risk your life for your job. That said, one solution to the icy roads problem is to ask your boss for a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection. I use this to work from home during inclement weather. I live in Michigan, and during bad weather my hour commute can turn into two. With two hours on either end of my commute, it's not worth coming in to work. The VPN connection allows me to work from home as if I was in the office. One tip: make it clear that you only want to use this on the days you CAN'T come into the office. Many companies still don't like the idea of people working where they can't keep their thumb on them (I guess they don't trust their annual review process).

Where I work, we are given the choice to stay home or make our commute to work. If we choose to stay home, it is without pay, unless we want to take a personal holiday (read: waste a vacation day). There is also the possibility of being allowed to work from home on that day, but it is like pulling teeth to get them to agree.

I wonder if there are any laws on the books that require the employer to cover you in the event of an accident during inclement weather when they have a policy like this. Anyone know?

Like most things (even when thier is a policy) common sense prevails. Situations, like this are case by case and if the company 'requires' that you be jeprodize your safety in the name of profit or some misguided concept of heroism then it may be time to find a more sane work environment.

I live in upstate NY, and during bad winter storms, we frequently get 'Roads Closed' from the highway departments. What that means is that no one is supposed to be on the roads with the exception of emergency and state vehicles. As a add-on to that, if you do so, you are uninsured to be on the road at that time - thereby it is illegal and people can and do get cited for doing so.

Since your employer cannot force you to perform an illegal act (at least in the US ;-) ) you cannot go to work, and you cannot be condemed for not doing so.

Many employers nowaday's do allow remote access into your workplace, either as a fall-back or optional choice, this may be something to look at.

Barring official road closures, it is a personal choice that must be made by yourself, work - or potential personal harm. There is potentially cause for litigation should you be injured on the way to or from work during poor conditions, I have heard of such cases being won.

I work in Buffalo, NY. I drive to work in bad weather all the time. Just take your time, take it slow. If your 15 - 30 min. late so what. I go to work after overnight snowfalls of one foot, including poor visibility.

I had one of those experiences, it had rained early in the morning and there were patches of black ice on the ground. I thought to myself, just drive carefully, you wont have a problem, well when I was going over a small bridge, my car spun around completely 3 times over the center line and into on coming traffic and back again into my lane where I finally came to rest crashed up the concrete wall separating me from about 50 ft of water. The front end was damaged and the hood wouldn't close, the car had to be towed. So I didn't make it to work that day anyway, and I had to put out the $500 deductible. So now I stay home or take a vacation day. I refuse to risk my life or my car for any company, PERIOD!

Why would you want to keep working for someone who wants you to take your like in your hands just to get there anyway?

When bad weather comes my Job sort of dictates that I be there, even though most of the employees aren't. I luckily work at a resort so in bad weather I can request to stay in a guest room the day before if I believe that the weather will be bad and I don't think I will be able to make the drive. I don?t know if that is an option at your work whether there is somewhere very close by your company is willing to flip the bill for you to stay or if there is a place within you company you could stay for the night. Like a lot of people my work is a lot of my life and I am here a lot and always doing work so this might not be a desirable solution for some people, but I believe that it shows your dedication to your job and company.

In Montreal where 100" or more of snow per winter is the norm, you were expected at work, and you got to work - you just left a lot earlier, drove a lot slower, and stayed off the roads with 'idiot' drivers. Think about it, what would you do if instead of missing work, you were missing your plane for your vacation? Of course, if you have no objection to not being paid when you're not there...

Look, I live in perhaps one of the worst winter driving states in the US. and I drive daily BEFORE the plows are even on the road! (I deliver the morning paper!) What you should do first is drive slower and more cautious then you would in the summer, make sure that you havethe appropiate type of tires, and if allowed in your state use chains. but even then you should reley on common sense, If the weather is dangorus then don't drive! simple as that and if you are fired for not comming in you might have a good legal case against your employer. but use good judgement!! keep an eye on the traffic conditions for your area online or on the TV either should provide you with a listing of closed or highly iced roads and pick the appropreate alternate routes.

It was made clear by the CEO... "It is up to you as to whether you can come to work". No where did you write that you would be terminated if you could not make in in during bad weather. It looks like you should have asked your immediate supervisor.

I think you are misinterpreting thier message. I think they are giving you thier blessing to not risk the drive in, without inviting everyone to call in as soon as the temp gets below 32 degrees.

I live in the metro Detroit area and the other day we had a squall that move in early in the morning that never showed up on the weathers radar screen. Our plow service had no notice of this quiet storm that left nothing but black ice on the roads and our highways.
I leave around 5:30 AM and on the way to work we had a significant amounts of accidents over the city in which one person was killed.
People I work with were 2 hours late, because they closed the highway down, due to a jack-knife semi, spread out across the highway.
A lot of people were upset that the company wrote everyone up that was late. They sent out a letter the next day saying that it is our obligation to get to work during bad weather and that we should plan our trip ahead of time so we can make it there on time. I disagree!
I am a little disappointed that a company that prides itself on safety and quality would pressure you to make a hazardous trip in bad weather. Some people have children that are home during bad weather, because the schools have closed down. How do you plan a babysitter at 5:30 in the morning, when the weather is at its worse?
It goes to show that corporate greed will be with us for a long time. All I am to them is a #. They want us to work-work-work and then lay us off for a week or two, then call us back to work and pressure us to get production and their # for the day. Then gives us more down time.
The Internationl community should have a law that sets guidelines for corporate greed. Maybe this is a solution for our health care problems.Think about this! If every major corporation in the world had to claim a loss for their donation to a international health care program, the people in third world countries would be taken care of and you wouldn't have
the crisis that they have now. Just a thought!

C'mon, this is simple. It's YOUR decision and there are plenty of sources of information regarding road conditions other than having to get in the car.
Here, very often local roads are very bad but once you're out of the neighborhoods, the roads are much better.
In addition, going to work isn't a binary function, maybe going in an hour or two late is safer.
If you're expecting snow days, get a job as a teacher...

Tex says, "If I am reading the company policy correctly, this means that I am required to get on the road during snow or ice with [poor-driving] idiots because the company will be open."
I didn't see that in your description of company policy. All you have to do is take a look outside and listen to the weather report. Of course, someone has to check out the roads. Are you suggesting it should be your company's CEO? I doubt that your boss will pay as much attention to how many bad weather days you miss as he does to your attitude about company policy. An employee who gladly accepts the freedom to take a day off when conditions are too poor will fare better than one who's complaints will be interpreted as, "This company is run by idiots."

Depending on your business, telecommuting is an option. A corporate VPN or dial-up modem pool can support staff putting in time safely.

I do as the memo suggests, based on conditions, I determine whether it is reasonably safe for me to travel..

Did you see your immediate supervisor as the memo directs?

I live in Buffalo, NY. We have things like plows and salters that can deal with a LOT of snow. If the roads have been plowed, I can make it to work. I usually leave it up to the local government to help make the decision to stay home. If there is a travel advisory, I try to make it in (you can drive slower in bad weather you know). If there is a travel ban, then I'll work from home. I wouldn't be foolish about trying to drive in during a blizzard, but I'm also not afraid to drive in a little snow or ice.

The company will continue to operate no matter what. If you try to go to work when the weatherman is telling you to stay off the roads, then you are the fool. If you die in an accident on your way to work, the company will send flowers to your funeral, but they will replace you the next day.

Consider your environment and comfort level with the conditions. Ask your boss if telecommuting is an option in bad weather. Can you make up time another way? working through lunch/weekends/etc? In today's 7x24 business climate, CEOs are pressured to keep their businesses open whenever possible. However, as long as you are meeting the *intent* of the business and helping to keep things running, there probably is some flexibility.

Where I work in federal government, there is a "liberal leave" policy for inclement weather that can be implemented at the discretion of the location manager. "Liberal leave" means that employees can take vacation without prior approval if they want to stay home that day due to unsafe weather conditions. The reasoning is safety focused. The director would rather be without an employee for a day or two than have to incur medical expenses and possible extended employee absence in case of an accident.

Bottom line: if you approach things rationally and keep the business needs in mind, I imagine you will find some flexibility.

Two times now I have been hit going home from work. I would go in bad weather at one time. But since the last time I was hit and was fired by the company because light duty was not allowed for I was not hurt on the job. (They did hire me back when I got off light duty, could not climb the 40' silo.)I was out over 12 weeks. I No longer go in if there is bad weather and puts me at risk. I stay home. The job is not worth my life.

Bad weather do not come usualy as a supprise. Weather forcast center usualy predict it proprely. In those days I usualy work remotly or bring home these big files to go trough. BUT you must absolutly make sure your boss know about it and that you can show results when your back. It is of cours a judgement call but not only from you but asso from your boss. IN ANY CASE try to discuss this issue with your manager to clarify the situation and prepare yourself accordingly.
Now if it is the SECURITY SERVICES like the police that close the road then you are OK.
Raising your concern to your manager will demonstrate your interest in keeping your job, your ability to discuss, it is an opportunity to demonstrate your commitment to your work and explain that your experience is profitable to them and work preserving this knowledge of you to serve the cie. interest even if you have to be away for a day because of events out of your control.

Would you go to a movie or the store for milk during a storm? Do you live where it snows? Weather is a reality! Deal with it. Stop whining and worry about something important.

I live in Alabama and when we get snow or even really, really bad ice, we are stuck. Because we don't have good road-clearing services, roads are frequently very unsafe, and sometimes are even closed (even though people are still trying to drive on them). I imagine this happens in Texas, too. If it does, check with your auto insurance company about their inclement-weather road policy. Most insurance companies here will not cover accidents that happen on closed roads, and might even cancel your policy if you do go out on roads that have been closed due to weather. If this is their policy, let your employers know that when roads are closed, you effectively don't have any insurance, and you will be taking a large risk in coming to work. When there are warnings about possible inclement weather, remind your employers about your insurance and see if you can work out a way to take home a few things to work on just in case you get stuck in the house. They may be more understanding if you choose to stay home in the next ice storm.

If the weather is going to be bad enough that I may not be able to make the 30 mile drive to work the next day, I sleep in my office.

Dear Ibbek,
I have been in information technology for 25 years. I have worked in companies large and small and every one has the selfsame policy that you state in your post. In 25 years, I have never missed a day because of weather. When conditions are so bad, that I cannot get to work, the company generally closes. My commute is one hour/10 minutes and I do not, nor have I ever had a 4-wheel drive car.
Good Luck!

The only accident in all my year of driving since the mid 1960s was sliding into a parked car on a sheet of ice while going to work. I have had some close calls since that and have since adopted the stance that I will stay home in the ice. I will do all I can to work from home, but it is not worth the risk to life and property to go in. The company is not going to be responsible should you have an accident and would simply go on without you if you were killed or disabled in a wreck. You owe it to yourself and your family to minimize the risks in life. This risk is so simple to avoid - STAY HOME!

What they appear to be saying is that it is up to you to decide. There are other things though I would investigate. If you are a knowledge worker I would find out if you have telecommuting capabilities and if you can get setup if there is bad weather. If not the policy may be that you need to take a personal day or make up the time later at work, your employer should not be penalized for how far you are from work or how far you need to drive which are your choices. As a fellow commuter (long distance - over an hour on the road) I sympathize and agree with the dangers that are out there. I myself try the roads for 15 mintues if too bad I go home, take a train if I can (depending on location). In my old job I would make up the time, in my new job I work from home

Drive safely

I don't get the problem. I'm in Denver and when it snows I get up extra early get the road reports and plan my route according to that. The boss has left room for descretion but it seems as if this person is "afraid" to drive on the ice which may mean he's the one that's a danger to others?

Maybe it's because you are in Texas and don't get much snow or ice but if I stayed home just because there was snow/ice on the road I would be trapped in my house about 4 months a year.

Safety is relative, and to a great extent a matter of probabilities and behavior; therefore, one might consider driving carefully and very slowly, remaining alert, and perhaps using chains or spiked tires. HTH

I read the policy that it's truly up to you, but don't expect it to be a "free" day off. My company in general has no problem with people staying at home in bad weather, but you either have to make up the time later the same week (we have "flex" time) or take a vacation day for it. Also, you might play it by ear and if the conditions improve later in the day, go in then and then have to make up or take vacation only half a day or a few hours. Also, make sure you call your office and let them know you're not coming in because of the weather. Don't just not show up.

You should read the policy in full to find out exactly what it says. Then talk to your immediate supervisor and ask if you can work from home during bad weather days because you are concerned about the bad drivers. If your supervisor says you have to come in unless you are sick, because of your job, then you may want to look into a different company or different job that does not have that requirement. If you do choose to move to another company, ask during the interview about any bad weather policies and tell them of your concerns about bad drivers.

This is one of the most rediculous things I have ever heard. If an employee thinks coming to work in inclimate condition is a valid excuse, they should look for another job. If it takes several hours to go to work - do it. Depending on your company, one office, national network or international, the users/customers will be at work.

Back in the 1970's we lived in Maryland. My wife at the time was going to a Howard Community College at the time. There was maybe an inche or two of snow. For a midwesterner from northeast Ohio, snow is part of life. Without a second thought, she drove to the school. It was closed due to snow. I am back in Ohio and it would have to be a blizzard before one would think of staying home.

You DO NOT have SNOW days when you work. They call it work, not fun. Get a life!

In inclement weather if everybody else makes it to work but you, than maybe your just a little over cautious. If it's that bad I don't think you'll be the only one who can't make it in. Knowing the company will be open should be a good thing. I once drove all the way to work (14 miles) after calling and getting no answer, and when I got there the parking lot was empty and there was a sign on the door that we were closed.

When I worked in Utah, I had no problem commuting 40 miles to work in 5 feet of snow. People there are prepared to handle it, it's a routine situation.

Here in Virginia, where 2 inches of ice/snow present a herculean task to commuters, I would rather not. I do have e-mail, a broadband VPN and a cell phone.