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  • #2291201

    Go to work during bad weather?

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    by mirrormirror ·

    With the start of winter, our CEO sent out an e-mail to everyone in the company stating, “With the winter weather upon us, it is a good time to remind everyone of the inclement weather policy. XYZ Company will be open, even during bad weather. It is up to you as to whether you can come to work, based on the road conditions near your home. If you have any questions, please see your immediate supervisor.”

    I live and work in Texas. If any of you know anything about Texas and winter weather, you know that we usually get ice rather than snow here. And, we are not equipped to clear roads. The topper is that there are a lot of stupid drivers in Texas who like to think that they can drive 65 on ice. I have no intentions on being on the road with these idiots.

    If I am reading the company policy correctly, this means that I am required to get on the road during snow or ice with these idiots because the company will be open. When I talked to my co-workers, they acted like there was something wrong with me for stating that I would not come in during any icy weather. Am I the only one?

    What do you do during inclement weather? Go to work or stay home?

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    Replies
    • #3311573

      Well,

      by dwiebles ·

      In reply to 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

      • #3303184

        Well – yes

        by jg ·

        In reply to Well,

        I agree with your point of view. As I see it the employer in question wants the employee to stay alive and not do anything foolish which may cost his og her health or even life. I think that the employer want the employee to come to work as long as this can happen in a safe and orderly manner. Othervise, the employer may loose the employee. I live in Sweden and work in Denmark driving back and fourth all year round. The winter conditions can sometimes be rather harch around here. It has happend during icy or stomy weather that I have had to stay at home with my VPN in order not to loose a valuable employee to the employer.

        Drive safely,
        John

      • #3303164

        Weather

        by csludovi ·

        In reply to Well,

        I own and run my own heating and cooling company in Iowa which means we are open 24/7. Weather is not a factor, however if an employee doesn’t feel they can make it into work they can use it as a vacation day. The way Texans drive in inclement weather, your all better off staying home.

        • #3301189

          Amen to that

          by iseekthegrail ·

          In reply to Weather

          When visiting my brother in Dallas there was just a minor rain shower and we saw no less than 10 wrecks on either side of the Interstate within a 2-mile span. I can only imagine what would happen in ice/snow.

        • #3303143

          Scottish Weather

          by markholmes692002 ·

          In reply to Amen to that

          Well lads what can i say ? i really feel sorry for you all.
          The thing is that in the uk the weather is always bad, so when the sun comes out then no-one goes to work for fear of not seeing it again.
          We kinda get used to driving in bad weather unlike you guys who have things like climate control and air conditioning in their cars, ocassionally we open the window briefly if we need to cool down.
          Best of British to you all.

          Mark Holmes

        • #3303089

          Scottish Weather

          by xina45 ·

          In reply to Scottish Weather

          Ah lest we be forgetting the lasses now!
          I’ve learned that here in WY there are 10 months of winter and 2 months of poor sleding. An old addage, but true! We consider a breeze to be 35 MPH winds! We make Chicago look calm! In fact in a few moments I’ll be heading out to our “breezy” steady NW winds at 40> MPH w/ gusts possible up to 70 tonight! “A North Wind Doth Blow…!”

        • #3302998

          uk weather

          by newey499 ·

          In reply to Scottish Weather

          yup seems like the us is composed of health nazis ice and snow are fun, well slightly

        • #3302932

          I used to have that car

          by toucan ·

          In reply to Scottish Weather

          I recall one wicked snow storm putting on the defroster and seeing snowflakes blowing in the cabin. I guess the folks that designed the Sprite didn’t think heat and ventilation was a priority.

        • #3302071

          Luxury! Sheer Luxury!

          by protiusx ·

          In reply to Scottish Weather

          Oops! Now let?s not start that again. I LOVE SCOTLAND! I wish I was there. Scots rule no matter what anyone says. They are the roughest toughest individuals in the world. They were the mainstay of the British in India and against that ruddy short French guy. To this day you can visit places in India where the old forts now lay in ruin and see what a few stout Scots with Claymores can do! They invented scout sniping and are used as an example by the United States Marine Corps when they train how to strike absolute terror into the hearts of ones enemies.

        • #3317405

          Depends on your motivation

          by martin_ternouth ·

          In reply to Scottish Weather

          Some years back I set out by car in eight inches of overnight
          snow at 05:30 for a half-hour drive to the train station. Then a
          two-and-a-half hour train journey (with one change) and a mile
          walk through what was only a thin dusting of snow at my
          destination. I arrived at 09:00 and was virtually the only one
          there. By mid-day the dusting of snow had melted but there
          were still very few staff in. One guy who lived only a few miles
          away stayed off for three days claiming that he was frightened
          that the weather would trap him at work.

          He and the others were employees who got paid whatever: I was
          on a contract being paid by results.

        • #3301112

          Come on

          by abccomputer ·

          In reply to Weather

          I grew up in the Chicago area, and until I moved to Virginia in 2000, we often had icy roads. If I were to stay home every time there were icy roads, I would hardly be at work from Decmeber through March. Granted if there was continuous snow, and it was going to pretty much snow all day I’d stay home, but if it was just light snow, and or snowed the night before or day before.. No reason to stay home.

        • #3301087

          Re:

          by vltiii ·

          In reply to Come on

          Are you saying that everyone that lives in areas that have these extremes should put themselves in harms way because you were lucky enough to survive? Some place a higher value on self preservation and no job is worth risk life.

        • #3303135

          Reply To: Go to work during bad weather?

          by montgomery gator ·

          In reply to Come on

          Some areas have better infrastructure for handling snowstorms and ice, though. I am originally from Florida, lived for 4 years in Syracuse, NY, and now live in Montgomery Alabama for over 10 years. Syracuse has much better equipment (out of necessity) for handling snow and ice, and even in the worst of storms, I could get out and about. However, just a little bit of ice can shut down roads in Alabama or Florida. All they can do is put some sand on bridges, and that only helps with minor ice storms. I remember seeing in the news when DC and surrounding parts of VA and MD had only a few inches of snow, it shut down the Nation’s capital, when at the same time a 20 inch storm in Syracuse, NY was handled quite well. Since you now live in Virginia, you should realize that part of the country does not have the need for the infrastructure to handle such storms that Syracuse or Chicago get, since heavy snows are not as frequent. I lived in London, England for 6 months in 1990-1991, including winter months. They got a 8 inch snowfall when I was there, and it shut London down. Southern England very rarely gets heavy snow, as the climate is for the most part, pretty mild compared to continental Europe due to the Gulf Stream. It all depends on what your area generally expects for a winter.

        • #3302962

          Living in Texas

          by mlouherrera ·

          In reply to Come on

          Well I lived in Texas all my life and I got to say that if the weather is bad stay home. No reason for anyone to get out with all those idiots who think they know how to drive on ice and put your own life in danger. The weather conditions in Texas when it’s icy can not be compare to the same conditions in others states that expect ice and snow during the winter months. Those states have the equipment and are prepared.

        • #3302929

          Work during Bad Weather

          by Anonymous ·

          In reply to Come on

          I also grew up in Illinois (now I’m in Michigan).

          I have also (tried) to dirve during snowstorms in Viginia (DC Area). In Illinois, drivers slow to adjust for the weather. However, in Virginia, I found the average speed during a few inches of snow was about half the usual speed — half slowed to a crawl and half tried to go their usual speed.

          I suspect Texas drivers are similar and one never knows which type is just around the corner or coming up fast in the rear mirror.

          I suggest you get clarification about how time will be charged if you don’t go into work. It sounds like you are encouraged to come to work if you can but to stay home if travle is too dangerous.

      • #3301381

        Darwin

        by mkservice ·

        In reply to Well,

        Survival of the fittest! Those smart enough to stay safe will live another day. Those who put a job before their own personal health and safety, in my opinion, are idiots.

        I have delt with a similar situation in Florida during hurricanes but was told we shouldn’t leave the area (cat 5 on track for our area at that time). I left town and I came back. I am safe. I do still have my job.

        • #3301213

          On the other hand…

          by featherman ·

          In reply to Darwin

          While I agree with you (and I left FLA – relocated – after the first three big blows this year)that personal safety should trump attempting to commute in very inclement weather, I can personally cite two or three instances (including one during hurricane Francis earlier this year) when non-attendance at work was deemed cause for termination.

          Bottom line is that you need to play it by ear…

        • #3301202

          Those who take advantage

          by jhz55 ·

          In reply to On the other hand…

          It sounds to me like your boss is trying to give a clue to a handfull of employees who may use adverse, or even slightly adverse weather, as an excuse to play hookey at every given opportunity. You know who they are, and they are in every company. We all know these people can bring down the honor system in a workplace rather quickly. I would take the advice of others and play it by ear, if you don’t take advantage of the situation, you should be just fine.

        • #3301125

          Simply damned if you do or don’t.

          by consumer007 ·

          In reply to On the other hand…

          You know what, all that phrasing and sentiment that employers “leave it up to your best judgment and want you to be safe” is bullshit in this Greedy Republican outsourcing economy.

          Here is the reality:

          We say we leave it to your best judgement, but what we really mean is be here, no matter what the weather or get fired. And if you get in a wreck and you’re late, your problem, or you’re fired, because you must have driven wrong, and we don’t care what they said on the radio or TV.

          I should know, because I live in Colorado, and 2 years ago, we were forced to come in when a blizzard was imminent. By noon, it was getting dangerous outside and they let us go home, great, only to get stuck on the highway. How nice of them to send the company truck and bail us out. I got to sleep in my cubicle for the night. But that wasn’t time off, b-cuz boss called every half hour to make sure I was running around the server room checking things. “Well, you’re there anyway, you might as well work”, from the comfort of his own home.

          And no, I didn’t get paid extra hours for that either.

          However, after getting stuck in that blizzard for 3 hours b-4 being rescued, my new policy is: I don’t come in if they say not to on television, and if you fire me, I’ll sue you for unemployment.

          Scott
          Denver, CO

        • #3301090

          We’re held over a barrel (for now)

          by lindaniel ·

          In reply to Simply damned if you do or don’t.

          In the current employment situation, one does what one’s boss asks for or be terminated. And there are enough rules that something can be found to pin you if the boss wants to. When 2000 people line up to apply for three open positions at the company across the street, your boss knows very well that he’s got you over a barrel. If your immediate boss is a nice guy, three steps up the corporate ladder is a person who has no clue who you are, only that your work isn’t being done. Who answers to someone who answers to someone who answers to the stockholders who only care that the retirement fund that holds the stock gets enough in dividends to pay the retirees. I believe that over 60% of stock is held by retirement funds. If not 60, certainly a seriously significant percentage. I understand how our employment culture got into this mess. However, “understanding” only keeps me from becoming angry. It doesn’t pay the housepayment if I quit my ugly job.

        • #3303104

          Re:

          by vltiii ·

          In reply to We’re held over a barrel (for now)

          It’s sad that you think that way. We always have options. As long as you believe that is true you will always be under your employers thumb.

        • #3302806

          a question

          by apotheon ·

          In reply to Re:

          Why do you (almost) always post with “Re:” as your posts title? It makes it somewhat difficult to place a message in context within a given discussion, at times.

        • #3304165

          apotheon Re: A question

          by vltiii ·

          In reply to Re:

          I use “re” as the title of my post partly because I see some many posters use their title as the first sentence in their post and it’s quite redundant to read the same thing twice. Also, the threads are generally about a single topic, so I assume that everyone reading the thread knows what the topic is. I actually don’t know why TechRepublic allows topics considering this format. The other part is that it was so much easier. However, in response to your post, I will try to make my titles more specific.

        • #3304159

          to: vltiii

          by apotheon ·

          In reply to Re:

          Thanks. I appreciate it.

        • #3303153

          Re:

          by vltiii ·

          In reply to Simply damned if you do or don’t.

          Since your aware of lawsuits in this Democrat driven sue everybody society, why didn’t you consider legal action for not being compensated for the extra hours you spent on the job working.

        • #3303100

          Cuz, stupid…

          by consumer007 ·

          In reply to Re:

          Cuz, see…uh, if I mention lawsuit, rich ass Republican fatcat moneybags hire lawyer after firing me, making me pay their court costs, and taking my home, car, etc. so I’ll have to take out 401k loan, oh, sorry, can’t do that, they raided the 401k fund before I left…silly me.

        • #3303096

          Define Stupid

          by eric ·

          In reply to Cuz, stupid…

          Weather was the topic…. not the Greed of companies. Are you that much of a stupid sheep to think that it is a Republican/Democrat issue? Think for yourself, greed affects anyone who is attracted to shiny things. If you are working for a company that has priorities that do not line up to yours, Change. A man without fear can do anything he sets his mind to do.

        • #3302927

          Re:

          by vltiii ·

          In reply to Cuz, stupid…

          ahhh… a true democrat. When you can’t support your argument, resort to name calling. Very effective! Well, if the Republicans are so powerful, they must be doing something right. You, on the otherhand with you misplaced sense of entitlement, well…

        • #3302074

          Move over Bucky! Now there’s something meatier!

          by protiusx ·

          In reply to Cuz, stupid…

          Sorry I couldn’t resist. One question for you there mate: When did you become such a nutbar?

      • #3301313

        Texas is strange weather compared to other places

        by raymond w. ·

        In reply to Well,

        I use to work at the Fort Worth GD/Lockheed plant and lived about 15 miles away.

        I was unable to get out of my driveway due to an ice storm making the roads so slick that I was unable to drive, and the only way I got back in the garage was to sand the road and driveway so I could drive back in (there are no plow services in the working class residential areas). At work they had dry ground, but my boss put me down for weather since I was not a leave abuser.

        My last winter there, I left home on dry ground and half way to work hit half an inch of ice so clear you could see the road. Took over an hour to go the remaining 3 miles on the freeway. Most of those who called in took weather, some of us left early to beat the rush and took weather. I recall a stink being made about using weather, but it stayed (some of the management did not live in the affected areas and were off?).

        In the rules at GD/Lockheed there was a blurb about using weather leave if conditions require, but like sick leave, if you use it they get upset since all that type of leave that is unused is said to be a bonus for upper management at the end of the year.

        It boils down to what the rules say, how greedy management is, what is considered bad conditions, and if the company takes proof of hazard as a valid excuse. I understand some places do not consider your home weather a factor, just what is around the work place and if the boss in his HUMVEE gets to work, then your Ford Escort should too. Here in Utah we do not have the sheet ice, and the plows are very good, so it is extremely rare we have weather days.

        Does not really answer the question, but then an answer by a worker trying to survive would be different than from a boss who depends on the profit you are using to take weather. After all, considering the way workers have been laid off/hired over the past 10 years, you are replaceable, the weather leave money is not.

        • #3301127

          I’ve been there

          by bob b. ·

          In reply to Texas is strange weather compared to other places

          This ambiguous message from you employer kind of goes hand in hand with the old “all key personnel must report to work”. Has anyone ever seen a list of “key personnel”? I always made it to work never wanting to be considered “non-key”.

          I worked in Texas for a while and you’re right about the ice storms and idiot drivers. I really like the people with the SUV’s who think it’s a good idea to use 4-wheel drive on icy roads. Hmmm…what a great idea; now I’ve got 4 wheels spinning…pure genius!

          Here?s my favorite inclement Texas weather story. The first day of work at one new job, we had a huge ice storm and I didn’t have any contact numbers, so I drove to work after having to turn around at one point and get a chain saw to remove some trees that had blocked the road and when I got there the one guy who did make it in asked if I was crazy. I said, “You’re here aren’t you?” He said, “I live across the street, I walked here.”

          I grew up in MA and have lived in VA so I have lots of experience driving in deep snow, wet snow, dry snow, icy roads, etc. The real key is take it easy; not too fast but not too slow so that the road warriors try overtaking you under treacherous conditions. Employers need to realize that there are some people who are just too nervous to drive in bad weather and they should stay home so as not to endanger themselves or others.

          My own personal rule-of-thumb is make sure you know how the person that does your reviews feels about staying home during bad weather and if they’re a Richard Cranium about it, then I guess you have to do your best to make it in to work.

          Good luck!

      • #3301288

        Cop out

        by dryflies ·

        In reply to Well,

        I think the crazy driver excuse is a cop out. There are crazy drivers out there all the time no matter where you are. Buy some studded tires or traction tires and get over it. I live in Oregon and we sometimes have what we call a silver thaw where a big sheet of ice lays down over night and in the morning it has a film of water over it. Lots of the crazy drivers wreck on those mornings but by using defensive driving skills I have managed to avoid them for many years

        • #3301234

          Not Really…

          by jmd10k ·

          In reply to Cop out

          I live in Dallas and have most of my life. I remember trying to get to work one day and it took 4 hours. I lived 32 miles from work and it took an hour on a normal day, 40-45 minutes without traffic. I was told that the company required that we came in even if the weather was bad. I started in to work and it took 20 minutes to get out of the driveway. I spent the next 4 hours creeping along weaving in and out of accidents and finally made it to work. My boss was upset that it took that long to get to work. I informed him that I didn’t care how upset he was, I was going to be safe and since it would probably take me another 4 hours to get home I was leaving. He really didn’t like that either, but knew that it was better to have a live employee than to be out looking for a replacement. It only took 2 hours to get home so I used VPN and the called in the next day as a weather day. They said it looked great up there and that I should be able to make it in. Unfortunately I had tried and this time was stuck in the driveway. It turned out that there was a line about 5 miles north of where I was and north of that line was clear while south of it was frozen solid.

          I have many friends from up north that are here at school and all have noticed how crazy the drivers are down here. In general, we are not use to the white stuff and the city will almost shutdown if it starts falling. When it accumulates on the ground it turns to solid black ice almost immediately. I don?t blame anyone in the North Texas area who doesn?t get out on the roads when it is nasty out. I don?t even like leaving the house cause you never know when some idiot will loose control and end up in your front yard? true story?lets just say I was with my little brothers and we were trying to build a sleet man since we don?t really get snow down here and boom here comes a loony driver right across our yard.

          One other thing, they don’t sell studded tires down here, or at least they aren’t very common. You only need tires like that 4 or 5 days a year so why go to the added expense.

        • #3303084

          ever try driving Oklahoma?

          by mrjay67 ·

          In reply to Not Really…

          Some of you keep talkin about how bad us Texas drivers are but Oklahoma drivers are worse during regualr conditions. Granted Texans may not be ale to navigate ice but I nearly got clipped and ran off the road twice in OK. when conditions were cold out but roads were fine. I was on my way to Kansas during Christmas 03.

          On the topic though you just have to play by ear. It will depend on how much you are willing to risk and how strict your job is going to be about it.

          back to OK, when i came back into Texas I could spot all the Oklahoma drivers upto almost Dallas. They were usually doing ~90 and ridding veryones a** or cutting them off. Texas drivers didnt do that crap. I give you though that we suck at ICE but because its not common aound here.

        • #3302895

          Texas Drivers usually polite from my experience

          by montgomery gator ·

          In reply to ever try driving Oklahoma?

          My experience with Texas Drivers is somewhat limited, but I used to travel frequently to East Texas (from north of Houston to the Red River just west of Louisiana) as part of my previous life as a forester doing consulting work in the early to mid 1990s. I found that the Texas drivers were pretty polite, especially on the 2-lane blacktops. These roads had a paved shoulder in that part of Texas, and slower drivers would pull over and let faster drivers pass. I found the East Texas drivers to be the most polite of any in my travels across Dixie and the Northeastern US. I did not get farther west than Tyler, TX, (did not get beyond the woods and swamps of East Texas) so I can’t say anything about Dallas/Ft. Worth area. I barely got into Oklahoma (SE corner), so I can’t say much about the Okie drivers.

        • #3302117

          agreed

          by apotheon ·

          In reply to Texas Drivers usually polite from my experience

          With my limited experience driving in Texas, I found that people tended to be more polite on the roads there as well. Of course, that doesn’t mean they know how to drive in the snow.

        • #3302055

          Luxury! Sheer Luxury!

          by protiusx ·

          In reply to Texas Drivers usually polite from my experience

          You should see drivers up here in Seattle. I think all the whacko murderous pinko commie Californians (Myself included although I?m not pink) moved here during the exodus of the 1980?s and now I-5 is a parking lot on most days. People tail-gate which DRIVES ME CRAZY! I keep thinking that it?s my huge Ford F-250 Quad cab extended bed gas guzzling triton V10 that enrages them so they cram there little Coop cars right up on my rear fender. I want to just smash on my brakes but they would probably zoom underneath my truck and smash into the car in front of me and then I would have two insane liberal whackos screaming that they were going to sue me for violating their human rights and over consuming natural resources by driving my truck.

          And for those of you who are reading this for the first time. That?s called HUMOR. I do own the truck though. ;o)

        • #3302026

          Is that all?

          by oz_media ·

          In reply to Luxury! Sheer Luxury!

          Damn, I own my truck AND the roads I drive on!

        • #3304160

          Luxury! Sheer Luxury!

          by vltiii ·

          In reply to Luxury! Sheer Luxury!

          I still live in southern California and it hasn’t changed a bit. I commute one hour each way to work and I allow a reasonable space between me and the car in front of me. That space must have a vacuum effect because it sucks in other cars. As I look in my rear view mirror someone is always on my tail and I’m constantly wondering if they realize what would happen if I had to hit my brakes. As an example of how bad it had gotten, I was on my way to work last Friday and doing about 80-85 in the fast lane. A cop was behind me which I knew he was there and he was right on my tail. After a few miles of this he flashed his flood lights at me so that I would move into a slower lane at which point he zooms past me. I thought that was pretty funny.

        • #3303155

          Yeah right

          by lindaniel ·

          In reply to Cop out

          Being a defensive driver doesn’t do diddly when three idiots slide madly into each other, each adding momentum to the metal. You can duck dodge bob and weave all you want but when this mass comes at you, you gonna get crunched. Me, I live in Los Angeles. No snow. But you get three drops of rain on the road and 50% of the drivers forget everything they learned. 40% of the drivers become totally paranoid and slow down to 30% of posted speed limit, becoming road hazzards themselves. The rest of us just hope that 50% doesn’t try to dodge around the 40%, slide across the entire highway, take out the semi that then rolls over on your car. Momentum is an ugly thing when you can NOT move out of its way.

        • #3304177

          Studded tires

          by oldmainframer ·

          In reply to Cop out

          Studded tires are illegal in the North Central (Dallas) part of Texas. Causes too much road damage. Only really need about once every other year!!

      • #3302963

        Rule Of Thumb !!

        by sulls ·

        In reply to Well,

        I believe that your rule of thumb is not so straight forward. Last year, we had a really bad snow storm which left me struggling to get to work the next day. It takes me 20 minutes to get to my office. The night before it took me 2 1/2 hours to get home and we had more snow overnight. Should I be required to risk myself and have a travel time of 7 times longer, just so that I can get to work? At what point does the time taken become unreasonable?

    • #3311564

      Judgement call

      by cortech ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

    • #3311563

      Depends

      by nd_it ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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?

      • #3301420

        I agree it depends….

        by jsdutcher69 ·

        In reply to Depends

        It does depend on the company you work for. I live in north east Ohio and the saying here is if you don’t like the weather, wait 10 minutes because it’s going to change. I have taken days off with the weather here and all I have to say is get your company using some sort of remote access so you don’t lose any business

        • #3301136

          Ditto

          by mikeb_11 ·

          In reply to I agree it depends….

          I too live and work in Ohio (Norhtwest). My company has a very similar policy to that the questioner has. Because of Ohio law there is one difference. If it is a Level 3 Emergency for the area the company is located, the company is closed, otherwise it is open and you are expected to be there. If you decide the weather is too bad, it is considered a “sick” day.

          I judge it based on the conditions at my house (30 Miles away), if I can’t drive safely, I don’t go to work. With that being said, it takes a level 3 emergency for me to not come to work and that is only because it is illegal in Ohio to be on the roads during a level 3 unless you are an emergency worker. I’ve been pulled over when trying to go to work during 1 such emergency.

          For some perspective on what a level 3 consists of for our more southern brethran. All highways are closed, including Interstates, with traffic traveling on the interstates diverted to the nearest hotel, rest area, church, school, whatever building is designated for an emergency until the roads are deemed safe.

        • #3303071

          Live in Ohio . . . own a Jeep

          by paula_friedsberg ·

          In reply to I agree it depends….

          I, too, live in NE Ohio and work in downtown Cleveland. We’ve had two bad, snowy winters so I went and bought a Jeep with some great snow tires. When there is a lot of snow, I do not drive fast, like some others. I take my time. But, yet again, this is snow and not ice. If we were to get an ice storm, I do not believe my boss would want me to risk my life just so we can get some work done that can wait until tomorrow.

        • #3302859

          Buy a LandRover Defender

          by arthurp ·

          In reply to Live in Ohio . . . own a Jeep

          4WD, 2nd Gear, in low ratio & you can climb a mountain, wade through a river, or across the snow covered terrain of Norway, Germany & Denmark … cheaper & a lot better than a jeep on steroids, & has been used by the British Forces since the 1940’s – & nobody in a new car will argue with you … because they will loose !!
          Arthur

      • #3301321

        Deep South

        by rosheal ·

        In reply to Depends

        I work at a hosptial and it never closes. Even in IT we are expected to get to work unless we want an absent occurence and we are allowed 5 in year without getting a counseling slip on number 6. Nurses can get empty rooms to sleep, but we can’t. Our group has started asking for the day off if bad weather is predicted, either snow or ice. Some will try to drive if it is only snow, but we rarely have only snow. It is a rural area and many live out on country roads that never see a snow plow, since we don’t have that many in the county. Of course if it goes around us, we come to work and save a vacation day. Another thing to consider since it is a rural area, the power lines & telephone lines go down. I have to stay home when bad weather is happening so that I can heat the well house and kept the pump from freezing solid. And this situation applies to many in the department.

        • #3303141

          Digital cameras

          by lindaniel ·

          In reply to Deep South

          If I was in such a situation (rural roads, downed powerlines, no snowplow), I’d invest in a digital camera that puts the date on the picture. Email appropriate pictures to boss and HR and maybe corporate legal. And then (sweetly) ask for their assistance in getting more snowplows in your area.

      • #3303147

        Thank goodness for internet

        by lindaniel ·

        In reply to Depends

        Nice thing about getting your weather reports off the internet – if there is a travel advisory, email a copy to your supervisors along with your address and the “not coming in” statement. And keep a copy.

    • #3311547

      Look for the win-win

      by maxwell edison ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      .
      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

      • #3301405

        Simple as common sense

        by psifiscout ·

        In reply to Look for the win-win

        If you cannot get there, then you cannot get there. It’s that simple as for the suggestion in an earlier reply, that a HUMMER (aka. HMMWV)is the answer….remember, the only advantage to 4 wheel drive is that on ice you have dour wheels skidding instead of two. Unfortunately many SUV owners have the vehicle, but lack the knowledge of their proper use.

        • #3301116

          Simple for bosses too.

          by consumer007 ·

          In reply to Simple as common sense

          Can’t get here? Find a new job…

        • #3303138

          You offering?

          by lindaniel ·

          In reply to Simple for bosses too.

          2000 people lined up the other day at the company across the street for three (3) open positions. You have a job opening at your place? We can all line up to apply, no problem.

      • #3301322

        My work expects you to be there no matter what

        by bjohnson ·

        In reply to Look for the win-win

        Last year we had a bad storm and flooded many of the main roads in town. This included the ones to my work. I drove 30 min. in the pouring rain and tried to come in and was turned back by the police. For my efforts, I got docked a vacation day for my “vacation”. Some companies just don’t care how you get there, just do it.

        • #3301115

          No wonder

          by consumer007 ·

          In reply to My work expects you to be there no matter what

          No wonder there is violence in the workplace…it’s deserved.

        • #3303896

          Options?

          by vltiii ·

          In reply to My work expects you to be there no matter what

          In all fairness the employer has to have a way of documenting the employees absence from the work place. The employees employment status (salaried or hourly) also has to be considered. For an hourly employee the option should be simple-time off without pay. For salaried employees it’s not quite that simple. I don’t know if all salaried positions are equal in the eyes of the law, but in my case as a salaried employee and exempt from the fair labor standards act my pay doesn’t change (aside from my annual raise) whether I work 32 hours a week or 60. It wouldn’t really be fair for me to not come to work because of weather and still be paid. In this case the only two options are to be charged a vacation day by the employer or the employee can pre-empt this by calling in sick.

          With all that being said, I live in Southern California where missing work due to inclement weather is never a good excuse.

      • #3301310

        City Bus Eh?

        by edward18 ·

        In reply to Look for the win-win

        Have you been on a city bus lately?

        Last time i was i had to get off because of the stink!

        • #3303144

          Ahh so there you go

          by oz_media ·

          In reply to City Bus Eh?

          Now you are unable to go to work because the freakin’ bus smells? Whatever next! 😀

        • #3303892

          Smelly Bus

          by vltiii ·

          In reply to Ahh so there you go

          I personally think if a smelly bus is a very good reason. Where there is an odor there is also a source to that odor which most likely means an unsanitary environment. Of course I also realize that not every bus will have this problem unless there are some deeper issues to be addressed.

      • #3301199

        Public transportation vs. HUMMER

        by selkiedee ·

        In reply to Look for the win-win

        Lot’s of communities don’t have public transportation…especially to office parks that exist in suburban sprawl communities. Also, how much does a Hummer cost, around $45,000, I hear…environmentally friendly? Personally, even if I could afford one, I wouldn’t be caught alive…or dead in one. Companies need to value their employees’ safety, and employees need to use common sense.

        • #3303890

          Employee Safety

          by vltiii ·

          In reply to Public transportation vs. HUMMER

          I agree with you. The alarming thing is that those that are posting that they will get to work regardless of the risk are potentially future managers/employers. Guess what they’re going to expect from their employees? I can hear it now… when I was in your position, I managed to get to work through black ice and 10 feet of snow, with one tire blown…

      • #3301086

        Solution 3

        by oz_media ·

        In reply to Look for the win-win

        Works for me….or were you talking about a truck?

    • #3311541

      Compromise

      by dc_guy ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

      • #3301397

        There ARE no local drivers in DC

        by telecomdotcom’r ·

        In reply to Compromise

        Nobody’s FROM here…we’re all imports. So you have idiots from Boston who “know” how to drive in snow, but not how to drive in general and idiots from Miami who think the best way to drive in snow is to floor it and hope the drive wheels eventually engage.

        • #3301344

          Local Driver From DC

          by alexit ·

          In reply to There ARE no local drivers in DC

          Yes there are I am proof. In bad weather I do 1 of 2 things.
          Stay home and VPN in, or I wait until the idiots from out of town are all at work and I go in late.

        • #3301284

          Weather or Not!

          by teligence ·

          In reply to Local Driver From DC

          Without knowing more about your employer, it may only be a public statement to cover himself/herself and the company – preventing them from being targeted as a contributor to an accident or death as result of a demanded physical presence at the workplace.
          Now it’s time for you to cover yours. Sit down with your boss and hammer out a guideline for physical and remote attendance conducive to both your interest in safety and your boss’s interest in productivity.

          The best common solution for this situation is to try and set up VPN – as has been stated in prior responses.

          Myself – I pretty much set my own hours and have VPN capability from home. Over 95% of what I do can be done from anywhere I can get a solid internet connection – wired or wireless – including listening to my voicemail from my laptop. Now if I can figure out how squeeze the remaining 5% into just a couple of weeks per year in the office, then I’ll have it made!

        • #3301257

          There are native Washingtonians

          by purpleeagl ·

          In reply to There ARE no local drivers in DC

          Granted most people in the area are from somewhere else. However most of us who were born and raised here know our limitations. This is why most of the schools and offices will close for inclement weather and err on the side of caution.

          I learned to drive in snow and ice here, and can tell when it is or is not safe. The best indicator of if it is safe is to check the status of the public transportation system. Metro will advise that they are going to reduce service to only major roads. This means get somewhere you need to quickly since the roads are getting too treacherous for a heavy vehicle with chains.

          I would think from a liability standpoint, most employers will be willing to give “liberal leave” (the government term for use your discretion). You may need to burn a day of personal or vacation time, but requiring one’s presence could open them up to lawsuits.

          Just my $.02

        • #3303968

          Agreed

          by telecomdotcom’r ·

          In reply to There are native Washingtonians

          It was more a generic statement: “All cats are black in the dark”.

          Of course, there are plenty of people who are a) from here and b) know how to drive in snow (and stay home in ice storms). But I suggest that people who meet either criterion are in the minority.

      • #3301232

        Stay Home. dont risk your life

        by j.williamsjr ·

        In reply to Compromise

        I’ve been in the DC area for 30 years. If I cant get there by public transportation, I dont go. I have gone into work in the past. When I got there, I had to turn around and go home.
        I’ve alos had accidents. I will do what I can from home. I will make up the time. but I wont go in

      • #3301130

        Real DC Days!

        by mgordon ·

        In reply to Compromise

        The Silly Service stays home for a great many reasons, and I am sure glad that most people stayed home during the big blizzard of ’94 around Washington DC. I have four years driving experience in Alaska and two more in Iceland, so I hopped into my Montero and was one of only two techs at work for several days. I stopped right on the bridge over the Potomac to make a photo of ice on the river. Nobody else was on the bridge! So far as I know, people were charged leave to stay home but most of them had no choice. Without a four-wheel drive it was a non-starter, and even WITH a four-wheel drive you’d better know its limitations.

    • #3311537

      Inclement Weather and Work

      by tomsal ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

      • #3293330

        It’s not the work that bothers me…

        by mirrormirror ·

        In reply to Inclement Weather and Work

        …it’s the fact that my co-workers seem to think that I should be coming to work regardless of my concerns. I have driven to work on ice, taking 3 hours to get there. So, I will try to make an effort to be there.

        • #3292932

          Hmmm…

          by gryfon ·

          In reply to It’s not the work that bothers me…

          So if all your co-workers jumped off a bridge, would you do so as well? 😉

          A bit of a joke, but seriously, if you feel endangered by the driving conditions, don’t go in. Make it a case-by-case thing. If your gut says ‘NO!’, then listen to it and stay home. Otherwise, slap on your skates and have at ‘er!

          Cheers!
          Gryf

        • #3303127

          Find a rideshare partner

          by lindaniel ·

          In reply to It’s not the work that bothers me…

          One of my favorite phrases when someone complains at me about something is “you volunteering to fix it?” Most people back off. If your work environment/fellow employees make it imperative that you show up (for what ever reason), ask for someone to pick you up. If they can’t make it to your house, then how can you make it anywhere?

      • #3303196

        Put them on Notice

        by rjyork ·

        In reply to Inclement Weather and Work

        I don’t have this problem, as my desk is 20 steps from my bed.

        But when I sold insurance (a lifetime ago) I refused to meet with a client an hour away during bad weather, he told me I would lose his business if I never showed up, and I informed him that no amount of business was worth risking my health or life.

        Your decision, do what’s best for you. But keep in mind that the same idiots are on the road in the sunny days, and you manage to naviagate your way to work.

        If it’s the driving that scares you, ask a fellow worker if you can ride share(at the price of gas it’s probably a good idea anyway.)

        Builderbob

      • #3301950

        Business open during bad weather

        by jgmclees ·

        In reply to Inclement Weather and Work

        I work in/for a medical provider and they do need to be open no matter what. And as they are in the medical environment they need their computers to be operational at all times. Therefore we are expected to be there if at all possible. We are not “docked pay” if we are late due to weather and others will cover if it is impossible to get in (taking a vacation day). The company says “get there when you can but be safe.”

    • #3293279

      Does it warm up later in the day?

      by mlandis ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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

      • #3293084

        Circumstances

        by jamesrl ·

        In reply to Does it warm up later in the day?

        As a boss, I care that the work gets done. Not necessarily where.

        If the nature of your job is to take care of servers, and you can’t do it remotely – then hustle in to work as soon as its reasonably safe to do so.

        If you are a project manager, and you can attend meetings by phone from home, stay home, and make those calls.

        I have remote staff who work from their homes, and staff who work in the office. Many of my staff can dialup or connect via VPN and get their mail, and do their work, so I don’t mind if they do on bad weather days.

        James

    • #3293167

      I always show up!

      by house ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

      • #3301111

        I’m perfect, everyone else sucks.

        by consumer007 ·

        In reply to I always show up!

        You know, I really hate mentalities like yours. You’re so perfect, never done anything wrong, never had any problems, so if anyone besides you ever has any problem, they are defective or it’s their fault somehow. Get real. It’s managers that have your (intellectually dishonest) mentality that drive the problem this thread is talking about.

        There are days you haven’t shown up and you know it.

        • #3303043

          Another useless member

          by house ·

          In reply to I’m perfect, everyone else sucks.

          Listen buddy, I could count the amount of days I’ve missed on one hand…saving a finger for you.

          PS – Most of us here are “Professionals” who take pride in their work ethic. Who the hell are you?

        • #3303022

          You’re Canadian

          by oz_media ·

          In reply to Another useless member

          Snow, what snow, THAT AINT NO FRIGGIN SNOW!!!! LOL!

          Ah well, you have to smile anyway don’t you?

        • #3303017

          I’m smiling – In a foot of snow

          by house ·

          In reply to You’re Canadian

          🙂
          I’m laughing all the way. I had a layer of ice on my face when we had some freezing rain 2 days ago…well, maybe not that bad.

          I had to change after walking down to the store to get smokes. Did I care…NO! It’s a normal event in my life.

          It blows my mind to see some towns on the news closing schools and public institutions when they get a half inch of snow.

          How can they live through a hurricane and run from a snowflake? Doesn’t make any sense to me.

          Chris

        • #3303009

          These same people

          by oz_media ·

          In reply to I’m smiling – In a foot of snow

          A comis last night was talking about people complaining about extreme weather.

          They will buy a MOBILE home in a place named Tornado Alley and complain every year for 12 years that it gets blown away and all is lost, their lives are devestated and they need government support and aid in getting their lives up and running again.

          These people have MOBILE HOMES, the freakin’ thing has wheels, 12 YEARS same thing year after year in a place called TORNADO ALLEY!!

          Now I’m sorry, but if YOUR life was blown away every year for a dozen years, you had a MOBILE home and your current location was tornado alley, wouldn’t you think to perhaps MOVE THE DAMN HOUSE!!!

          How about, tranqility lane or gustless grove?

          Sometimes you just gotta raise your hands and shake your head, that boy aint right!

        • #3297629

          Re: These same people

          by vltiii ·

          In reply to These same people

          …or how about the people that insist on staying around to protect their property as if their presence is going to make a difference?!

        • #3303001

          on the other hand

          by apotheon ·

          In reply to I’m smiling – In a foot of snow

          A lot of people that aren’t living in areas where it snows as heavily as where you live don’t have the ability to drive worth a damn in the snow. I don’t know about you, but I don’t even like being around Californians driving in the rain. I’d often stay home (as long as it wasn’t important for me to go elsewhere) when I lived in California just because Californians are generally terrible drivers in the rain.

        • #3302829

          Agree 100%

          by oz_media ·

          In reply to on the other hand

          Vancouver is a place of rain, rain and more rain. As soon as it even begins to sprinkle, the ruch hour accidents start all over the place. YOu would THINK that people there would LEARN to drive in the rain, but they don’t.

          As forsnow and ice, how can OTHER people be a problem? I lived in Richmond, where while racially incorrect, the rules of driving are just avoid the Asians and you’ll never have an accident.

          People LEARN ho wto avoid OTHER people,don’t drive close behind or let people drive close to you, you keep immense disctance between drivers and all is okay. In fact Richmond (The richest part of the mainland excluding the British Properties) is FULL of $80,000 cars, and I mean FULL of them EVERYWHERE and REALLY bad drivers in them. High performance and tight turning radius coupled with an insecure and unsure driver. I know it is very racist to pin it on Asians but in all reality, they have less money and a population that has grown up riding bicycles, NOW they have fast cars.

          They say the most popular car in Richmond is the courtesy car 🙂 .

          YOu just learn to drive and avoid people.

          Now whether or not OTHERS can drive in snow, not brain surgery just common sense, you should be able to rely on public transit or your good old feet for a refreshing winter walk (within reason, maybe an hour or so) to get to work.

        • #3302064

          And still worse…

          by kaceyr ·

          In reply to on the other hand

          I was born and raised in Southern California, I’ve lived in Virginia and Yokota Japan, and now I live in western Washington (State, not DC).

          It’s been my experience that drivers in and around Virginia and Washington DC come from all over, and tend to be wary of other drivers when the weather gets bad. This leads to more cautious driving.

          In southern California it’s more like the drivers are hanging out the window trying to figure out what happened to the sky.

          But worse still is western Washington! People here get rain from a drizzle to a flood-creating downpour for 8-10 months of the year. We get icy roads, snow, sleet, random hailstorms, thunder & lightning, torrential downpours,… you name it, we get it. Unfortunately there seems to be this idea that “if I drive fast enough, I’ll get there before any of the idiots get on the road”.

          The only time I don’t go into work is when the building is closed. Regardless of the weather. If I have some work that I can perform off-site, great. If I can VPN in, great. Usually neither is available for various reasons, but that’s just the way it goes.

          My advice is to use your own judgement as to going in or not, and if you don’t go in and have no other options, accept that you’ll take some kind of hit (a vacation day, sick leave, or even lost pay). That’s life.

        • #3303002

          WTF?

          by apotheon ·

          In reply to I’m perfect, everyone else sucks.

          Why are you flying off the handle at house? I didn’t see him say anything to warrant this response. The preceding post was not, as far as I could tell, in the least contentious or acrimonious.

          Try assuming the best of people where possible in online discussion. It’s too easy to mistake someone’s meaning online, particularly if you’re in a bad mood. Relax. Don’t get all stressed out. Try to live past forty. You don’t need to die young from a heart attack.

        • #3302871

          Take a valium

          by shorne ·

          In reply to I’m perfect, everyone else sucks.

          Jeez buddy, are you having a bad day or what? The comment by House wasn’t even close to your interpretation. Perhaps the weather is affecting your mood.
          Be happy!

        • #3302863

          does that chip come with syrup

          by arthurp ·

          In reply to I’m perfect, everyone else sucks.

          No – Pity … it might just sweeten you up a little … No lose it …

          Life is simple, There are those of us who are professionals and those who are passengers, who are along for the salary and will do the minimum, whilst making the maximum noise whinging.

          I don’t expect anyone to risk life of limb trying to get to work … but they do every day … if the weather is bad – more than a couple of flakes with ice – then make the judgement call and be truthful.

          Now get off you mother’s lap and join the realworld, where we don’t wrap you in a comfort blanket, and give you milk and cookies.

          The great thing about being an adult, is the willingness to accept the consequences of your actions

          If you don’t like it … tough, I’m allowed an opinion & this is mine

          Arthur

        • #3302053

          Bucky is that you???

          by protiusx ·

          In reply to I’m perfect, everyone else sucks.

          Did you move and change your handle? Are you his brother?

        • #3297634

          Re: I’m perfect

          by vltiii ·

          In reply to I’m perfect, everyone else sucks.

          How do you know he’s being dishonest? There are people that do just what he said he does, and he did qualify his comments by stating it was only a brief drive. Inclement weather is a way of life in Canada which means that they adapt. Perhaps there have been days when he didn’t show up for whatever reason, but it’s sad that you have to take the strictest application of his words to develop your argument. And, fyi… it’s not comments like his that are driving this thread. This thread is being driven by posters expressing differences of opinions on what grounds an employee should not report to work. Lighten up! Every single thread at this sight ends up one way or another with personal attacks being thrown back and forth.

      • #3303146

        YEah what he said!

        by oz_media ·

        In reply to I always show up!

        Actually I just finished saying prety much the same thing you did. ICY roads? WAAAAAAH! Take a friggin BUS! NO BUS, leave early and walk? Too far? Too bad!

        I suggested he worked in Winnipeg for year, Texas will seem like a dream on an icy day.

        I lived in NOva Scotia, yup LOTS OF SNOW!! If nobody went to work on a bad day, the entire province would be shut down for 5-7 months a year.

        Sure I’d take a day off on a REALLY bad day, usually to finish splitting the wood I procrastinated about all summer. 🙂

        The world is becoming inindated with Pu**ies, whine about work being outsourced when they have a certification and only ONE opportunity to make it in life, money being less, driving on a bad day the list goes on and on, one guy a few posts back even said he wouldn’t take transit because the bus smells! Now THERE’s a model employee anyone would want on the payroll.

        Nobody owes you an easy ride, why complain when you don’t get one?

        • #3303044

          Thanks Oz!

          by house ·

          In reply to YEah what he said!

          Thanks Oz. You know, I’m a pretty laid back guy, but that guy pissed me off. What’s his problem anyways.

          I have “the mind of management”? Sounds good to me. Did he intend it as an insult? I take pride in my professional manner, and I don’t call in sick unless I’m half dead.

          I think I’ve called in only a couple of times in my whole life.

          I can judge someone’s work ethic within their first week. These mouthy losers wouldn’t last a day.

        • #3303023

          I dunno bout that mate!

          by oz_media ·

          In reply to Thanks Oz!

          I used to call in, or just not show up, if I had a hangover or was late home the night before, especially if breakfast was being cooked.

          But anyone does that on MY watch and they’re fired, Trump style.

        • #3302898

          Pretty Much

          by nd_it ·

          In reply to YEah what he said!

          That is the way it is here. If we had a bad “snow” day, the entire state would be shut down. Our employer policy is that if there is not travel advised in the area in which you live, you are not obligated to come in. Most extreme cases, the company will be closed if the schools and in some cases the interstates are closed. Those are usually in blizzard like conditions with lots of blowing snow and poor visibility, where you can’t even see the front of your car, which I was stupid enough try once. Not a good idea.

        • #3302824

          Here’s a good one

          by oz_media ·

          In reply to Pretty Much

          I had a job that was a 1hr commute, by public transit (but acceptable due to expensive and limited parking). The skytrain would be down due to track issues but the busses would still take you in, full to the doors and hot as hell. A slow painful drudge into the office, a complete hassel as buss schedules wer off and they would just get there when they could. There would be people left behind to wait indefinitely for the next bus etc. But you STILL made it to work.

          When there was a a mere few feet of snow, I would get to the office and greet my secretary (she also took public transit) only to find ALL the people WITH cars were not at work. They would slowly start phoning in one after the other to say the roads were too bad to drive.

          In many cases, I lived farther from the office than they did. ONE guy had JUST bought a brand new 4-wheel drive, and called in because it was too snowy!

          The world is full on complacent pussies who simply can’t make the simplest of changes in thier day to accomodate their employer.

          Whimps!

        • #3302814

          That’s classic

          by nd_it ·

          In reply to Here’s a good one

          I know some people that own pickups and and SUV’s that think they are invinciable during winter, only to be the first ones in the ditch because they think they can drive normal because they own one of these. There really isn’t any public transportation here, but I am sure someone would let you hitch a ride with them on their snowmobile. Here the city, county, and state budget for snow removal and sanding, for obvious reasons. There are two seasons here: Winter and Road Contruction 🙂

    • #3293164

      Over here…

      by expatjohn ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

      • #3303198

        Over here in Switzerland

        by gandolfo ·

        In reply to Over here…

        Over here, many leave their car at home for the winter, except when they want to go to the mountains skiing. It’s not worth the hassle driving into town. Public transport is much more convenient and safer. There is no excuse for not getting to work unless the trains and buses are not running – which happens perhaps in a ten-year blizzard.

        Your situation may differ …

        • #3301326

          Public Transportation & More

          by bitmeister ·

          In reply to Over here in Switzerland

          Public transportation sounds like a great idea, but after living in Europe and the US I can tell you that most US municipalities are totally clueless about designing and operating efficient public transportation systems. Most likely, this is not a reasonable option in this case.

          I work at a hospital and we are also expected to be at work during inclement weather (always more business) – unless the state declares the roads closed to all but emergency personnel. If this happens, essential personnel are still required to come to work but contracted 4WD/AWD vehicles are used to shuttle them in.

          While in the Air Force I was stationed in Texas and Oklahoma for four years and “enjoyed” many severe ice storms. I only stayed home once, and it was because of car troubles not the ice.

          Get up earlier, drive slower, begin stopping long before the stop sign or traffic light.

          Frank

        • #3302398

          Re: Public Transportation

          by vltiii ·

          In reply to Public Transportation & More

          Getting up earlier, driving slower, and stopping long before the traffic signal only increases the inviduals chances if they are on the road alone, it does nothing for the other lunatics on the road who don’t practice safe driving. There is a world outside of ourselves. We can only be so safe before it becomes a psychosis. Because misfortune has not caught up to some doesn’t mean that it’s safe. I think each individual should judge for themselves and be prepared to accept the consequences for their decision (if any). After all, most of us in the work force are adults. Right?

    • #3293058

      It is all about liability

      by jdclyde ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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?)

      • #3293043

        I used to work at a ski hill on weekends

        by jamesrl ·

        In reply to It is all about liability

        And I never owned an SUV. In fact I used to get to the hill for a couple of years in a rear wheel drive Mustang. I had to be at the hill, 60 miles away for 7 AM. And it wasn’t very often that races were cancelled. I learned how to get there in almost any conditions.

        You have the right idea – take it slow, feel the road. In a car with a manual clutch, you can use it like traction control – dip the clutch when you feel wheelspin. It does wear the clutch a bit but if it stops you from sliding around its worth it.

        I only don’t drive when its a clear danger. But the biggest danger isn’t usually the conditions, its the other drivers.

        The problem with SUVs – people tend to “overdrive” them. They forget that while the vehicle has certain traction advantages, it also has the disadvantage of a higher centre of gravity and greater weight, which traslates into longer stopping distances. In many circumstances, a front wheel drive car with traction control and good snow tires will be a better choice than an SUV with all season tires. And a well trained driver who has been to skid school will perform better than a novice driver, no matter what vehicle they drive.

        James

        • #3297924

          You gave that up for this?

          by jdclyde ·

          In reply to I used to work at a ski hill on weekends

          How could you give up that glamorous, fast paced lifestyle for sitting in front of a computer all day?

          Don’t you miss the constant sex?

          I have seen the ski movies, I know what goes on up there!!!!!

          (I kill myself sometimes)

    • #3292862

      Is E-Commute an Option?

      by secret-hq ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

    • #3303202

      You’re fired

      by harrybarracuda ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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

      • #3303191

        Boss empowering employees. Not!

        by lee.palmer ·

        In reply to You’re fired

        Good to see that only your judgement is acceptable in deciding that somebody else has to take risks!

      • #3301358

        Reply To: Go to work during bad weather?

        by awfernald ·

        In reply to You’re fired

        Having lived all over the world (including in Dallas), I agree, it becomes an entirely different world on the streets of Dallas when that ice first hits.

        And no, the excuse is NOT “the other idiots on the road”, the excuse is the dangerous road situations, and the chances of having a serious or even fatal accident while in transit.

        Also, since the authorities in Dallas start advising everyone to stay off the streets at the first sign of ice (they even close certain roads down at any icing due to some badly designed bridges), does that mean that staying home is now the only viable option under your second paragraph?

      • #3301291

        What a sweetheart…

        by andrew martin ·

        In reply to You’re fired

        Jeez Kev, you are a real sweetheart. Would you pay my premiums when I wreck my car because I am coming to work for a $&#@!(*$!@ like you?

        Of course not.

        So when you employers are willing to put your money where your mouths are, I’ll be willing to let you tell me when to put my neck on the line driving through several inches of ice, overturned, jackknifed, squished and otherwise written off 18 wheelers, SUVs, cars and everything else that accumulates during one of the wonderful ice storms here in Central Texas.

        Of course a good employer has good policies in place to cover situationas like this. My employer will send a four wheel drive and driver for me in severe conditions as I am considered an essential employee.

        Maybe you need to be a little more ingenious in your HR policies and in how you work with your folks.

      • #3301266

        Let me know who you work for…

        by -loanman ·

        In reply to You’re fired

        …so I can be sure never to do business with a knee-jerk micromanager such as yourself.

        • #3302941

          PHB

          by montgomery gator ·

          In reply to Let me know who you work for…

          Ditto on what you said. Lovegrove sounds like the classic PHB (Pointy Haired Boss) from Dilbert, with an element of Catbert, the Evil Director of Human Resources.

      • #3301256

        Flames not needed

        by bagmaster50 ·

        In reply to You’re fired

        Don’t flame the guy for showing concern for his own life and safety. It’s obvious you didn’t understand the whole gist of his posting. I lived in the Dallas-Ft.Worth are for 5 years and they always had at least 1 major ice storm a year. they are no more equiped to handle it there as here in South Carolina. The few ice storms we have doesn’t justify the purchasing of enough equipment to handle the problems.

        Majors highways and city streets come first here for clearing and they almost always wait till the storm clears before beginning the clearing of the roads. I waited for a whole week in Virginia Beach for the street in front of my house to be passable. Safety should always come before company profits. the world isn’t going to come to an end because of a couple of lost days work.

      • #3301195

        Work for you?

        by selkiedee ·

        In reply to You’re fired

        NOT!

        • #3302967

          I would …

          by arthurp ·

          In reply to Work for you?

          At least you know where you stand … sadly something that is missing in this liberal society … you work, you get paid … you don’t work .. I end-up supporting your life so that you can sit around and whinge all day that you don’t have a job … I don’t like that & don’t see why I have to support scoungers and parasites but definetly like to know where I stand

          Arthur

      • #3301185

        You’re MEAN! :-(

        by mdpetrel ·

        In reply to You’re fired

        What the hell kind of attitude is that!!! Are you crazy! Since when when does profit come before people! 🙁

        You are making money because you are providing a product or service to ==> PEOPLE… remember that ==> PEOPLE

        If you can’t treat your own people w/ simple courtesy and respect for their concerns.. then do not go into business.

        All of you knuckleheads who think you are entitled to direct the lives of the people that work for you are lousy bosses. Your people are the ones who are making money for you. Treat them fairly. Or do humanity a favor and move over for someone who cares about both the customers and the employees.

        Sheez!

        • #3249397

          You’re definitely FIRED mate!!

          by sexiboi ·

          In reply to You’re MEAN! :-(

          What the fcuk??? is this discussion for real?
          Totally agree with HarryBarracuda: any tolerance of this sort of soft shite attitude is ludicrous.
          They are *YOUR* staff after all, you decide the terms and conditions, if this arsehole accepted a job with you, he signed up to come in to work whatever the weather… and deserves to see his P45 dropping through his letterbox with a blunt note telling him not to bother coming in again!!

          I can’t believe UStatians are so fcuking soft!

          Declan Delamere

        • #3119786

          I thought Joe Stalin was dead… apparently not

          by mdpetrel ·

          In reply to You’re definitely FIRED mate!!

          Ok, then, according to you, Joe Stalin was the greatest business man in human history…

          Come back from hell and be a part of humanity, won’t you…

      • #3301108

        I worked for an idiot like you

        by Anonymous ·

        In reply to You’re fired

        I drove an hour through icy hills maneuvering the usual 10 minute course. I was the ONLY ONE in the IT office that day. Seems I alone assumed that your position of authority came with some higher degree of intelligence. Funny how I didn’t see you waiting in the office hallway when I arrived.
        A couple hours later, the governor declared a state of emergency. I spent the next two days sleeping in the office with no change of clothes.
        The next year, a similar forecast greeted the morning commuter. I slid a little down the road before turning back. You chastised me that afternoon in front of my coworkers when I later made it in. I predicted then that your sorry butt would get canned. You are no longer in the IT business and I have safely made it to work or to my home terminal ever since. :))
        You want my advice? Call the boss to say you’ll be late. Sit down, relax, keep an eye on the weather. After the commuter rush is over, call the boss again. If he’s not in the office, stay home.

      • #3301107

        Yeah, right Kevin.

        by consumer007 ·

        In reply to You’re fired

        If I told you channel 4 said don’t come in, you would say you were listening to some other tv channel and you didn’t hear that, so I’m fired.

        You’re just like all the other micromanaging know-it-all bosses out there just looking for bogus excuses to punish workers because no matter what, you know better just because you’re the boss.

      • #3303119

        Besides dead employees….

        by lindaniel ·

        In reply to You’re fired

        You’re the kind of guy who has a bunch of yes-men working for him, some of whom have lost their cars or their lives trying to make it into work for you. The ones with any spine at all have stayed home, gotten fired, filed wrongful termination lawsuits and gotten your sorry … self in a lot of trouble at corporate. You don’t need to worry about us poor little complainers. We’re far too concerned with our own health and safety to work for you.

      • #3302275

        Re: You’re fired

        by vltiii ·

        In reply to You’re fired

        But, you didn’t address the real issue. The CEO of this company stated basically that each employee had to decide for themselves (my interpretation) if it was safe to come to work or not. When an employee decides that it’s not safe and you fire them because you think it is, I think you have a legal issue on your hands.

        That aside, I’m confident that just firing someone without so much as a warning, counseling, note in personnel file, etc, presents a potential legal issue in itself.

        The original poster mentioned that employees were to discuss with management if they had questions, etc. I don’t recall reading that he has done so. This discussion would (or should) clarify the policy that the CEO put out.

    • #3303197

      Why are you complaining ?

      by arthurp ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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

      • #3303168

        alternative solutions

        by pablo.emanuel ·

        In reply to Why are you complaining ?

        I agree with Arthur. If your company and you don’t get an alternative solution to a problem that is recurring, they will be forced to include that in the TCO calculations, and with that increases the risk of hiring local people become worse than outsourcing in (or even moving the whole facility to) places where those problems occur less, like Mexico or India (or Texas, for that matter).

        This is not an unexpected situation, you should have a plan.

        Pablo

        • #3301196

          Problem in Logic…

          by jmd10k ·

          In reply to alternative solutions

          There is a problem with what you responded with; the location that was in question in the original post is Texas, one location you said to move things to. Everyone seems to be blowing this way out of proportions. There are only a few days a year in which we have bad weather like ice and snow. Any other type of weather we get doesn’t slow us down, unless it?s a tornado and we just wait a few minutes till it passes or weave in and out of them. I would not be able to justify providing a solution that costs more than a couple of hundred dollars and maybe only use it 2 or 3 days a year. We here in Texas know that in the worst case scenario, we will be out 2 days in a row and at most 2 times a year. If that winter is extremely odd, there might be more, but that is very rare, like once in the last 25 years I’ve lived here.

          Solution to the problem: Companies in North Texas simply need to have VPN and if there is an extreme problem like a server went down, have a non-tech person who lives close talk on the phone with a tech who can’t make it in. I have walked users through booting servers and correcting problems and most non-techies, especially younger people, like the challenge of doing something they are not normally allowed to do. It?s kind of like they have been instantly promoted to a secret agent and they are the new 007. That’s how things work where I’m at and it works great.

      • #3301176

        Treat All People Fairly

        by mdpetrel ·

        In reply to Why are you complaining ?

        There are many responses here today are doing the same thing that the original poster’s co-workers did to him: make him feel like an inferior excuse for a human.

        I beg you to stop that.

        You’re responses are all way off base.

        This original poster feels a real danger in commuting during dangerous weather. Do not belittle him.

        And especially do not use the excuse that you know people who look for any excuse to avoid work. This is erroneous reasoning. If there is a danger, do not challenge that there is a danger.

        What this poster’s co-workers did is exactly the same as the fictitious characters in the Robin Hood legend who bought the Sheriff of Nottingham’s story that Robin was a criminal. Now they’re all mimicking the bosses story that workers who don’t have the daring to drive during dangerous weather are not up to par with other employees.

        They’re all too scared voice out loud what is correct and safe; so they are chiming along with the boss in making the original poster feel less than human.

        Don’t fall for it.

        And, for pete’s sake, don’t cop out and insist that we all have to ‘suck it up’, ‘get over it’, ‘stop whining’, etc.

        We’re all human beings here. Stop being mean, and start cooperating with one another.

        Oh, and don’t go in the direction of: “..well he’s letting me down by not coming in when I did..”. That’s crap, and you’re a mindless minion if you believe that.

        Un-be-freaking-believable…

        • #3302970

          You’re Far too kind …

          by arthurp ·

          In reply to Treat All People Fairly

          Hiya,
          I agree with Pablo, and Jmd; the problem is one that is rarely faced.

          The pity is that everyone wants everything, and does not want to offer anything … If I accept a contract then I feel obliged to honour my part of the agreement – book holidays in advance, ensure that someone calls in when I’m ill ect.

          Sadly too many people want the best of both worlds .. a good salary, and everything handed to them on a plate … if in doubt, consult a solicitor specialising in employment law … afterall the contract was signed.

          If one of my colleagues is unable to travel then they have a good reason – at least one if not all of the following … floods, terrorist activity, industrial unrest, revolution & armed insurection, RTA’s ect … then they will at least attempt to telecommute, or contact the office stating that they will be in later.

          Whilst it is unreasonable to expect others to “place their life in danger”, it is reasonable to expect that they act as adults and look for alternative solutions, even if it means arriving late into the office – at least they have shown-up.

          If the situation arises that the organisation is unable to implement remote-DUN, then why not look at other solutions – OWA ect …

          Arthur
          Please bring me solutions & not just problems

      • #3303145

        That’s nice for you…

        by consumer007 ·

        In reply to Why are you complaining ?

        Well, Arthur, a lot of bosses don’t see it that way. If you waltzed into my office with your “solutions”, she’d just offer to let you go. “Get Here or else.” Besides, just because your IM is on doesn’t mean you’re not playing video games at home all day…

        • #3302969

          That’s the beauty about being an adult

          by arthurp ·

          In reply to That’s nice for you…

          One of the things about being an adult is the ability to accept the consequences of your actions … If this is the case then all the manager needs to do is ask the employee what they have achieved ?

          If it’s nothing then a reasonable explanation is expected … if they have achieved more than expected then maybe this could be a reasonable solution ….

          It’s simple … either you work or you’re fired .. this is business afterall

          Arthur

        • #3300289

          Re: That’s nice

          by vltiii ·

          In reply to That’s nice for you…

          True, but if the task are being accomplished who’s to complain. We’re starting to get simplistic to justify suspending disbelief.

      • #3303003

        An anecdote and a thought

        by tecdoc ·

        In reply to Why are you complaining ?

        No topic sparks a discussion among humans as
        weather – it is really fun reading the opinions here.
        Without siding with anybody let me share an anecdote
        from north-east USA. One night a very heavy silent
        snowfall started over the area. One of the younger
        doctors in a very famous hospital had problems
        sleeping, woke up, realised what was happening and
        started for work several hours before he usually did.
        That day he was the only doctor that came in time, or at
        all, to work, including the department head – a
        internationally renown, very illustrious old scientist that
        a couple of decades before practically invented the
        department?s speciality on the planetary level. Guess
        what? In no time the old man was deposed by the big
        bosses and the young doc become department head.
        A thought: if there was an official weather alert or the
        local authority declared a state of natural disaster it
        might be safe to stay at home – in case of a ?pink slip?
        (where the company dumb enough to state that it was
        issued because of not showing at work during bad
        weather) it might be litigated in court with more success
        than otherwise.

      • #3302252

        Re: Complaining

        by vltiii ·

        In reply to Why are you complaining ?

        Driving with idiots when they have positive control is a far cry from driving with idiots when there is ice on the road and they are at the mercy of mother nature. I don’t think it’s fair to relate the two.

    • #3303192

      Take a different route and drive more defensively?

      by jan.fullerton ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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. 🙂

    • #3303190

      Welcome to the real world

      by carl.a.paglione ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

      • #3301173

        Just because you ‘can’, doesn’t mean everyone else ‘should’

        by mdpetrel ·

        In reply to Welcome to the real world

        There are many responses here today are doing the same thing that the original poster’s co-workers did to him: make him feel like an inferior excuse for a human.

        I beg you to stop that.

        You’re responses are all way off base.

        This original poster feels a real danger in commuting during dangerous weather. Do not belittle him.

        And especially do not use the excuse that you know people who look for any excuse to avoid work. This is erroneous reasoning. If there is a danger, do not challenge that there is a danger.

        What this poster’s co-workers did is exactly the same as the fictitious characters in the Robin Hood legend who bought the Sheriff of Nottingham’s story that Robin was a criminal. Now they’re all mimicking the bosses story that workers who don’t have the daring to drive during dangerous weather are not up to par with other employees.

        They’re all too scared voice out loud what is correct and safe; so they are chiming along with the boss in making the original poster feel less than human.

        Don’t fall for it.

        And, for pete’s sake, don’t cop out and insist that we all have to ‘suck it up’, ‘get over it’, ‘stop whining’, etc.

        We’re all human beings here. Stop being mean, and start cooperating with one another.

        Oh, and don’t go in the direction of: “..well he’s letting me down by not coming in when I did..”. That’s crap, and you’re a mindless minion if you believe that.

        Un-be-freaking-believable…

      • #3301104

        Whatever!

        by consumer007 ·

        In reply to Welcome to the real world

        I can’t wait until you get in an accident…And get fired. Then YOU will be living in the real world.

      • #3300282

        Re: Welcome to the real world

        by vltiii ·

        In reply to Welcome to the real world

        We all have different levels of risk that we’re willing to accept. Because you have survived is not an indication that it was always safe. In the absence of a clear corporate policy we have to make our own decision and be prepared to accept the consequences if there are any. In the U.S. we have labor laws that restrict why an employee can be terminated. But, in the absence of a clear policy the company only weakens their position in a legal sense should it come to that. The poster never responded as to whether he sought clarification of the company’s policy so we can only speculate about the true intent of the CEO’s email.

    • #3303188

      Maybe it means what it says

      by kevin.dorrell ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

    • #3303187

      Of course you must go to work – you chancer!!

      by sexiboi ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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

      • #3303183

        Public Transport

        by bartlmay ·

        In reply to Of course you must go to work – you chancer!!

        And what if there is no public transportation available, or that the job is not able to be done at home as in working for a Call Center? I live in East Tennessee, US and the job I had until recently was in another rural city where there wasn’t even taxi service available between my town and the city where I worked. Idiot drivers aside there are times that it is physically impossible to get from here to there.

        BTW, the reason I am no longer employed there is that the company chose to ship my help desk tech support job to Phillipines and India. And for Bush hating Liberals out there it was not Bush’s fault that the company made this decision.

      • #3303180

        Don’t underestimate driver stupidity

        by jon shorten ·

        In reply to Of course you must go to work – you chancer!!

        I live in the UK, we don’t get much snow;
        I drive a Jeep XJ, can easilly get through the little snow we do get.

        BUT

        last winter I spent 11 hours stuck on the way home from work, as incompetent drivers had managed to get cars / vans stuck blocking the roads on every possible route.

        I now allow for the idiot factor & work from home in bad weather!

      • #3301407

        ‘ne Bissele Bote (a little information)

        by chipmicro ·

        In reply to Of course you must go to work – you chancer!!

        I agree wholeheartedly with the public transportation angle, as long as you are in an area where that is feasible. If 89 million people are living in the same land area as amedium-sized American state, then it is fully-feasible for a public transportation system to exist, hence there is validity to a degree to the suggestions from meine Europaische Freunde.

        The difficulty is that in the lesser-populated areas, public transportation is not feasible (why does the RB not stop in every village, leaving transportation to the buses, which aren’t as able to make it through winter? – efficiency and feasibility). The concept of being able to live near your work is likewise not really feasible, due to geographic considerations and availability of places to live.

        In the event of a snow emergency, I personally don’t feel as if an employer has a right to declare itself open, since it places the employees at risk of ticketing and possible arrest if they venture out onto the streets during the emergency. So is the employee who is there day after day, regardless of blizzard or other consideration, dedicated, or should he be ‘committed’? Tough call all the way around.

      • #3301283

        Public Transport in Central Texas

        by andrew martin ·

        In reply to Of course you must go to work – you chancer!!

        Oh dear – another case of thinking that those of us in Central Texas live in “enlightened times…”

        What public transport? I live less than twenty miles from downtown Austin. The state capitol. There is no public transport to my town. You want public transport, you pick up people along the road.

        Otherwise you drive. This is Bush country of course, so “if y’all aint usin’ oil, y’all ought to think ’bout leavin'”.

        Don’t assume that the rest of the world is as enlightened as Europe, or Australia or the UK. Public transport is a gift to the people. And we who live in CenTex have not been good enough to (except for Dallas and Houston) to get any of it yet.

      • #3301172

        Just because you ‘can’, doesn’t mean everyone else ‘should’

        by mdpetrel ·

        In reply to Of course you must go to work – you chancer!!

        There are many responses here today are doing the same thing that the original poster’s co-workers did to him: make him feel like an inferior excuse for a human.

        I beg you to stop that.

        You’re responses are all way off base.

        This original poster feels a real danger in commuting during dangerous weather. Do not belittle him.

        And especially do not use the excuse that you know people who look for any excuse to avoid work. This is erroneous reasoning. If there is a danger, do not challenge that there is a danger.

        What this poster’s co-workers did is exactly the same as the fictitious characters in the Robin Hood legend who bought the Sheriff of Nottingham’s story that Robin was a criminal. Now they’re all mimicking the bosses story that workers who don’t have the daring to drive during dangerous weather are not up to par with other employees.

        They’re all too scared to voice out loud what is correct and safe; so they are chiming along with the boss in making the original poster feel less than human.

        Don’t fall for it.

        And, for pete’s sake, don’t cop out and insist that we all have to ‘suck it up’, ‘get over it’, ‘stop whining’, etc.

        We’re all human beings here. Stop being mean, and start cooperating with one another.

        Oh, and don’t go in the direction of: “..well he’s letting me down by not coming in when I did..”. That’s crap, and you’re a mindless minion if you believe that.

        Un-be-freaking-believable…

        • #3249387

          another bloody stupid United Statian!!

          by sexiboi ·

          In reply to Just because you ‘can’, doesn’t mean everyone else ‘should’

          Come off it mate!!! are you winding me up??

          1.
          It is perfectly valid to argue that if others can make it into work, then it is reasonable to come into work…. so this skiving bastard must come in OR HE IS FIRED!

          2.
          Robin Hood was a criminal.

          Declan Delamere

        • #3119785

          No….

          by mdpetrel ·

          In reply to another bloody stupid United Statian!!

          … King John was the criminal ….

          An unjust law / rule should not be a rule …

          Maybe I need a labotomy so things that are unreasonable won’t seem so…????

    • #3303186

      Inclement Weather policy

      by bartlmay ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

      • #3301271

        Inclement Weather Policy Definition

        by pmwpaul ·

        In reply to Inclement Weather policy

        My last company had the policy that if the local schools were closed due to weather conditions, the company was closed. But it was docked as a vacation day.

      • #3301932

        5 days? No love from the establishment

        by knudsenmj ·

        In reply to Inclement Weather policy

        That seems not entirely unreasonable (although 5 sick days a year seems rather harsh). All I expect from my employees is for them to make a reasonable effort to come in. We have the luxory of being in an environment where if it’s snowing… it’s going to be a very slow day so people taking a day of PTO is actually ok for us as long as a percentage of crew show up.

      • #3300274

        Re: Inclement weather

        by vltiii ·

        In reply to Inclement Weather policy

        It sounds like this company’s policy needs to be subjected to judicial review. No rule, regulation, or policy should be written so rigidly that we cannot adapt to extraneous circumstances.

    • #3303185

      Bewilderment

      by premdas679 ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

      • #3303181

        Any Excuse

        by hughclinton ·

        In reply to Bewilderment

        Some people will find any excuse (rain, snow, slight headache, Monday morning) not to come to work. I remmeber a guy who made it half way across the UK on a day that snow had pretty much brought the country to a halt and stopped almnost all of the trains, – to get to his scheduled Job interview. He turned up 8 hours late but was given the job because he was obviously the kind of guy who would ‘make it’ no matter what the problems were. Unfortunately he was totally useless at the job of service engineer, but no one ever forgot how hard he tried.

    • #3303182

      Have fun

      by ian.horton ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

      • #3303178

        Walk to work?

        by bartlmay ·

        In reply to Have fun

        And how far away from your work do you live? My last employment was 20 miles which would have taken about 6 hours to walk, each way. And that is if it were flat which in East Tennessee it is any thing but flat. Let me hear from someone in the foothills of the Alps about their commute issues.

      • #3303109

        Walk? Oh you people with little countries

        by lindaniel ·

        In reply to Have fun

        My personal average commute has been 40 miles one way. You come on over and walk it with me, hokay?

        • #3302828

          Little countries?

          by oz_media ·

          In reply to Walk? Oh you people with little countries

          I live in a MUCH bigger country than you do and I would walk to work anytime.

          Mind you, I would NEVER even consider a 40 mile commute (although it has been FAR greater recently). I would A) Move, B) Find a new job (jobs are jobs), C) take transit!

        • #3300264

          Re: Little countries

          by vltiii ·

          In reply to Little countries?

          Because you wouldn’t consider a commute means no one should? And, using your philosophy, what if everyone tried to move within walking distance of their job? What happens when there is no longer enough room to do so? Should employers be required to build little communities around their respective work sites? What about those that work in industrial parks which in some case are miles away from residential areas? It’s amazing how some peoples view of the world is based on their own little bubble.

        • #3300233

          different priorities

          by apotheon ·

          In reply to Re: Little countries

          If you’re not willing to live near work, you’ll have to contend with the consequences of that, including the problem of having to figure out what to do when inclement weather means you go without pay. Employers should not, of course, be required to build housing, but there may come a time when some employers will have to in order to attract employees, or will have to pay more so that people can afford to live in an already overcrowded area where housing goes for a premium (as is already happening in New York, and has been for years).

          No solution is perfect, of course, but I for one won’t maintain a long commute through heavy traffic for long. I’ll either get a different job or move closer to my place of work. I’ve done the long-commute thing, and it sucks. Not only that, but long commutes in heavy traffic will (probably) eventually get anyone fired anyway.

        • #3300776

          Re: Different priorities

          by vltiii ·

          In reply to different priorities

          I concur with your assessment, however the point I was trying to stress in my response is that it’s not as simple as stating I want to live close to my job. If everyone practiced that philosphy there would come a time when eventually the population would grow out away from the work place and would get to the point where “some” won’t have the option of living near the job simply because all of those places are already taken. Ultimately as indicated by your title it is a decision that each individual must make for themselves where they want to live based on their needs. The previous poster made it sound as if anyone that lives that far enough away from their job that inclement weather is a problem has created the problem for themselves. This, in my opinion is flat wrong. We all have our individual motivators/needs.

        • #3300188

          How wrong can you be?

          by oz_media ·

          In reply to Re: Little countries

          I was actually referring directly to a walk to an industrial park what I consider walking distance most would consider a commute.

          I USED to work in Vancouver but lived about 60kms round trip from work, enter public transit. It costs nearly $15/day to park in town and takes quite a while to find a spot, even if your own building has parking. That, plus who wants to sit in traffic after a long day when you can read or listen to music and let someone else drive?

          As for walking, I HAVE walked from downtown Vancouver to my former home on MANY occasions and in many types of weather, it doesn’t kill you.

          When I worked in an industrial park, ever longer commute than downtown, I NEVER drove to work, unless the snow was REALLY bad and I knew the buses would be crawling and late.

          SO I chose to only drive in REALLY bad weather. If it was TOO extreme,I would take the bus, but even then it was usually quicker to walk than wait for a crowded bus so I’d go partway in by bus(to skip the hills)and walk the last hour an a bit.

          The City buses were on strike here for over two months a few years back, I walked to work (IN an industrial park every day).

          I was an employee, not only was it MY responsibility to get to work, I took an interest in the company and wanted to be there, so I was.

          Yes it is an effory, yes it can be a royal pain in th earse, yes it can take hours and a lot of work, no it isn’t fun, but work isn’t fun ut is work or else we wouldn’t get paid for it.

          If someone working for me made an effort and simply couldn’t get in, that’s fine and dandy.

          If my employee started a thread about whether or not they should try going to work in bad weather, they wouldn’t need to bother for long.

          If you mention walking for even ond hour to most people and they curl up in the fetal position and cry. I am sure some of our vets here can understand that you PUSH to get the job done.

          People can’t even walk to the damn store these days, we live in a lazy society, who’s mentality really doesn’t fit nor compliment the workplace anymore.

          WHen it comes to military everyone so tough and mighty and normal people could not understand what theu have endured. When it come to walking to work, evreyone starts to cry about it being too far, it’s raining, snowing or whatever. What a facade.

        • #3300108

          on the other hand

          by apotheon ·

          In reply to How wrong can you be?

          I’m a vet. I’ve had to do a marathon distance in one shot, fully equipped (carrying a substantial percentage of my own body weight on my back). Now that I’m a civilian, I don’t have any interest in walking for an hour each way to and from work. Heh.

          I like my car.

        • #3300083

          That’s what make it easier though

          by oz_media ·

          In reply to on the other hand

          I think such experiences are exactly what gives you the ability to laugh at such a miniature predicament and get it done. I have been in some very testing situations when I was lerning to climb and be a wilderness junkie. You know you can’t just stay where you are until you finally starve, dehydrate and die, so you make it somehow.

          Now when I get stranded, stuck, lost or face such issues I always make it from just knowing I am in the city and it is like being a Holiday Inn compared to some situations I’ve been in.

          You can ALWAYS MAKE IT, when you don’t it wont matter any more will it?

        • #3300050

          to: Oz, re: “easier”

          by apotheon ·

          In reply to on the other hand

          Yeah, you’ve got a point there. As an Army vet acquaintance of mine used to say, “After you’ve been shot at, everything else is just small stuff.”

          Still . . . I’m almost morally opposed to walking an hour to work, unless work is a life-and-death thing.

        • #3292251

          I used to find it set a good head space

          by oz_media ·

          In reply to on the other hand

          Seriously, when you take a LOOOONG walk your mind wanders too. THis can result in the same effect a dream has by airing out the laundry, taking sometime to really analyze issue etc. I would get to work feeling revived, fresh and ready to take on the day.

          I find that I still like to take a long walk at some point in the day, just to listen to some music (of my own choice), think a bit and sort things out. It’s a good, uninterrupted ‘ME’ time.

        • #3300767

          Re: “How wrong can you be?”

          by vltiii ·

          In reply to How wrong can you be?

          OK, but none of this changes the fact that your opinion is based on what you do and does not allow for the will/desire of each individual and their own preferences. Because one doesn’t want to walk an hour or more to get to work doesn’t make them bad, lazy, or whatever other adjective may apply. As stated, we all have differnt motivators. Some like to spend their free time with their families, etc. Walking an hour or more each way to and from work cuts into the amount of free time left in the day after factoring in required sleep time, and time actually spent on the job.

          As to the military aspect, I recently retired from the military after 24 years of service and fully understand the work until the job is complete mentality. But the military is also a unique organization with unique demands that don’t necessarily transfer to the civilian community. I don’t even think it’s fair to compare the two.

    • #3303179

      A Job is 12 months a year!

      by hayseed14 ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

    • #3303177

      Scotland

      by craig ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      Us in Scotland Buy 4X4 cars 🙂

    • #3303176

      Learn to Drive

      by chrisa_1949 ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

      • #3303171

        Ha!

        by jinxsm ·

        In reply to Learn to Drive

        There’s NOTHING safe about 100mph on ice! Even in the UK. Especially with the lighter cars your police drive! Yes, I’ve done my time there and have driven in all your local weather conditions. There have been times I was called and told to stay home. The fact that I lived about 40 minutes away means I actually got very few of those calls and made it to work anyway. I’d advise that when the weather is actually that bad, scope out all your options. If you find that you can’t make it in beyond a reasonable doubt, call the office and let them know! Sometimes conditions can vary GREATLY from your home to the office. Watch the weather reports, listen to the radio – There’s usually more than enough info out there to help make the decision.

      • #3301242

        Oh so funny

        by bagmaster50 ·

        In reply to Learn to Drive

        Advanced driving course aren’t free here in the States. I practice whenever I can on empty store parking lots when thier closed for the ice and snow.

        BTY, I’ve made it to work plenty of times driving a front wheeled vehicle while enjoying the sight of 4 wheeled vehicles sitting in the ditchs alongside the road. Ice is an all vehicle grabber, it doesn’t care of you have 4 or 2 wheel drive. Also a lot of states now forbid the use of steel studded tires and the newer style of nonsteel studs don’t work no where near as well as steel studs.

      • #3301147

        I’ld like to see…

        by jmd10k ·

        In reply to Learn to Drive

        I would like to see anyone who can drive even half the speed limit in Dallas during an ice storm. If you haven’t been in North Texas during an ice storm then don’t tell someone to go to school to learn how to drive. When was the last time the heater in your car and the de-icing fluid in your windshield wipers couldn’t keep up with the ice forming on your windshield? Welcome to the 2 or 3 days a year called Texas Winter.

      • #3303108

        The other guy hasn’t – now what?

        by lindaniel ·

        In reply to Learn to Drive

        Sounds nice but they don’t train you to avoid a three(3) SUV slide across the highway that picks you up from behind because all the traffic in front of you has stopped and blocked the road. Defensive driving assumes you have room to manuever. Or at least the course I took did.

    • #3303175

      It’s all about risk tolerance…

      by nytefytr ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

    • #3303174

      Get to work

      by cmachine ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

    • #3303173

      Sheep always follows the leader

      by icehappy ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

      • #3301411

        Baaa, Baaaaaa!

        by ex-military nut ·

        In reply to Sheep always follows the leader

        Seriously,

        It really is your choice. You will or you won’t. It’s that simple.

        Let’s look at other professions. Police, fire department, EMS, power company, etc, do not have a choice (mainly because of all those ‘idiot drivers’). How vital is your company to the local economy? Or is that they see themselves as self-important?

        Bottom line: It’s your call.

        • #3301261

          Howdy ex military nut

          by icehappy ·

          In reply to Baaa, Baaaaaa!

          I like you are ex military. One of my last jobs was driver for General Mullins – then the West Coast Air Defense Commanding General, Niki Hercs was the weapon of the day. There was no excuse for a no show. Everyone must make a choice based on THEIR limitations and not that of the boss vs their real need to be at the office. After all who wants the blame for an accidental death because some sheep is driving beyond their skill just because of a normal non emergency type job because of peer or boss pressure. One burger flipper, janitor or any non key employee role is expendable for one day – that is, not every blo*dy day of the winter! Exception to the normal rule.

          I thought I better explain my thoughts before someone called be a supporter of a “Goldbricker” or what we called in the service as a “Ghoster”.

        • #3301200

          Regarding the Military take on things

          by featherman ·

          In reply to Howdy ex military nut

          Having had the opportunity to work for the military here in the states as a civilian contractor, I find it amusing that a CO who is half a state away (150 miles) and says something to the effect of “It’s just a bit of rain outside; everyone must report” when it’s raining so hard that you cannot see the traffic lights until you’re underneath them. Or when, after the largest snowstorm in years shuts down part of the base for three days because someone forgot to renew the civillian snow removal contract (ie: the base was open, but those areas open to the civillian workers were not cleared), the contractors then get reamed out for not showing up…..

        • #3303077

          Going to work in the Navy

          by bardskye ·

          In reply to Regarding the Military take on things

          I spent 11 1/2 years in Uncle Sam’s Canoe Club. The philosophy is: You WILL be there. On Time. No Excuses. Or Else. And the Or Else is waaay ugly. (Busted, fined, restricted to boat / base) If there does happen to be a base closure, (I can only recall 2 in the whole time I was in.) “essensial” personnell still have to show up, although they relax the On Time requirement. I remember being the only vehicle on the road on several occasions.

          The same thing applies to being sick. Unless you’re a Chief or officer, the only acceptable excuse is being hospitalised. While we were in the shipyard in Maine, I remember being so dizzy I could hardly stand up. (Nasty flu) I still had to drive 30 miles to the shipyard so the corpsman could look at me, agree I had a fever, and send me back home.

          As a civilian, the absolute worst you can expect is to be looking for new work.

          It beats taking your life in your hands.

        • #3300004

          Re: Navy

          by vltiii ·

          In reply to Going to work in the Navy

          Your colorful description of the navy “Canoe Club” is indicative of your bias against the navy and by extention your inaccurate slant or ignorance of what the policies are. There are certain expectations in the military. It’s all part of maintaining good order and discipline which comes in handy when you’re on the battlefield and need a cohesive unit to complete a mission. However, none of the navy’s policies are intended to be so restrictive that they can’t be adjusted for certain circumstances. If you were so dizzy that you could hardly stand up it would be unreasonable to expect you to drive in to work just for an SIQ chit. If you were so dizzy that you could hardly stand up, I doubt that you would be able to drive. The fact that you were able to drive to and from the shipyard tells me that you’ve exagerated the situation to support your point.

          I also did a year at Bath Ironworks (Maine) and I know for a fact that they are tenacious in keeping the roads clear (getting back on topic). I’ve never seen anything like it, so road hazards are rarely an excuse to not get to work.

        • #3303128

          Some choice…

          by consumer007 ·

          In reply to Baaa, Baaaaaa!

          Yes, it’s your choice. Drive and die or stay home get fired and starve. It’s really simple isn’t it?

      • #3300008

        Re: Sheeple

        by vltiii ·

        In reply to Sheep always follows the leader

        …but what happens when in the extreme case you get into an accident and are injured and can’t work for a while. What will your boss say then…and where does what your boss has to say compare to fulfilling the needs of your spouse and the 2.5 kids beyond just the short term economic impact? I personally think that we have a greater responsibility to ensure that we’re there to support our families than satisfying an unreasonal employer.

    • #3303162

      I stay home!

      by limousinec ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

      • #3299999

        Re: Staying Home

        by vltiii ·

        In reply to I stay home!

        Excellent and reasonable post! It’s alarming how many people will venture whatever under the guise of loyalty to the company or dedication or whatever. I wonder if those same people realize how easy it is for them to be replaced when they kill themselves trying to demonstrate their loyalty.

    • #3303161

      Dallas Winter

      by rygoto ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

    • #3303160

      inclement weather policy

      by radiospanky ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

    • #3303159

      Stay home!

      by gbarry ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

    • #3303158

      Be smart

      by mdunigan62 ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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”.

    • #3303157

      Commute in bad weather

      by eric.gibson ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

    • #3301418

      Are you kidding me?

      by rob smura ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

      • #3301324

        Work to live better

        by sauerb01 ·

        In reply to Are you kidding me?

        I feel sorry for you to have such an attitude. The philosophy should be that I go to work to be able to live a better life. I don’t live so I can work. Risking my life or health is not worth any amount of money I can make on a job. I have a family that depends on me for a lot more than money. If I were to be injured or killed because I felt an obligation to risk my health for a job than I would have been letting them down and THAT is much more important then letting my boss down by not being in the office on snowy or icy days.

      • #3301171

        Just because you ‘can’, doesn’t mean every else ‘should’

        by mdpetrel ·

        In reply to Are you kidding me?

        There are many responses here today are doing the same thing that the original poster’s co-workers did to him: make him feel like an inferior excuse for a human.

        I beg you to stop that.

        You’re responses are all way off base.

        This original poster feels a real danger in commuting during dangerous weather. Do not belittle him.

        And especially do not use the excuse that you know people who look for any excuse to avoid work. This is erroneous reasoning. If there is a danger, do not challenge that there is a danger.

        What this poster’s co-workers did is exactly the same as the fictitious characters in the Robin Hood legend who bought the Sheriff of Nottingham’s story that Robin was a criminal. Now they’re all mimicking the bosses story that workers who don’t have the daring to drive during dangerous weather are not up to par with other employees.

        They’re all too scared to voice out loud what is correct and safe; so they are chiming along with the boss in making the original poster feel less than human.

        Don’t fall for it.

        And, for pete’s sake, don’t cop out and insist that we all have to ‘suck it up’, ‘get over it’, ‘stop whining’, etc.

        We’re all human beings here. Stop being mean, and start cooperating with one another.

        Oh, and don’t go in the direction of: “..well he’s letting me down by not coming in when I did..”. That’s crap, and you’re a mindless minion if you believe that.

        Un-be-freaking-believable…

      • #3299566

        Re Kidding

        by vltiii ·

        In reply to Are you kidding me?

        I suspect you wouldn’t be an employer for very long. You clearly lack understanding about the human part of the whole job thing. You want machines working for you. Leaving earlier is not guarantee that the commute will be any safer. When one of your sheep gets into an accident trying to meet your demands do they get punished?

    • #3301416

      24/7 Center Interview Questions

      by passingby ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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?

    • #3301414

      From a manager

      by schrödinger’s cat ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

      • #3303097

        Right on cat..

        by blueknight ·

        In reply to From a manager

        If the company policy is what was exactly quoted in the question, whether to go to work or not is entirely up to you. If you’re seeing what was stated as “it’s mandatory that all employees drive during unsafe conditions,” then you’re reading too much into it. It says nothing of the sort.

        We have as many stupid drivers here in California as anywhere, but for the most part we don’t have the kind of weather you indicate Texas has.

        As I see it, you have a few alternatives: 1) be a trooper and drive to work 2) see if you can work from home (that’s why God invented VPN) 3) move to Arizona where you’re less likely to have such weather.

        That cat’s right on… “You have the company’s trust…don’t abuse it. Drive safely”

    • #3301413

      Bad weather conditions

      by usedman ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

      • #3299560

        Re: Bad Weather

        by vltiii ·

        In reply to Bad weather conditions

        I disagree with your assessment about customers and deadlines. Many customers let deadlines slip because of inclement weather. Ask the folks in Florida. Here in Souther California, I still see signs that tomatoes may not be available because of the hurricanes in Florida. So many posters think leaving earlier is the cureall, but in reality that only indicates that you will be driving safer. It doesn’t mean that everyone else on the road will be just as safe. Step outside of the box.

    • #3301412

      Yup!

      by _nobby_ ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

      • #3303016

        17-18 vs 40 Years Later

        by bowmanph ·

        In reply to Yup!

        Aloha,

        When I was 17-18 years old, I walked a couple miles through snow 2 – 3 feet deep to get to work at the scheduled time.

        I am now 58 years old and would not walk through 100 linear meters of snow to get to work.

        Time does slow everyone down.

        Paul

    • #3301410

      Dumboldman

      by rwgaylord ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

    • #3301409

      You are right, and wrong….

      by mollenhourb9 ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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).

      • #3301178

        comp pay is best way

        by a1deydreams ·

        In reply to You are right, and wrong….

        ask the boss abouot turning overtime into comp time for use when emergencies arise.. the vpn is a good option if you work from a computer all day. If you work in shipping/order pulling then the comp pay is the better idea.. I also live in Dallas and I know of twicw when the city shut down… 1983/84 because even the city busses were having accidents.. if the icing is too bad to get out of town and there are major accidents on the Highway.. there is no way you will be able to get there.. although Dallas sands the major bridgesthe secondary roads are neglected.. the city doesn’t see the need for snowplows for the five or six days that are bad…

    • #3301404

      Our Choice

      by ole88 ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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?

    • #3301402

      Common sense

      by tringelberg ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

      • #3303136

        Common sense? What’s that?

        by consumer007 ·

        In reply to Common sense

        Sorry, in the Republican greed economy, common sense does not apply and is not allowed anymore. THe only thing that applies is whatever the greedy ass boss wants to use to punish people, no matter what the reality.

        But it will be insisted and maintained that whatever that is that the boss says and wants is the rule (even if it changes every 5 minutes) and people will be held to it.

        • #3299557

          Re: Common Sense

          by vltiii ·

          In reply to Common sense? What’s that?

          With that mentality it’s no wonder that you’re the minion and not the boss. Truly sad, but go right ahead and complain about those that make it!

    • #3301398

      It can be illegal to try!

      by cromagnon35 ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

    • #3301392

      Deal with it

      by jbblair ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

    • #3301391

      I never go in when it’s icy!

      by joelbecker ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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!

    • #3301390

      Am I Stating the Obvious?

      by basesurge ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

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

      • #3299548

        Re: Ovious

        by vltiii ·

        In reply to Am I Stating the Obvious?

        You are stating the obvious, but if you’ve been following the post here, there are many that claim to be loyal to the point of putting themselves at risk for their employer. The rationale being, “I’ve been doing this all my life”. Fate just hasn’t caught up to them yet???

    • #3301389

      Leaving Early

      by netgeek84 ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

    • #3301388

      Rain, snow…

      by island120 ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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…

      • #3299543

        Re: rain, snow

        by vltiii ·

        In reply to Rain, snow…

        Snow by itself is not nearly as bad as ice or frozen roads. Snow can be handled witht the proper tires, but ice, unless you have cleated tires, it doesn’t matter, you don’t have control.

    • #3301387

      I live in MN.

      by husp1 ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

    • #3301386

      Get over yourself

      by epollnac ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

    • #3301382

      I think you misinterpret

      by drew.mcbee-tradesmeninternational ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

    • #3301380

      This Just Happened to Me

      by calico1 ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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!

      • #3301342

        Agree except for last paragraph

        by montgomery gator ·

        In reply to This Just Happened to Me

        I was in complete agreement with you for most of your post, you eloquently expressed the problem with many companies. However, when you proposed an international law for this, you lost me. The last thing we need is to give up our sovereignty to a foreign international body that is not accountable to the American voters. Think how bad the UN is now with its corruption and anti-American attitude (see the Kofi Annan Oil for Food scandal). It would be much worse if an international body had the power to force laws on the American people and take away our freedom.

    • #3301379

      Where’s the issue?

      by mikefromco ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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…

    • #3301377

      Reply To: Go to work during bad weather?

      by dcperich ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.”

    • #3301376

      Sounds like a Telecommuting Opportunity

      by pattas ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

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

    • #3301375

      based on the road conditions

      by pepperh ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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?

    • #3301373

      If the roads are open

      by sonicpmp ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

    • #3301372

      Bad Weather

      by yvonne ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

    • #3301371

      Options

      by sys-arch ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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 7×24 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.

    • #3301370

      There are Idiots any weather

      by jacobconfer ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

    • #3301369

      Make it safe and obvious

      by Anonymous ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

    • #3301368

      Wimp

      by tom_kelley9 ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

      • #3301168

        “..stop whining…”? .. be more thoughtful please

        by mdpetrel ·

        In reply to Wimp

        There are many responses here today are doing the same thing that the original poster’s co-workers did to him: make him feel like an inferior excuse for a human.

        I beg you to stop that.

        You’re responses are all way off base.

        This original poster feels a real danger in commuting during dangerous weather. Do not belittle him.

        And especially do not use the excuse that you know people who look for any excuse to avoid work. This is erroneous reasoning. If there is a danger, do not challenge that there is a danger.

        What this poster’s co-workers did is exactly the same as the fictitious characters in the Robin Hood legend who bought the Sheriff of Nottingham’s story that Robin was a criminal. Now they’re all mimicking the bosses story that workers who don’t have the daring to drive during dangerous weather are not up to par with other employees.

        They’re all too scared to voice out loud what is correct and safe; so they are chiming along with the boss in making the original poster feel less than human.

        Don’t fall for it.

        And, for pete’s sake, don’t cop out and insist that we all have to ‘suck it up’, ‘get over it’, ‘stop whining’, etc.

        We’re all human beings here. Stop being mean, and start cooperating with one another.

        Oh, and don’t go in the direction of: “..well he’s letting me down by not coming in when I did..”. That’s crap, and you’re a mindless minion if you believe that.

        Un-be-freaking-believable…

    • #3301367

      Check Auto Insurance

      by ls1313 ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

    • #3301366

      I sleep at the office

      by craigr ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

    • #3301364

      What Planet are you From?

      by lcave ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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!

      • #3301353

        But Remember: His Co. Never closes

        by bitbucketboy ·

        In reply to What Planet are you From?

        In the same boat here. My company NEVER closes, so you are always expected to come in period. Sure, I can take a vacation day, but is that really a vacation? It takes away from my real vacation. So I have an incentive and expectation to put myself at risk. I go in, but it’s like a waiting game – who’s going to get hurt first? Once a customer or employee slips and falls on the lot and sues or gets injured on the way in, I see a real weather policy taking shape.

      • #3301164

        Just beacuse YOU ‘can’; doesn’t mean everyone else ‘should’

        by mdpetrel ·

        In reply to What Planet are you From?

        There are many responses here today are doing the same thing that the original poster’s co-workers did to him: make him feel like an inferior excuse for a human.

        I beg you to stop that.

        You’re responses are all way off base.

        This original poster feels a real danger in commuting during dangerous weather. Do not belittle him.

        And especially do not use the excuse that you know people who look for any excuse to avoid work. This is erroneous reasoning. If there is a danger, do not challenge that there is a danger.

        What this poster’s co-workers did is exactly the same as the fictitious characters in the Robin Hood legend who bought the Sheriff of Nottingham’s story that Robin was a criminal. Now they’re all mimicking the bosses story that workers who don’t have the daring to drive during dangerous weather are not up to par with other employees.

        They’re all too scared to voice out loud what is correct and safe; so they are chiming along with the boss in making the original poster feel less than human.

        Don’t fall for it.

        And, for pete’s sake, don’t cop out and insist that we all have to ‘suck it up’, ‘get over it’, ‘stop whining’, etc.

        We’re all human beings here. Stop being mean, and start cooperating with one another.

        Oh, and don’t go in the direction of: “..well he’s letting me down by not coming in when I did..”. That’s crap, and you’re a mindless minion if you believe that.

        Un-be-freaking-believable…

    • #3301359

      No way! I say home!

      by jbooth ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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!

    • #3301356

      It’s Your Call

      by mmm123 ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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

    • #3301355

      ?

      by rcom ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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?

      • #3301161

        Just because you ‘can’, doesn’t mean all others ‘should’

        by mdpetrel ·

        In reply to ?

        There are many responses here today are doing the same thing that the original poster’s co-workers did to him: make him feel like an inferior excuse for a human.

        I beg you to stop that.

        You’re responses are all way off base.

        This original poster feels a real danger in commuting during dangerous weather. Do not belittle him.

        And especially do not use the excuse that you know people who look for any excuse to avoid work. This is erroneous reasoning. If there is a danger, do not challenge that there is a danger.

        What this poster’s co-workers did is exactly the same as the fictitious characters in the Robin Hood legend who bought the Sheriff of Nottingham’s story that Robin was a criminal. Now they’re all mimicking the bosses story that workers who don’t have the daring to drive during dangerous weather are not up to par with other employees.

        They’re all too scared to voice out loud what is correct and safe; so they are chiming along with the boss in making the original poster feel less than human.

        Don’t fall for it.

        And, for pete’s sake, don’t cop out and insist that we all have to ‘suck it up’, ‘get over it’, ‘stop whining’, etc.

        We’re all human beings here. Stop being mean, and start cooperating with one another.

        Oh, and don’t go in the direction of: “..well he’s letting me down by not coming in when I did..”. That’s crap, and you’re a mindless minion if you believe that.

        Un-be-freaking-believable…

    • #3301351

      Yes I go to work

      by ruckda ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

    • #3301350

      Drive carefully

      by dba3 ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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

    • #3301348

      I think you’re fine

      by chug ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

      • #3301335

        Same here

        by govtech ·

        In reply to I think you’re fine

        Best answer so far! Works the same way here in in Arizona. I know, I live in a desert and don’t have bad weather. Our facility is one mile up and has ice problems and heavy rainfall every now and then. The same answer from Chug still applies. Most companies would like to see you alive and well and working! Most employers will cut you some slack if you don’t abuse the privilege.

    • #3301347

      Bad Weather Concerns

      by it security guy ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

    • #3301343

      A job is not High School

      by rlmink ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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!

      • #3301314

        Sometimes It’s Too Dangerous

        by isapp ·

        In reply to A job is not High School

        There was a very sad situation here in Green Bay, Wisconsin last winter. A woman was killed on her way to work at the local hospital. Roads were icy and rather than wait until the sanders were out, she decided to tough it out. She wasn’t struck by another vehicle driven by someone who didn’t know how to drive in bad weather. It was a one-vehicle accident. Now her children don’t have a mother and her co-workers have to do without her. Was that smart?

        Sometimes it really is too dangerous to be on the road. Think about priorities.

        • #3301263

          BEST POST I HAVE READ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

          by admin@h ·

          In reply to Sometimes It’s Too Dangerous

          I agree totally with ISAPP! I am a IT manager for a corp over several hospitals. Few IT jobs are more important and there are NO days off! We have to take care of the people who do try to travel on those days! I do need people at work.

          However, a real manager should also be a leader! And no leader is interested in getting his people killed or injured. Not that I want anyone to die or any children to be motherless/fatherless, but the cost of replacing an employee vs the loss of one days work is a no brainer! ANY manager who does not understand this is an IDOIT and I would not work for him/her!

          Your manager should also have a plan in place to maximize the companies investment in you as a worker in all scenarios. Especially this type. If that type plan does not exist for short term (1-2 day) events, then your manager is completely inept and has no concept of disaster recovery and continutiy of business/disaster contengency planning! (One of these posts mentioned a company sending a 4 wheel drive to pickup an employee – They have a plan!)

          The company should look at this as an ROI. If it is not worth investing in a plan of this type, then you are not that important and you staying home and safe is the best ROI the company can gain.

        • #3303587

          “Plan B” – stay in a local hotel?

          by paymeister ·

          In reply to Sometimes It’s Too Dangerous

          I commute 25 miles over back mountain roads. A half-ton of gravel in the bed of a 4×4 pickup helps in snow, but I don’t like the momentum on ice!

          My wife and I concluded that under ice conditions I could probably limp into work late going the long way over State roads after they salt, and take a room at a nearby motel and get to work the next day as well (their whole place is empty in bad weather, and they’ll give $32 rooms for anyone in our company). Seems reasonable for “insurance” – auto, life, and employment.

        • #3303520

          good plan

          by apotheon ·

          In reply to “Plan B” – stay in a local hotel?

          That does sound like a good idea, for a temporary solution. I’d still rather live near work, though.

      • #3301159

        Please be more thoughtful…

        by mdpetrel ·

        In reply to A job is not High School

        There are many responses here today are doing the same thing that the original poster’s co-workers did to him: make him feel like an inferior excuse for a human.

        I beg you to stop that.

        You’re responses are all way off base.

        This original poster feels a real danger in commuting during dangerous weather. Do not belittle him.

        And especially do not use the excuse that you know people who look for any excuse to avoid work. This is erroneous reasoning. If there is a danger, do not challenge that there is a danger.

        What this poster’s co-workers did is exactly the same as the fictitious characters in the Robin Hood legend who bought the Sheriff of Nottingham’s story that Robin was a criminal. Now they’re all mimicking the bosses story that workers who don’t have the daring to drive during dangerous weather are not up to par with other employees.

        They’re all too scared to voice out loud what is correct and safe; so they are chiming along with the boss in making the original poster feel less than human.

        Don’t fall for it.

        And, for pete’s sake, don’t cop out and insist that we all have to ‘suck it up’, ‘get over it’, ‘stop whining’, etc.

        We’re all human beings here. Stop being mean, and start cooperating with one another.

        Oh, and don’t go in the direction of: “..well he’s letting me down by not coming in when I did..”. That’s crap, and you’re a mindless minion if you believe that.

        Un-be-freaking-believable…

      • #3318143

        Re: rediculous

        by vltiii ·

        In reply to A job is not High School

        What’s really rediculous is when some think the conditions of their location or their experiences dictate conditions universally. They don’t. Each region and each company are entitled to make their own determination of what constitutes hazardous weather. I currently live in southern California where the closest we get to inclement weather are a few sprinkles, yet everytime it rains, reports from the media are that we’re having the “storm” of the year. I remember one place that I worked many years ago, we were sent home early because there was a forecast of rain. I don’t think that is the norm, but it’s proof of how different individual perceptions are of inclement weather. Being originally from the east coast, I have vivid memories of snow drifts as high as doorways. We had to shovel our way out of the house if we wanted to go anywhere, so rain as inclement weather is a joke to me, but that doesn’t change the fact that those with different experiences and backgrounds may perceive it very differently.

    • #3301341

      Are You the only one?

      by jterry ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

      • #3301334

        So who’s to open the door?

        by onthego ·

        In reply to Are You the only one?

        That might be a good question to ask your boss. Northern Texas is really nasty as it ices as much as snows. The drivers [idiots-on-the-road] never seem to adjust. Being from further south, the idiots will drive as though the road is dry when it occasionally ices!

        It also might be good justification too, for secure remote access, if not yet implemented.

    • #3301338

      Agreed

      by cliff.trapp ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      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.

    • #3301332

      Ex-trucker

      by johns ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      Before getting into IT and the whole computer field, I spent over 22 years as a cross country trucker. I have well over 15,000,000 miles of safe driving without even so much as a fender bender on my record. And yes, I drove in any kind of weather that came along. So, don’t tell me that you’re not able to drive on an icy road for a few miles unless your driving skills are not up to the task.

      However, as I read the company policy as it was presented, it seems to me that they are leaving the decision up to you as to whether or not you feel safe making the trip. If it were me, I’d first make sure that my vehicle was safe for winter driving with good snow tires, some extra weight in the trunk (like sand bags, or cement blocks) and proper anti-freeze.

      Then I’d judge each trip on a scale of 1 to 5. A light dusting of snow would be a 1 and a definite day to go to work. A 5 would be when you walk outside and there is 3 feet of snow on the ground. That would be a stay home day.

    • #3301331

      Planning for Safety

      by reedrobt ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      I live and work in Texas, so I understand the conditions that you speak of. Large companies may have employees scattered in a hundred different directions, some commuting 60+ miles. In this event, the weather for one employee may be completely different for another on the other side of the commuting area. Therefore the employer cannot a “wholesale” determination of driving conditions based on what is happening at his/her house or at the office. That is why the decision is left to the employee who can assess the actual conditions between him/herself and the office. It is incumbant on the employee to be aware of the conditions…watch the weather report the night before…allow more time for the worst case…look out the window when preparing to leave–not when you step out to your vehicle for the commute in…consider staggering your hours to avoid driving in the heavier traffic. USE COMMON SENSE!

    • #3301329

      Well, between the lines…

      by richardjm ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      Call me a cynic, but it seems to me that the company is actually saying that they expect you to be at work regardless of the weather; but that they don’t want to risk liability for actually coming out and saying that. So on paper, they leave that decision to the employees’ own judgment.

      I lived and worked for a number of years in Upstate New York, in the heart of what the locals called “the snow belt.” It wasn’t unusual to get a foot or more of snow overnight. Yet there were no “snow days.” It snowed, they plowed, life went on.

      But yes, it took longer to get to work in the snow. No, that was not the employer’s fault, nor the employee’s. It was just a fact of life. So when heavy snow was expected, I got up earlier and went to work. Never missed a day in the four years I worked there.

      Nowadays, I live and work in the NYC/Long Island area; and nowadays, I’m self-employed. So no one is telling that I must show up to work. But then again, if I don’t go to work, I don’t get paid. So I have to use my own good judgment in making those decisions.

      Now bear in ming that around here, we don’t get as much snow as they do in Upstate New York (although the last few years, we’ve had more snow than usual for this part of the state). But the New York City government and the various municipal governments on Long Island are notoriously innefficient at snow removal (and at pretty much everything else, for that matter; but I shall refrain from political commentary for the moment).

      To further compound the problem, many people around here simply have no idea how to drive in the snow. I’m not talking about those who drive too fast in the snow, because that really doesn’t happen here very often. Even in dry weather, the sheer volume of traffic during rush hour usually makes speeding an impossibility.

      What I’m talking about are people who, for example, brake to five miles-per-hour as soon as the first snowflakes hit their windshields. Or who believe that the best way to get out of a snow drift is to floor the gas pedal. Or who think it’s perfectly adequate to screpe a six-inch patch of snow and ice from the windshield and peer through it while driving, rather than clearing all the ice and snow from all the windows. You know. Those people.

      In fairness, many of these people are recent immigrants from countries where the weather seldom drops below a hundred or so degrees, so snow baffles them. Actually, it terrifies them. It’s ironic, actually: I’ve seen an inch or two of snow on the ground bring terror to the eyes of people who had faced decades of war and strife in their homelands without blinking.

      But in the end, winter driving, like any other driving, is a matter of skill and experience. That may be something that’s hard to acquire where you live, so maybe you’re better off staying home in bad weather.

      But for what it’s worth, here’s my quick course in winter driving.

      I’ve found that the most important single word to keep in mind when driving in winter weather is not “slow,” but “gentle.” You want to avoid spinning your wheels or skidding. If you are spinning your wheels, then you are out of control; and if you are skidding, then you are out of control.

      Accelerate gently: If your wheels are spinning faster than the ground is moving under them, then you’re out of control.

      Brake gently: If you’re skidding, then you’re out of control.

      Turn gently: If your car is moving in a different direction than the front wheels are pointed, then you’re out of control.

      If you allow enough distance to slow down or stop, then you can let the car slow down on its own by gradually backing off the accelerator before you begin to gently apply the brakes. You generally shouldn’t put enough pressure on the brakes to lock them until you are almost stopped. Antilock brakes will help prevent the wheels from locking up when you misjudge or in a panic stop, but the idea is still to avoid that from happening. Proper anticipation and proper braking braking are important parts of maintaining control of your vehicle by smoothing out the deceleration process.

      Turns should be made gently, as well. In dry weather, accelerating slightly once into a turn can increase traction; but in snowy weather, accelerating in a turn can cause your wheels to spin (unless you already have developed an exquisite “touch” on the gas pedal), and applying the brakes while in a turn will likely cause you to skid. So slow down well before the turn and try to avoid either accelerating or (especially) braking once in the turn.

      If you do get into a skid, the best way to recover varies depending on your particular vehicle. Every vehicle handles a little differently. But as a general rule, take your foot off the brake, place the transmission in neutral (or step on the clutch), look around quickly to assess your options, and steer in the direction you want the front of the car to go. Once you’ve stopped skidding (meaning the drive wheels are rotating at about the same speed as the ground beneath them, and the front wheels are pointed in roughly the same direction as the car is moving), then you are back in control. You can either shift back into drive and proceed on your way, or slow to a stop to recover your composure.

      And of course, if you absoutely cannot avoid a collision, try to collide in the safest way possible. In a case like that, don’t worry about the car. It’s a machine. It can be replaced. Human lives cannot.

      For more tips, see http://www.syracuse.com/weather/snow/stories/driving.html

    • #3301327

      Do you expect to be paid?

      by realgem ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      Let me put it this way. Your company pays you for your work. No workie, no pay. Your email quote clearly states that it is up to you; you decide. If the roads are dangerous, by all means stay home. But, don’t expect to be paid for that. Your company, if it’s large to have a CEO, could have other leave plans that you use for illness, sick family members, dentist appointments, and so on. Or, you can used banked over time, or make up the time later, or something.

      By the way, I live in Canada. We’ve had snow for weeks. We get maybe one or two days per year where people cannot drive in to work. I really don’t think that someone in Texas should be worried about it, although I readily admit that you guys probably don’t have the experience with ice/snow that we have.

      You guys probably have more to worry about from sudden Gila Monster migrations that snow and ice.

    • #3301318

      Be a Responsible Adult

      by miky ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      The first thing to do during inclement weather is to remember it is inclement weather! As you can’t adjust the weather you must adjust your routine to fit the weather. Be prepared. I used to be a ‘professional driver’in a previous life and thus have a wee bit more experience than the average motorist.

      Listen to the weather forecasts, have your car appropriatly equipped (ie: snow tyres, shovel, a bag of salt/sand mix, etc. ..), leave earlier, have planned and utilize – if necessary – alternative routes, listen to local radio stations which broadcast local road conditions as you drive – and be prepared to adjust to them. Attend an advanced, or even basic – if required, driving school … the list could go on, but that should not be necessary.

      Observe your surroundings, then adjust as appropriate. If the emergency vehicles are pulled off the road and the truckers are pulled over, chances are it truely is not safe out there. Don’t buy into all that marketing propaganda that claims an SUV loaded with all the latest and greatest safety gadgets are the answer – they only contribute to the ongoing stupification of the average motorist .. after all, artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity. Drive like you are driving a basic paper mach? vehicle. You, the operator of that motor vehicle, are its primary safety device. By virtue of the fact that you hold a valid license you have a responsibility to execute the privledge granted you by that license safely and responsibly. Likewise, By virtue of the fact that you hold a valid position with your employer, you have a responsibility to execute the duties of that position safely and responsibly.

      Suck up your personal discomfort and make a rational decission you are willing to accept the consequences for – both good and bad. In short, be a responsible adult.

    • #3301317

      A responsible decision

      by dfaceyjohnson ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      I do believe that those of us who are employed were interviewed by a panel of intelligent and responsible persons and would have thought that we were sufficiently responsible to be employed. I think therefore that the employee must be allowed some amount of decision-making in circumstances like these. As a responsible employee I am sure that you will not stay away from work if it is necessary to do so. It is important that we care about other aspects of our employees welfare other than work.

      Delores

    • #3301315

      Let it Snow!

      by scote_mi ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      I understand your delema. I live in Michigan and have had instances where driving conditions have been challenged with snow, ice, fog, and flooding. I rarely have an issue with not having the flexability to work from home if it is too dangerous to drive. With that being said, there are a few times where I have made it into the office before many of my co-workers and management and I have a 60+ mile commute.

      Generally speaking, if the school buses are running and I can get out of my driveway, I’ll be in the office. If the weather is really bad I may have to leave early or it may cause me to be delayed in the morning. I think it comes down to the person you report to. There are a lot of people that should not be in a position to lead or manage people.

      In many situations I have tried to demonstrate an ability to be a professional IT worker. I schedule conference calls if I can not be in the office, I do work from home, sometimes at night, if the deadline is tight, I respond to e-mail’s quickly, if I have to leave early I get on-line later that night to see if I might have missed something; these are some of the things I haev done and it has provided me with some working flexability.

      Good luck.

    • #3301309

      Go to work during bad weather?

      by yamapfaff ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      I would only ask this employee this: Do you expect a cop to come to your house if needed during bad weather? How about a fireman, emt, etc. How about the gas man or electrician or HVAC guys (just because of snow or ice). Some states have that many days of the year. Did you tell your Human Resource Officer during yor initial interview for the job that you were a whiney-mouth and might now work on bad weather days. Most just have what it takes. Others, well it has to do with their high IQ Level, or at least that is what they are always telling others.

    • #3301307

      Yes – If possible

      by bmammel ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      I live on a farm near Calgary, Alberta and work in a 24x7x365 data centre in downtown Calgary. It is a 45 minute commute on a good day. In 23 years I have missed 4 days work. Now that I am a manager, My view is If I can battle country and city roads and still make it without the benefit of public transportation, so can my employees. However, since most of them are on salary they do not lose pay if they do not make it. Such absences are tracked, a pattern followed and dealt with as any other issue.

      I drive a 4×4 with winter tires, I leave early if need be (I might even throw the snowmobile in the back for emergencies). Of those times i missed, one was when a snowbank left all 4 tires off the pavement – took a while to dig my way out. Another when it took me 3 days to get home after a power failure knock down our systems one evening. I ended up staying with some friendly farmers along the way. There was less than 2 inches of snow in the city but feet thick within 5 miles of the city. The car I had then could not get through…hence the 4×4 now.

    • #3301306

      Depends on your work history

      by jdclyde ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      Someone who misses a lot of work anyways will be looked at very differently than someone who is never gone.

      If you are not late a lot or calling in sick several times a year, this will not affect you if there are travelers advisories out.

      People in management and coworkers alike can tell the difference between someone looking for an excuse to not go in and someone that is really having an issue with road conditions.

      From Michigan, we have more icey weather but this counts in our favor. In southern states that don’t get a lot of the ice and snow, the locals never learn to drive in the adverse conditions making you very dangerous to ME.

    • #3301305

      Understanding Ice & Idiots

      by glenn ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      I’ve recently move from Indiana where there are ice storms, wet snow and sometimes blizard conditions to Virginia where there is a lot less snow, some ice storms and water refreezing on the roads after snow melts during the day. What I found was that there are idiots in both states, but inexperience in driving in such conditions makes it a more challenging drive in VA. I’m on call 24/7 and therefore have to do the best I can. One method I use is to use a road less travelled with less idiots. This of course provides that the road is systematically cleared of ice & snow. The e-mail from your boss does allow a way out but you still should be careful about stating ahead that you won’t drive in icy conditions. This can be taken as a cop out rather than due dilligence. It may be better to say that you will try your best under the road conditions.

    • #3301304

      Don’t risk your life!!

      by dbtechie ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      We have similar winter conditions in the Southeast where local officials are not equipped with salt trucks, snow plows, etc. Not too long ago a local paramedic had his legs severed during an ice storm, because an 18-wheeler was traveling too fast and rammed into the back of his ambulance, causing him to be pinned between a guard rail and the ambulance. Icy conditions are dangerous, and it’s not worth risking your life.
      Local state police have even issued warnings to drivers that they would be ticketed if out on the roads without snow tires, tire chains, or a 4X4 vehicle.

      There are options available to you for secure telecommuting. One such option is PuTTY, a free
      Telnet/SSH tool located at
      http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/

      If you are using reasonable judgment in deciding whether to report to work, and your employer is not being reasonable about it, then maybe it’s time to find another employer. Life is very fragile. Your personal safety should be your utmost concern.

      • #3301209

        4×4 not much better

        by bob ·

        In reply to Don’t risk your life!!

        A 4×4 won’t stop any faster than that 18 wheeler. Once you lock up the breaks or start to skid you’re on your own. The advantage a 4×4 has over a 2×4 is in the initial starting, going up hills or pushing snow. It gets traction to get you moving. If you have time to slow down using the engine, then the 4 wheel drive will help hold you back, but in the story you told, nothing would have helped the ambulance driver.

    • #3301303

      Icy Weather / Getting to work

      by rush2112 ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      Getting to work in Icy Weather is your responsibility. Whether you drive, or arrive via another method, the company expects you to be there if it is humanly possible.

      yes icy roads are dangerous, get some tire chains, some kitty litter and proceed cautiously and slowly when driving upon it. Remember to start stopping WAY before you normally would and add extra time for the idten-T’s that you mentioned so that they can drive 65 in front of you and then clear the road for you by putting their own vehicles in the ditch.

      Why is what others think important to you? Your immediate supervisor is mentioned in the policy as the only one you need be concerned with regarding opinions on inclement weather.

    • #3301302

      What other option is available to you?

      by rockchalk ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      Unless you have the option to work from home then it is your responsibility to go to work. Look into remote access capability and see if that would be beneficial. If not, you will need to either drive to work or risk losing your job unless you can use vacation days for snow days.
      Just leave home much earlier and take your time driving into work. Gotta go, gotta go.

    • #3301301

      Being from the south, I understand

      by ncsu wolfpack ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      In North Carolina, we aren?t equipped for snow and ice. We aren?t allowed to have snow tires or chains. Besides, we usually will get sleet and ice instead of snow. I?m a no-good snow drivin? southerner and I wear that stereotype proudly. 😉

      That being said, I took the job as an IT Manager and with that came responsibilities. This field doesn?t take the days off because most are depending on you, your servers, your desktops, etc. If you feel that there?s no way you can make it, you shouldn?t. If you can make it, even if it?s late, you probably should. I guess it all depends on the weather and the situation.

    • #3301298

      Enjoy Life

      by nicklazz ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      I’ve spent some beautiful days at home with storms raging outside, the fireplace putting out cheery heat. Life is too short to get yourself killed attempting to get to work because you think the company can’t function without you. If the road conditions are truely treacherous, do everyone a favor and stay home. On the other hand, if you’re just whining because there is a little ice and snow on the road, stop it now.

      Clearly you are the only one who can make the decision. Make it wisely and fearlessly and accept the responsibility for your actions.

    • #3301296

      Snow, Ice, Texas, What were you Thinking.

      by pdodson ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      I also live in Texas. I worked at a different company at the time of our last big ice freeze on the Texas Highways. The firm asked everyone to try to come in. As I went up a icey overpass and was thinking, ok, I can get to work ok, this isn’t to bad, I reached the top of the overpass and my car proceeded to slide down the icey overpass sideways, turn completely around once and then back to into a sideway position where I slid sideways into a jeep that was sitting at the bottom of the overpass where he had also slid all the way down. As I was slidding and turning out of control all I could think was one days pay is going to wreck my car, wreck this guys jeep and probably kill us both! Your life really does flash before your eyes! We were lucky, neither one of us were injured. Only a little car damage because I had been going extremely slow. Stay home! Also, same thing for flooding in Texas. Take a sick day, a vacation day a personal day – but unless it is life and death stay the heck home!

    • #3301294

      As a Boss

      by ssmhamiltons ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      I would rather have a valued employee home safe and sound, than to risk his/her life in bad road conditions. However, if the weather and roads were to clear up, then I would expect them to come into work.

      I would expect and trust that my employees would be able to judge their own safety on the roads.

    • #3301290

      Don’t go….

      by kd4 ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      I have noticed the same trend – Companies staying open even if the weather is so bad that employees who live very close cannot make it in. They do this to reduce the PTO. Because all employees who could not make it into work are required to use vacation time or some other form of PTO. I WILL NOT risk my life or the lives of others on the road to go to work in snowy, icey weather.

    • #3301285

      Grow up

      by fortbragg_surfgoddess ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      Buy a set of snow tires and stop whining.

      • #3301157

        “grow up”? “stop whining”? please be more thoughtful than that.. :-(

        by mdpetrel ·

        In reply to Grow up

        There are many responses here today are doing the same thing that the original poster’s co-workers did to him: make him feel like an inferior excuse for a human.

        I beg you to stop that.

        You’re responses are all way off base.

        This original poster feels a real danger in commuting during dangerous weather. Do not belittle him.

        And especially do not use the excuse that you know people who look for any excuse to avoid work. This is erroneous reasoning. If there is a danger, do not challenge that there is a danger.

        What this poster’s co-workers did is exactly the same as the fictitious characters in the Robin Hood legend who bought the Sheriff of Nottingham’s story that Robin was a criminal. Now they’re all mimicking the bosses story that workers who don’t have the daring to drive during dangerous weather are not up to par with other employees.

        They’re all too scared to voice out loud what is correct and safe; so they are chiming along with the boss in making the original poster feel less than human.

        Don’t fall for it.

        And, for pete’s sake, don’t cop out and insist that we all have to ‘suck it up’, ‘get over it’, ‘stop whining’, etc.

        We’re all human beings here. Stop being mean, and start cooperating with one another.

        Oh, and don’t go in the direction of: “..well he’s letting me down by not coming in when I did..”. That’s crap, and you’re a mindless minion if you believe that.

        Un-be-freaking-believable…

        • #3303132

          Okay you are all real men

          by oz_media ·

          In reply to “grow up”? “stop whining”? please be more thoughtful than that.. :-(

          But if it scares you to go to work, don’t. Work is not something we are forced to do, it’s something we CHOOSE to do so we can life the life we choose. If it SCARES you to go to work, find a summer job and hibernate in the winter or find a job closer to home.

          To complain about COMPANY POLICY, no this has nothing to do with danger as you suggested, it is a complaint about company policy. Is sad. If YOU are too scared to drive to work tell the boss, he/she will either agree and understand, dock a days pay or fire you. Either way, they have a policy in place, if you can’t work with it or work around it, you are not suitable as an employee for them. GO and find another job, make a deal with the boss where you are at or simply suck it up and take a bus to work.

          This isn’t brain surgery. I had a boss who said we couldn’t drink at lunchtime, couldn’t send taunting spam email or surf porn at the office. Can I complain about the company policy too?

    • #3301282

      SenseOfResponsibility

      by riverrattoo ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      I grew up in eastern Indiana – plenty of bad weather. My dad never missed work because of it. He later moved to Milwaukee, WI – even more bad weather. He never missed work because of it.

      I lived in Oklahoma for 20 years and experienced the same ice storms you are talking about. But as a manager, I felt it was my responsibility to set an example and I never missed work because of it. Many of us lived in the country and the suburbs and had ugly, bad-weather commutes into Tulsa but no one that ever worked for me was out because of it.

      Fortunately, I am now in Phoenix, AZ and don’t have that problem anymore. I hated it; but I would do it again as I feel a responsibility to my employer. Besides, I’m thinking now that driving on the ice with those idiots was safer than the 1hr+ freeway commute I have now! Even with the VPN, I still make the drive.

      If it makes you that uncomfortable, have you asked about coming in a few hrs late after the idiocracy has subsided?

    • #3301280

      Bad Weather or Bad Management?

      by rick1056 ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      I live in the State Of New Jersey, the law here is that you are required to get to work unless roads are officially closed. Otherwise you must call out using either a sick day or personal/vacation day. Personally, I think that getting to work during inclement weather should be considered a management decision based 0on distance and conditions (my opinion only).

    • #3301279

      Stay home

      by t_2socks ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      Why risk your life out there with those driving idiots. Is your job worth that? Besides, in my case, I will waste an extra hour or 2 on the road anyway, and it isn’t worth the stress. I stay home, and do periodic checks on my systems throughout the day. My users could stand to learn a thing or two about solving simple PC problems on their own once in a while anyway.

    • #3301278

      “Up to you…”

      by gsquared ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      Apparently he says, “It is up to you as to whether you can come to work, based on the road conditions near your home.”

      Seems pretty clear to me that it’s up to you to determine if you’ll be safe or not. If you’re not safe, call in.

      If you have any questions, “please see your immediate supervisor.”

      Doesn’t seem like anything’s wrong with that policy to me. You don’t have to be at risk.

    • #3301275

      who needs an SUV?

      by robcastaldo ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      I have to aggree with some of the posts above, all your gonna get with an SUV is 4 wheels spinning on ice. It’s not gonna help you stop, which seems to be this persons problem.

      I live in Buffalo, and even here they don’t always clear the streets, so don’t give me the “they don’t have the equipment” as an excuse.

      We regularly have ice storms, and while some of the mains will be salted, they don’t salt or and them all, and most side streets spend the majority of winter with a 3 inch think layer of ice on them. I don’t even bother with snow tires half the time, and I still make it to work accident free.

      Just because you live in the south it’s no excuse.

      The worst we get is the occasional blast of 4-7 feet of good ol’ Lake effect, they issue a travel ban everybody except essential personell (hospitals, police emergency workers) stays home. My boss usually pays us if there is a county wide travel ban. But by the next day the ban is usually off and you’d better get to work.

      If there’s bad weather coming, get up an hour earlier, and drive slow.

      • #3301245

        Exactly

        by jamesrl ·

        In reply to who needs an SUV?

        First snow storm of the year, we usually see a bunch of SUVs in the ditch. Why? Because 4 wheel drive may enable you to drive faster in the snow, but it doesn’t help you stop faster – in fact the extra weight makes you stop slower and longer.

        I’ve driven in deep snow in all seasons. Its just a matter of taking your time and giving yourself lots of space.

        James

        • #3302890

          Totally Agree

          by nd_it ·

          In reply to Exactly

          We probably average between 15 and 20 inches of snow where I live each year, and I don’t own a SUV or a 4 X 4, my front wheel drive car does just fine. People just naturally assume that you need one to drive through a inch of snow. They usually do a pretty good job of clearing off the streets and sanding them, but there is still ice. Sometimes, you won’t be able to see the street for weeks if it doesn’t get to be around freezing. The biggest thing is space. Making sure you have enough room between you and the vehicle in front of you. I really hate when someone is right on my back bumper when it is glare ice on the streets, but then again, it would be their fault if there was an accident. People just need to use common sense. If there was too much snow for me to drive, I would take my snowmobile. It’s a hell of a lot cheaper and cost effective than a SUV or big 4 x 4.

    • #3301270

      Safety first

      by bagmaster50 ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      I love reading all the responces that say “go to work no matter what”. I’ve worked in numerous states for different companies with different weather policies. First and foremost they have put safety first, even when I worked for the South Carolina prison system as a Correctional Officer. I’ve driven on snow and ice and it’s not pretty to see how many drivers are out there that can’t follow basic safe driving pratices for bad weather.

      I’ve driven in Texas during bad ice storms around the Ft. Worth area that even made my hair stand on end and I make a point that any time I can get into an empty iced over parking lot to practice my driving skills, I do.

      Too many companies are nothing but profit driven now-a-days and that is what drives thier weather policies.

      If you work for a company in a southern state that also has locations in the northern states that have unions, check the union contracts concerning bad weather. This saved my butt 1 time in Virginia when a freak blizzard forced the local agenices to mandate a driving curfue for 3 days. We got paid for it.

      Ther have been times I’ve made it 20 miles to work through bad weather and other times I haven’t and had to turn around and go back home but I’ve nver lost a job by not showing up for work in bad weather.

    • #3301250

      My suggestion: move to southern California

      by tom ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      Quit being a wuss and move if you can’t hack it. They’re running a business, get over yourself.

    • #3301248

      Kids now days

      by it_lobo ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      You have got to be kidding me! I live in Minnesota and we get Ice, Snow and slush and I STILL make it to work every day. Leave earlier, drive slower and let the idiots slide in to the ditches. You are just looking for and excuse to stay home. If you get fired for not making it to work don’t blame the policy.

      Texas winters? You have to be kidding me.

      • #3301244

        I concur completely.

        by tom ·

        In reply to Kids now days

        Wah wah wah, is all I read. Is he selling that whine or just drinking it all himself???

      • #3301229

        Back in my day ;o)

        by protiusx ·

        In reply to Kids now days

        Why back in my day, we couldn’t afford shoes, so we went barefoot. In winter, we had to wrap our feet with barbed wire for traction. We didn’t have MTV or in-line skates, or any of that stuff. No, it was 45s and regular old metal-wheeled roller skates, and the 45s always skipped, so to get them to play right you’d weigh the needle down with something like quarters, which we never had because our allowances were way too small, so we’d use our skate keys instead and end up forgetting they were taped to the record player arm so that we couldn’t adjust our skates, which didn’t really matter because those crummy metal wheels would kill you if you hit a pebble anyway, and in those days roads had real pebbles on them, not like today. In my day, we didn’t have rocks either. We had to go down to the creek and wash our clothes by beating them with our heads. In my day we didn’t have fancy health-food restaurants. Every day we ate lots of easily recognizable animal parts with lots of potatoes. In my day, we didn’t have hand-held calculators. We had to do addition on our fingers. To subtract, we had to have some fingers amputated. In my day, we didn’t get that disembodied, slightly ticked-off voice saying ‘Doors closing.’ We got on the train, the doors closed, and if your hand was sticking out, it scraped along the tunnel all the way to the next station and it was a bloody stump at the end. But the base fare was only a dollar. In my day, we didn’t have water. We had to smash together our own hydrogen and oxygen atoms. Kids today think the world revolves around them. In my day, the sun revolved around the world, and the world was perched on the back of a giant tortoise. Back in my day, ’60 Minutes’ wasn’t just a bunch of gray-haired, liberal 80-year-old guys. It was a bunch of gray-haired, liberal 60-year-old guys. In my day, we didn’t have virtual reality. If a one-eyed razorback barbarian warrior was chasing you with an ax, you just had to hope you could outrun him. Back in my day, they hadn’t invented electricity. We had to watch television by candlelight. In my day, we didn’t have Strom Thurmond. Oh, wait. Yes we did. It?s the way it was AND YOU LIKED IT! ;o)

        • #3303149

          Reply To: Go to work during bad weather?

          by tom ·

          In reply to Back in my day ;o)

          that was friggin hillarious! awesome, I’m gonna forward that one on, thanks!

        • #3303025

          Luxury

          by oz_media ·

          In reply to Back in my day ;o)

          When I was a lad, we lived in the middle of the road. We’d get up in the morning eat a handful of hot gravel and lick the road clean with our tongue. Then we’d go to work, day in day out, and when we ogt home, our dad would thrash us to sleep with a broken beer bottle….IF WE WERE LUCKY!!!

        • #3303024

          You think YOU had it hard!

          by oz_media ·

          In reply to Luxury

          We used to DREEEEEAM of living in the road. We lived in a paper bag in a septic tank. We’d get up in the morning and clean the tank, a half hour after we went to bed….

          Sorry, I got a little Monty Pythons on the brain, I’ll have to get that seen to one day! 😀

        • #3302980

          Megadobulous Mate!

          by _nobby_ ·

          In reply to Back in my day ;o)

          What a post!

          If you ever write a book I’ll buy it!

          Was that your own? (some of the other posts are Python) If it wasn’t can you tell me where you got it cos I want MORE 🙂

        • #3318047

          Re: Back in the Day

          by vltiii ·

          In reply to Back in my day ;o)

          Oh, the good ol days. I’m feeling quit nostalgic.

      • #3302959

        A bit more plagiarism :)

        by _nobby_ ·

        In reply to Kids now days

        I’ll never forget that first day at t’pit.
        Me an’ mi father worked a 72 hour shift, then wi walked home 43 mile through t’snow in us bare feet, huddled inside us clothes med out o’ old sacks.
        Eventually we trudged over t’hill until wi could see t’street light twinklin’ in our village.
        Mi father smiled down at mi through t’icicles hangin’ off his nose. “Nearly home now lad”, he said.
        We stumbled into t’house and stood there freezin’ cold and tired out, shiverin’ and miserable, in front o’ t’ meagre fire.
        Any road, mi mam says “Cheer up, lads. I’ve got you some nice brown bread and butter for yer tea.”
        Ee, mi father went crackers. He reached out and gently pulled mi mam towards ‘im by t’throat. “You big fat, idle ugly wart”, he said. “You gret useless spawny-eyed parrot-faced wazzock.” (‘E had a way wi words, mi father. He’d bin to college, y’know). “You’ve been out playin’ bingo all afternoon instead o’ gettin’ some proper snap ready for me an’ this lad”, he explained to mi poor, little, purple-faced mam.
        Then turnin’ to me he said “Arthur”, (He could never remember mi name), “here’s half a crown. Nip down to t’chip ‘oyl an’ get us a nice piece o’ ‘addock for us tea. Man cannot live by bread alone.”
        He were a reyt tater, mi father.
        He said as ‘ow workin’ folk should have some dignity an’ pride an’ self respect, an’ as ‘ow they should come home to summat warm an’ cheerful.
        An’ then he threw mi mam on t’fire.
        We didn’t ‘ave no tellies or shoes or bedclothes.
        We med us own fun in them days.
        Do you know, when I were a lad you could get a tram down into t’town, buy three new suits an’ an ovvercoat, four pair o’ good boots, go an’ see George Formby at t’Palace Theatre, get blind drunk, ‘ave some steak an’ chips, bunch o’ bananas an’ three stone o’ monkey nuts an’ still ‘ave change out of a farthing.
        We’d lots o’ things in them days they ‘aven’t got today – rickets, diptheria, Hitler and my, we did look well goin’ to school wi’ no backside in us trousers an’ all us little ‘eads painted purple because we ‘ad ringworm.
        They don’t know they’re born today!!!

        • #3302839

          ROFL

          by protiusx ·

          In reply to A bit more plagiarism :)

          That?s bloody fantastic. Forgive my ignorance but where is that from? I?m stealing it of course! Bloody hilarious!

        • #3303774

          Tony Capstick

          by _nobby_ ·

          In reply to ROFL

          It’s by a guy called Tony Capstick
          It’s called Capstick comes home

          It was released as a kind of Christmas record in the UK when I were a lad, somewhere arround the late 70s – early 80s I guess.

    • #3301246

      Desided at time of Hire

      by mark.a.smith ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      When you took the position, You made a commitment to your company that you will show up for work every day you’re scheduled to work. If the Company desides to open for business, it is your obligation to get to work. Most Companies I have ever worked for has always understood that bad weather means late arrivals, light staffing and such things of this nature. The company doesn’t want you to risk your health or well being but if their doors open they want you to do your best to be at work. There are always going to be employees that make it in and those that won’t. Which do you want to be?

    • #3301243

      Buck Up

      by hydem ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      I work in healthcare and we never close. We are required to make a good faith effort to come to work. And we do. It would be nice if the world stopped because of the weather but it doesn’t. So off I go to work where there are coworkers waiting to be relieved.

    • #3301240

      The Boss Did The Right Thing

      by hokiepoker ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      Living in Western NY, snow days are not only common, but planned for…
      Expecting workers to use their brains and decide for themselves wether they can “safely” make it into work is a part of nature around here.
      Simple rule of thumb…if you can shovel yourself out of the driveway…start driving. If it starts to get ugly, GO HOME!!!

    • #3301238

      What about the reverse situation?

      by bob ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      I live in Montana, we say if you don’t like the weather, wait a minute. I’ve seen many mornings that are beautiful for the 50 mile commute in, but by noon it has dumped 3 to 5 inches of snow and for the commute home I’m pushing up to a foot of snow. Some times it rains on top of the new snow turning the roads into skating rinks.

      So, do I stay at work all night and explain it to my wife? Perhaps the boss will pay me for the full 24 hrs and I can skip the next couple of days? Not!

      Yesterday, it snowed about 6 inches during the work day. Normally the freeway crew will plow the roads; however, they sprayed out that liquid salt junk that melts the snow and is supposed to keep the road clear down to about 25 degrees. Well it just made a bunch of slush to push through and a terrible film on the windshield which the wipers can’t remove.

    • #3301233

      That’s not what I read from the CEO’s message

      by rockyrocky ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      When I read that message, it sounds to me like the CEO is leaving it up to the employee to decide whether or not to come into work if the conditions are bad.
      My commute on average is 70 minutes. I live in Canada, so you know I am going to get some bad weather in the winter months. My employer has no problem with staying home if the weather is bad. I am able to work from home if I have to.
      Bottom line, don’t risk your life driving to work in bad weather. See if your employer will give you the ability to work from home.

    • #3301227

      Good Communication a Must!

      by cpstrefe ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      I have had a similar situation here in Portland, OR. My supervisor had a more informal policy that if we thought there would be icy conditions that evening or the next day we should stay in a hotel close by. This was at my own expense of course. I lived 21 miles away and there are few drivers here that can safely manouver in these kinds of conditions. I talked with my coworkers who had a similar reaction- ” What do you mean your not going to be here tomorrow?” kind of a thing.
      I approached my supervisor and we worked out a rotating shift so that no one would have to spend days at the office or drive at night in icy conditions. It was a good comprimise as the roads were usually ok by later in the morning.

    • #3301226

      Note from a Northener

      by bleedingedge ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      First of all you can drive on ice at 65 mph. The problem is stopping.

      Go to work, drive safely and stay to the right, (to let the morons pass you).

      When a major snow storm is predicted my employer would put key personnel up in a hotel close to the office.

      Is it possible to stay with someone who lives closer to the office or stay at the office itself when bad weather is predicted.

      • #3318906

        Re: Northerner

        by vltiii ·

        In reply to Note from a Northener

        I was involved in a 47 car pile up a few years ago due to a sheet of black ice. Smashed vehicles occupied all 5 or 6 lanes of the freeway. How exactly would driving in the right have protected me? The “morons” make matters worse, but no matter who you are, or how safe you think you are, you will always lose to Mother Nature if she decides to do what she does.

    • #3301220

      Wimps

      by joe.canuck ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      We are not talking about a natural disaster here, just ordinary regular winter. I live in Canada, if we took the attidtude that a little ice and snow creates a hazard we’d have to shut the country down half the year. What about Alaska? Grow up and deal with the environment, yes it’s your responsibility to get on with your life even in the winter. what about your kids education and essential services like hydro and communications? Should everyone get to wimpout or just the lucky nerds who sits in cubicles? I can’t believe what I’m reading here! What happened to the can-do spirit?

      • #3301155

        Just because you can, doesn’t mean all others should as well

        by mdpetrel ·

        In reply to Wimps

        There are many responses here today are doing the same thing that the original poster’s co-workers did to him: make him feel like an inferior excuse for a human.

        I beg you to stop that.

        You’re responses are all way off base.

        This original poster feels a real danger in commuting during dangerous weather. Do not belittle him.

        And especially do not use the excuse that you know people who look for any excuse to avoid work. This is erroneous reasoning. If there is a danger, do not challenge that there is a danger.

        What this poster’s co-workers did is exactly the same as the fictitious characters in the Robin Hood legend who bought the Sheriff of Nottingham’s story that Robin was a criminal. Now they’re all mimicking the bosses story that workers who don’t have the daring to drive during dangerous weather are not up to par with other employees.

        They’re all too scared to voice out loud what is correct and safe; so they are chiming along with the boss in making the original poster feel less than human.

        Don’t fall for it.

        And, for pete’s sake, don’t cop out and insist that we all have to ‘suck it up’, ‘get over it’, ‘stop whining’, etc.

        We’re all human beings here. Stop being mean, and start cooperating with one another.

        Oh, and don’t go in the direction of: “..well he’s letting me down by not coming in when I did..”. That’s crap, and you’re a mindless minion if you believe that.

        Un-be-freaking-believable…

      • #3318905

        Re: wimps

        by vltiii ·

        In reply to Wimps

        The key flaw in your post is that your whole country experiences nearly the same extremes all the time, combined with the fact that it’s not nearly as crowded up there. It’s easy to grow up in that environment and develop the skills along the way to cope with the extremes. Here in the U.S. we have regional differences in weather. Here in Southern California it’s been raining for the last two days. From my perspective… no big deal, but then I turn on the radio to get the latest news, and they report over 400 accidents in the last 24 hours. Rain is the only precipitation we get here (at least at sea level), and that doesn’t happen often. Imagine these same drivers relocating from California to the northeast, or the midwest, or Canada…???

    • #3301218

      Check your state laws, but

      by blarman ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      here’s a few things to consider:

      In a Right-to-Work state, either the employer or employee can terminate the work agreement for nearly any cause. There are certain provisions for contract workers. Don’t give them an excuse.
      In a contract-work state, there are many time provisions for bad weather – follow those. Check your employee’s handbook, and unless it is written in there, consider calling in sick instead.

      On another note, there have been several court rulings that workers on their way to work during adverse conditions and who are involved in accidents can claim workman’s comp – especially if the company is such a hard-nose. Check with your HR department or a lawyer for details.

      You can’t legally refuse to come in (barring a public service announcement from the State Government) unless you have a contractual right (union workers, etc.). But you do have the legal right to hold your employer responsible for accidents that happen on the way to/from work under extreme conditions in many circumstances. Check with a lawyer for details, and make sure that you inform your company of your concerns. This is evidence which can be presented in a negligence case, or for arguing for workman’s comp time.

    • #3301214

      That’s seems typical

      by rfgenerator ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      Up until recently I worked for a company that would send out memo’s that on one hand basically ordered folks to be in to work unless the Governor had closed the roads. Of course the memo always had a line about “use your judgement”. It seems to me that the real point of these memos is to say “you better be here no matter what” but to avoid being sued should you get injured or killed going into work, they say ultimately it is your decision whether or not to come in (of course should you not come in, be prepared for it to come back to haunt you).

    • #3301211

      Reply To: Go to work during bad weather?

      by texie1 ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      Reading the English language not a stong suit? per your posting, “It is up to you as to whether you can come to work, based on the road conditions near your home.” Doesn’t say anything about you being required to be there.
      Overall tho, if you can’t get to work safely, don’t go and when I have been in the Dallas Ft Worth area in bad weather, I have heard on the radio that people are advised not to drive so there is your back-up there.

    • #3301207

      Over-reading a Reasonable Statement

      by mikeh ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      It sounds like the CEO did a timely and reasonable job of heading off some judgement calls when looking out the window in the morning.

      He’s saying to expect the company to be open and you are expected to use good judgement. I don’t think you are supposed to drive on black ice or when it is clearly unsafe. Other than those conditions you can expect the company to be open and welcoming you.

      End of story

      PS I think a bit of over-reaction or mis-interpretation is leaving the author looking more than a bit silly…..

    • #3301204

      Re:

      by vltiii ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      If your co-workers read the policy the way I did they’re most likely looking at you as if you’ve mis-interpreted the policy. The statement “It is up to you as to whether you can come to work, based on the road conditions near your home” indicates to me that the CEO, instead of shutting down the company wholesale is leaving it up to each employee to determine if the road conditions are safe to travel. That’s much different then he expects you to be there no matter what. I’m assuming that because some employees are most likely more affected by inclimate weather than others, he’s trying to maximize productivity by allowing those that can work do so. Did you seek clarification from your supervisor as stated in the policy?

    • #3301203

      Grow Up

      by jims9 ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      An adult would KNOW that it is ALWAYS a personal choice as to whether or not to come to work, bad weather or good. The boss merely said that the company would be open every day, no matter what the weather. That’s his prerogative as The Boss.

      I used to work for a company that forced us to take vacation for those days when the company closed due to weather. Nobody whined.

      The difference is that people who enjoy their work will try to get to work under any conditions. Some folks who are self-designated as “indispensable” carry this to an extreme but it’s a good theory.

      In places like Washington DC, people break into tears at the sight of 2 inches of wet snow while people around here (Buffalo NY) don’t even get worked up about a foot of the stuff.

      If I were running a company with the kind of profit margins prevalent in the IT industry and everybody wanted to get paid whenever they decided that it was “unsafe” to come to work, I too might institute a policy like “The company is always open – get paid for the work that you actually do!”

      jim scandale

    • #3301197

      Try working for a bank.

      by benoddo53 ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      Banks do not have the option to close whenever the weather is bad or the commute to dangerous. Only twice in my 27 year career in banking, banks had an unscheduled closing: July 1977 when the entire north east was hit with a black out and on Sept. 12th 2001. Other than those two occurrences if you felt that you could not make it into work on account of the weather, you were charged a vacation day or docked. Needless to say, I’ve made it to work every day during the worse storms and all driving conditions.

      Sometimes management felt generous. If you were to make it into work while more than 50% of the staff could not, you were awarded an extra vacation day for your efforts. These days, I wouldn’t count on that especially of you work for a large corporation.

    • #3301187

      A lot of factors……

      by tadams3 ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      Living in the Greater Toronto area means that can get some nasty weather during the winter. I can only think of one day in last ten years that I didn’t make it to work, but I live in an urban area, where the roads are usually cleaned up in a couple of hours. I’m also less than 10 miles away from my work.
      I usually check the TV and radio for information. If the public officials are asking people to stay off the roads, I delay leaving for work until after the usual rush hour (I probably have to clear my driveway anyway before I can leave). People who live further away, or in rural areas usually won’t make it in.
      The company policy is also that they are open under all weather conditions, but understand that some just won’t be able to make it in.

    • #3301186

      Your job or your life?!

      by empress ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      My job is so low-paying and miserable, I’d have to show up just to avoid missing a day’s pay, but if that isn’t an issue with you, I’d say, stay home! It isn’t worth losing your life over. However, it’s a good thing for those who insist on risking their lives to know that yes, when they finally arrive all banged up and frazzled, the doors will be open to receive their injured carcasses!

    • #3301179

      Work

      by technicalmumbojumbo ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      I don’t like going to work even on the nicest of days. In fact the sunny ones are especially hard to make yourself go. Luckily for me my union contract has a provision for inclimate weather conditions. You can come in, an hour and a half late, if possible, otherwise you have to use half a vacation day. But most times the place closes during bad weather anyway. One of the perks of working in education.
      If you don’t happen to have a contract, I’d say go to work you lazy bum.

    • #3301174

      Commuting in bad weather

      by mapoolet ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      I believe that you are misreading the company policy. As you stated, “… It is up to you as to whether you can come to work, based on the road conditions near your home. …”

      If your CIO was quoting the written company policy correctly, then it’s up to each individual to make the decision to drive or not drive on bad weather days.

      You might be interpreting the thinly-veiled threat implied in your CIO’s email as a command to come to work no matter what. And, your co-workers, afraid for their own jobs, might be responding as the CIO and company hope they will — that is, risking life and limb so that the company can maintain it’s normal body count on bad weather days.

      There is one situation where you absolutely do not have to show up to work, and that is when a weather state of emergency is declare for the area in which you live. In a state of emergency, you’d be breaking the law if you were out on the roads. Typically, only emergency workers can be out on the roads. If you’re not a policeman, fireman, emergency rescue worker, or some such type of person, then you MUST stay at home. In this case, the requirements of the community trump the requirements of the company.

      Have you thought about telecommuting on bad weather days? Does your department or company have a policy in place to institute a “distributed, virtual office” so that they can continue business, but not risk life, property, and liability suits brought against the company? Is that an option for you and your business?

    • #3301170

      we are made to use vacation days !!!!!

      by rgarback ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      My Boss has sent out very similar memos but he added an extra zinger. We are made to use vacation days if we choose to stay home during a storm! To me it is a judgement call, not mine though, my Boss’. If I get hurt or worse, on the way in due to his policy, he’s in for some fun. I have instructed my lawyer to draw up papers in the event this happens. I may not have any legal recourse, but I can guarantee you my lawyer will DRIVE him nuts!
      It’s not very comforting to know your employer will be taking away your vacation time when there is a foot of snow on the ground. I realize life does go on, where I live snow can pile up quickly.
      We are stcuk between the proverbial rock and hard place!

      • #3301141

        Baby

        by it_lobo ·

        In reply to we are made to use vacation days !!!!!

        You’re an even bigger baby then the one who started this thread.

        You had papers drawn up in case you die so your lawyer can sue him? What the @*#& is this world coming to.

        Everyone wants the easy way out.

    • #3301154

      No one has given the RIGHT advice

      by mary at cmc ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      “If you have any questions, please see your immediate supervisor.”

      Find out from your boss exactly what the pay policy and cultural attitude is for bad weather days and get it in writing. Then it’s your decision if you go in or not.

      I grew up in Buffalo, NY; lived 20+ years in Columbia, SC, and now live in mid-state NC. Never had public transportation available to where I worked. Have seen EVERYTHING that could be inclement weather (blizzards, ice storms, hurricanes, etc). Each company I worked for had a different policy for bad weather days. There were only 2 times where I missed work: ice in Columbia shut down the city and in NC a power line down in my street prevented anyone from driving out. But, boy!, could I tell stories about driving in bad weather!

      Additional driving tips: If it’s snow, leave early while it’s still cold. If it’s ice, leave late after the sun is up because it begins to melt. Be sure your gas tank is full. Also, if you have an automatic, do not drive in overdrive! Drive in 1st or 2nd gear. Uses more gas but hugs the road and stops better.

      Good Luck!!

      • #3301109

        pay policy?

        by jdclyde ·

        In reply to No one has given the RIGHT advice

        Does anyone who is not salary actually expect to get paid for an ice day?

        Is that really a factor on if you CAN make it in that day safely or not?

        Like I said in earlier post, if you don’t have a bad attencance record, this will not be looked at badly.

        If you call in at the drop of a hat or late night of drinking then this will be a factor in your future employment.

    • #3301148

      Our Company Policy

      by craig_b ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      Our old policy was to call a snow line to see if the company was open or closed. We rarely closed but once in a while we did. When financal hard times hit and the State announced a “state of emergency” durning a storm (you would be fined by the state for being on the road) our company was still open for business. Several employee’s including myself sent memos to HR and they adjusted the policy to state “we are always open, if you feel it is unsafe to drive, you may stay home”. Of course this means you have to use your vacation time. Here’s the bottom line for me, my life (and everyones) is much more important than a day of work. If I think it is unsafe to drive to work, I’m staying home. BTW-I’ll be out playing in the snow with the kids and having fun.

      • #3301126

        “PLEASE”

        by gdude ·

        In reply to Our Company Policy

        This has got to be the most idiotic forum i’ve read. Wht the hell could happen in Tx to make you miss work. Try “CHICAGO” i go to work everyday never miss. Get a life!!

    • #3301103

      Been in the workforce long?

      by fatboy01 ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      It sounds like you’re fresh out of school where classes are called at the slightest hint of inclement weather. Sorry, but this is the real work world.
      A company has a responsibility to their customers and with that comes the expectation that their employees will be there to perform their jobs. I’m certain your employer does not expect you to jeapordize your safety but if it means you have to take longer to get to work or drive a little slower, then that’s what you should do.
      I’ve had many positions through my career from factory worker (where you don’t get paid if you’re not there) to my current management position. As a manager, I have the responsibility to keep production running and will make every effort to be on the job, regardless of weather. A customer in Florida may not want to hear your problems when they can’t meet their deadlines because everyone in Texas decided to take the day off.
      Sorry, welcome to the real world.

    • #3301093

      The Answer Is NO

      by fgi57 ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      I worked for an employer who also wanted he office open 24/7, but even he realized that this was almost impossible in inclement weather unless someone slept at the office overnight. He lived in Philadelphia, PA and commuted to MD every day, so he understood our grief and came up with a plan that assigned designated co-workers to call if someone was stuck. If possible, those employees would come and get us and take us home. Those persons risked alot to come out in some of those icy conditions, but snow didn’t cause too much of a problem once the streets had been cleared. He was happy as long as we had a skelton crew to hold down the fort, but he can not force you to risk your life and property to come into work. He should speak with those employees who live closer to the business and ask them to commit to being in the office if the weather is yucky!

    • #3301089

      Peace of mind

      by chetdavs ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      Only you can evaluate wheather or not your job is worth your life. I suggest you ask your boss to clarify the policy to exactly what the company expects of you during inclement weather. I agree, there are many poor and dangerous drivers on the road and inclement weather makes them worse.

    • #3301088

      How nice that would be ! Only working on sunny days!

      by oz_media ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      First of all, you are in Texas and the road gets ICY. Is this unique to Texas or have you travelled?

      I lived in Nova Scotia for a year and a bit, being little the snow was well over MY head and we used to bumber ski on the snowplow to get to school.

      My father drove to work daily.

      Living in British COlumbia, I have lived in the interior, again snow to the eyeballs, and yes you still go to work each day, if not, some countries would not survive.

      Now ideally I would want to go to work on a beautiful sunny day with the birds chirping away, but reality shows me otherwise.

      I can understand in heavy blizzard conditions which generally shut down a whole city for a day or two and the city usually warns people to stay off the roads while they are cleared. But to stay home for ‘bad’ weather or icy roads is just a cop out.

      Sorry, mate no sympathy from me at all. Go work in Winnipeg for a year and you will learn to LOVE driving on the icy roads in Texas.

      Could that be a new song? Sung to the tune of Yellow Rose, “There’s an icy road in Texaaaas and we don’t go to wooooork!”

      • #3303134

        Yeah, well especially

        by protiusx ·

        In reply to How nice that would be ! Only working on sunny days!

        since they are few and far between where you live. I live in Seattle so I am not that far away. (– :o)

        • #3303124

          What sunny days or snow storms?

          by oz_media ·

          In reply to Yeah, well especially

          Actually BC is REALLY wierd when it comes to weather. We don’ share the rest of Canada’s weather and the weather in Washington always seem to be worse than ours.

          The BC interior, HOT dry summers, COLD but still dry winters.

          The coast of BC, drizzly damp winters with short warm summers.

          The Island, we just get it all, snow or rain in the morning, sun in the aftermoon and windstorms at night. That’s what keeps the forests here so nice, a long weathered year.

          I think Vancouver gets a LOT of protection from having the Island just off the coast. It seems all the inbound storms hit the west coast of the island and split up, some goes to Washington, some goes to Northern BC and Vancouver just gets a sample of it.

          Anyhow, gotta run out, see you all later. 🙂

        • #3302118

          The Tropics

          by protiusx ·

          In reply to What sunny days or snow storms?

          It was pushing 60 degrees here today with a deluge of rain. We?re having a tropical heat wave! What?s up with that? Where is my lovely SNOW! Soggy in Seattle.

    • #3303133

      Texas and Winter

      by atxstranger ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      Speaking as a fellow Texan, my policy is to stay off the roads when the winter weather hits cause no one can deal with it down here.

      My company has a policy that has a seperate time code for Bad Weather but you don’t have to come in. I live three blocks from work so I usually come in, but that’s because its one of the few times I have piece and quiet and I don’t have to drive to get here.

      All things being equal, find a way to telecommute on the Winter days and stay home next to the fire with some hot chocolate.

      • #3303122

        Snow and Ice in TX

        by it_lobo ·

        In reply to Texas and Winter

        I thought people in Texas were strong and rugged, but this thread has proved that wrong.

        Oh, no there is a little snow on the groud I better stay home.

        When the snow down there is drifting over your house, let me know. And as far as ice, I think the people up north have to deal with a lot more ice then you guys in Texas.

        If the roads are really that bad and you miss one day a year I don’t think they will fire you.

        Take your time and get your butt to work.

    • #3303101

      i stay at home

      by mista-j ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      and if i dont stay i am always 2 hours late and leave early too… when i worked in a smaller shop i just didnt even bother… if there was snow, i was at home — or sledding with my kids

    • #3303098

      WorkCompanyTime

      by ozziedazza ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      I would not have advertised my concerns , rather email your supervisor and just query them “If the road conditions are too dangerous to drive to work on some days, will the company understand that I cannot get to work? ”
      With that reply you should then have a legal position of knowing when and under what conditions you can request consideration for staying at home – If a company insists on employees driving to work after being informed of dangerous conditions , they would already be aware that they are legally liable for all compensation etc.

    • #3303093

      Depends

      by xina45 ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      I support a State Public Safety department so the troopers and dispatchers are considered to be “essential” personnel, meaning they come in no matter what! All “non-essential” personnel, like me are allowed to go home, or not come in at all if it is declared a “snow day” or “No Unnecessary Travel” or whatever road restriction has been posted (NWS & Dept. of Trans. decisions). Typically if the schools are closed, state offices are closed. If I am home and something happens that I cannot deal w/ remotely, I DO travel on the icy roads/blizzard conditions because the issue has now made it a “necessary travel” situation for me. (Trust me I know how you feel about driving in these conditions. I’m an AZ native living in WY!)

      There have been a few occasions, where I’ve been picked up or taken home by a trooper or a snowplow! Without knowing how the “weather policy” is written, since it may explain this more clearly as to what it means by the statement: “It is up to you as to whether you can come to work, based on the road conditions near your home.” I suggest you speak w/ your supervisor. I read this as if road conditions are not favorable by your home, then you have a decision to make of whether or not you feel you can make it into the office. Verify if your interpretation of the policy is correct. And if so, ask a few more questions, such as: will there be some sort of compensation (i.e., overtime, etc.)? What method(s) are in place to get you to the office if you can’t get out of your driveway safely? What are the options if the state has placed driving restrictions, do you go? Who pays the fine if you are caught? What happens if you decide you can?t make it in? etc. I think what it all boils down to is nature/criticality of the: business, your role/job and if your interpretation of the policy is correct.

    • #3303083

      Closed Roads and Insurance

      by brianchristensen ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      Here in Alabama, when we have snow ( or more recently a hurricane), it is a problem. If the state troopers close the roads, you should stay home. (You insurance will not cover you driving on closed roads! – see if your employer wants to insure you, and get it in writing). If the roads are not closed, go in later like 9:30 after those who still feel they must be there at 8:00am are either at work or on the side of the road.

    • #3303082

      Take a bus

      by erik.langeland ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      I would read the policy as saying it is up to you to use your judgement whether you can safely get to work. That being said, I think if you don’t feel safe driving yourself, you should consider using transit to get to work (if it’s an option where you live). Buses and especially rail transit should have much less difficulty in inclement weather than the average family car.

    • #3303080

      Symptoms of bigger problem.

      by beowulf_cam ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      This entire bad weather scenario is just a symptom of bigger problems. Companies and people who put money before human life, people who are totally callous, selfish and inconsiderate of others. Even many of the responses in this discussion are rude. What a wonderful country.

      We have a fair of bad weather up here in the north. If the weather is really bad and the roads are dangerous we don’t go in. Some people take a perverse pride in making it through anything and deriding those who don’t. Hmmm… how much money is your life worth? Who said that “Common Sense” is not very common?

      There are always the nervous people who freak at a single snowflake and the ones who drive like maniacs through anything. Most people are in the middle.

      In the companies where they insist on you making it in no matter what, it’s probably not very nice the rest of the time either.

    • #3303078

      A business owners rule of thumb….

      by wolftracks ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      I own a small custom PC business in Michigan. We can have some pretty crummy roads during the winter.
      What I have told my employees is that if the school’s in the town where they live, or where work is, are closed due to bad road conditions, then they should stay home. They also will receive a half days pay for a “snow day”. Because of the lake-effect snow bands we get being so close to Lake Michigan, the roads 5 miles away from work may be terrible, while here they may be okay. I value my employees very much, and they know that I would rather have them make it to work safely the next day, or the day after, as opposed to getting hurt trying to make it in when the roads are dangerous. And yes, our product always gets out on time, because when they can get back to work, they volunteer to stay late to finish a workorder if needed, so it will get out on time.

      • #3302900

        Reply To: Go to work during bad weather?

        by shall ·

        In reply to A business owners rule of thumb….

        Sounds solid.

      • #3302120

        you raise a good point

        by apotheon ·

        In reply to A business owners rule of thumb….

        If a boss is a slavedriver, employees will usually just do enough to get by and will spend all day watching the clock. If a boss treats his employees with respect and treats them well (while still ensuring they know what he expects of them, performance-wise, in no uncertain terms) they’ll probably follow him into Hell if need be. Loyalty from employees comes as a response to loyalty from the employer.

        It’s not something you can reasonably expect to happen just because you’re the one signing the checks.

      • #3298430

        Re: Rule of thumb

        by vltiii ·

        In reply to A business owners rule of thumb….

        Which goes to prove the point that if you take care of your people, they’re generally more than willing to take care of you (and by extension your business). Some of the responses that have been posted seem to forget that it is the employees that can directly make or break the success of a company.

    • #3303075

      Safetey comes first

      by dercp94 ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      I live in a tropical archipelago here in Asia where we get hit by a dozen or so typhoons during the 2nd half of the year. Most of the times, traveling conditions are bad. If weather is very bad, I just give the boss a call to say that it is not safe to come to work. My boss is a socially responsible person so for him, our safety always comes first. My advice to you is that if the roads are so icy that it would be serious health, or even life, hazard to you then just call that you won’t be coming in. Your life and health is worth much more than their “we will be open” policy.

    • #3303058

      I stay home

      by itdba ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      With VPN and cable modem, there is virtually nothing I can’t do from home that I do when in the office. Unless i do desktop hardware support or have to meet clients, not sure why DBAs can’t just work from home and teleconference into meetings.

      Remote DBA service providers do the same; why can’t we.

      • #3303052

        Don’t be a hero

        by tt2solutions ·

        In reply to I stay home

        Our CEO made it clear that the company was open in fair weather and foul. Of course, anyone could stay home and use vacation (no sick time – he’d check) and anyone who availaed themselves of this option was openly reviled by the man himself. Pretty nice, eh?

        Well, in a major ice storm, I decided to show the old @#$#%. I got ready to go, took my dogs out and within about 15′ was struck by a tree limb and suffered a broken neck. All this to save a day of vacation and show a little backbone (no pun intended) to a worthless human (read CEO).

        If its bad and the police say don’t travel, don’t travel.

        TT

        • #3302896

          Finally–Common Sense

          by isapp ·

          In reply to Don’t be a hero

          Thanks for sharing. I did the same thing a few years ago. I stayed at work too long because the president was checking to see who left early due to bad weather. I got stubborn and decided I’d show him! I went in the ditch on the way home and came close to losing an eye due to frostbite. Very stupid on my part. The older I get the more I realize that these pissing contests are just not worth it.

          There seems to be way too much testosterone and very little common sense in these posts.

    • #3303047

      Hard to relate

      by terrence ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      Sitting her in Western Australia when it is 38 Degrees C out side (100F for the US) i can not see the problem. Here these is a rule for some unions and a understanding for schools that if it is over 40C (104F) for more than 3 days and you do not work in air conditioned offices you do not have to go in.

      I think the answer is saftey with out paranoia

      So to every one in the northern hemisphere – I’m off to the beach

      • #3302955

        It’s 81 in Florida

        by bfilmfan ·

        In reply to Hard to relate

        Surf’s up dude!

        And it’s Friday!

        Cowabunga!

        • #3302813

          florida

          by apotheon ·

          In reply to It’s 81 in Florida

          The sky looks a little overcast here (just north of Tampa).

          Question: Why does your profile say you’re in Georgia? This is the second time I’ve seen you mention Florida.

      • #3302882

        Backwards in Australia

        by montgomery gator ·

        In reply to Hard to relate

        Crikey!! You sure have it backwards there in Australia, with summer during the winter, and winter during the summer. You need to get your seasons synchronized with the rest of the industrialized world. 🙂

    • #3303046

      commute to work

      by mjd420nova ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      Having experienced bad weather and needing to pay bills, means going to work what ever the weather or conditions. The 1989 earthquake in San Francisco forced the closure of the Oakland-San Francisco Bay Bridge. This closure forced me to travel 45 miles extra to get to San Fran. I was not alone, up to 250 thousand other commuters were in the same situation. This added an extra hour and 15 minutes to an otherwise 15 minute crossing of the bridge. What to do??? GRIN AND BEAR IT.

    • #3303032

      Use your judgement

      by ppuru ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      That circular or company policy simply asks you to make your best effort to attend office during inclement weather conditions. Something like whether you can weather the weather. In no way does it convey the message that you MUST attend office even if it you have 4 feet of snow on the roads.

      So, use your judgement. If you think you can reach work safely, go ahead otherwise, stay back, make a snowman..

    • #3303000

      bad weather

      by newey499 ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      don’t be a wimp – work gets you money – if you don’t want the money then don’t go to work

    • #3302921

      Changed Attitude

      by jaymiller25 ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      I’ll be honest… 5 years ago I used to say “no matter the weather, you have to go to work”…but my tune has changed. Now with remote connectivity, secure VPN’s, etc… it’s easier to stay home & safe and still be able to work.

      In your case, I’d just setup secure & functional remote connectivity so when the weather issues arise, you & others are able to stay safe at home and remain productive. Any employer who didn’t embrace that would be foolish, in my opinion.

      • #3302886

        Hurricanes

        by montgomery gator ·

        In reply to Changed Attitude

        Especially since you live in Sarasota, the only thing to make it unsafe to go to work would probably be a hurricane, and I would hope your employer (and everyone else in your area) would close down until it passed. My company closed for 1 day when Hurricane Ivan moved through our area.

    • #3302888

      My company use vacation/sick day, no biggie

      by montgomery gator ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      At my company, if the weather is too bad in your opinion, but the office is open, we just use a vacation/sick day (Paid time off is not separated into vacation and sick days where I work), or come in late and use a couple of hours of leave if needed, and the boss understands, no problem. The only time it closed recently was Hurricane Ivan earlier this year when it went through Alabama, and my company treated it as a paid holiday, did not have to use leave. There have been “snow” days in the past when snow was expected and it was announced that the schools would not open, but it turns out it did not snow, and everyone could go to work anyway. Just gave a vacation days for the kiddies, just the school system being paranoid instead of waiting until the morning to see if it snowed/iced or not. I undestand the school system’s caution, since we do not have snow plows and salt trucks in Alabama. If it really did snow enough to make it dangerous, they probably would close my company, but that happens maybe about 1 in 10 years on the average.

    • #3302826

      Tech Support

      by ginkga7 ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      In most cases, if you do not show up for work you are in violations of the rules.
      That means it is grounds for dismissal or you will be written up and it placed on your record. I can speak from experience that if you take your life in hand, and go to work in order to keep your record clean it doesn?t mean a thing when they decide to lay you off.
      Also you are never rewarded for taking that chance when you do go to work. SO?. IT DOES NOT MATTER ..you just don?t count?it is what the big man wants.

    • #3302084

      Go to work during bad weather?

      by tornadotracker ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      If your boss decides to open on bad weather days then that Is on them not you.
      As far as going In In bad weather It would depend on the condtions and how dangerous It would be for you to get their.
      If conditons were so that by drving you wuold be putting you or your family In danger but at the same time your boss told you that If you did not get their or you would be fired after telling him/her I would quit that line of work and go somwhere else.

    • #3302044

      Use your best judgement.

      by mrafrohead ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      If it’s so bad that you actually aren’t able to get anywhere, then don’t try to kill yourself just to get to work. After all, it’s just a job and there are millions of them out there…

      On the other hand, if you just don’t want to go in because it’s snowed and you wanna play… Don’t be upset if your job is handed to someone that wants it more than you do.

      If it is really bad, then it’s really bad. If not then you’re going to have to buck up and deal with it.

    • #3302032

      Been There – Tough Choice

      by willcomp ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      Regretfully, I haven’t had time to read through all the posts, so may be repeating someone else’s comments.

      The company I used to work for (not in IT) was a large electric utility and had a similar policy to your employer. They did, however, provide transportation for critical employees that could not get to work in their own vehicles. Non critical employees were allowed to take vacation or personal time. Anyone that tried to come in but couldn’t due to blocked or impassable roads was considered to have reported for work.

      Conditions here in Mississippi are not much different. We don’t have as much ice in the southwest corner where I live as does the nothern part which is similar to conditions in north Texas. But when roads are icy, it is pure hell to get around at all. Even a 4 wheel drive vehicle is not failsafe. Chains are about the only way to get around on our glare ice. For folks not familiar with this stuff, glare ice is rain that freezes after hitting the ground (or trees or anything else) and is slicker than greased owl s**t.

      To compound the problem, truckers who “can drive in any weather” jackknife across the major roads, blocking all traffic. Several trucks across the road per mile is not uncommon.

      My advice:

      Give it a go in rain and snow.

      Stay home in icy conditions unless you have a 4 wheel drive or chains or both and roads are not blocked.

      Dalton

    • #3301868

      Philippine Typhoons

      by joey indolos ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      There’s something wrong with your co-workers, not your company, if they think you should be going in during ANY icy weather. At least your company gives you the option “it is up to you…”. However, you didn’t state what effect exercising that option would have on your pay or benefits. If any absence, no matter what the weather, is docked from your pay or charged to your available leaves, then that option isn’t really much of an option after all.

      Here in the Philippines we don’t get ice or snow since it’s a tropical country, but our main problem is typhoons (hurricanes to you westerners) and their attendant effects — floods, roads blocked my fallen trees, posts, or debris, and landslides. Companies here rely on official government pronouncements as advised by the weather bureau. If work is officially suspended then, legally speaking, you cannot be considered as absent or on leave.

    • #3301844

      Weed out the slackers

      by whizbang3000 ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      I live in the Atlanta metro area. We have similar weather and driver conditions here as what you describe in Texas, so I understand where you’re coming from regarding our fellow travellers on the roads.

      However, inclement weather is one of the easiest ways for an employer to differentiate between those who are willing to work vs. those who are looking for excuses not to work.

      From your description, it sounds like your employer has left it up to the individual’s descretion. If you get out there and discover that the roads are really bad on a particular day, then stay at home. (Or go in a couple of hours late.) But, if every time that you hear on the clock radio that there is a storm, you simply turn off the alarm and sleep in until noon just in case it’s bad out there, don’t be surprised if you’re one of the first to be “downsized” during the lean times.

      Since you asked what we do: I drive an hour to work in good weather, and I just modify my route (avoid the side roads where most Atlanta drivers try to make it up icy hills at 5MPH from a complete stop – yes, it’s as funny to watch as it sounds) and leave earlier on the icy days. If it’s really bad, I’ll just be a little late to work, but that’s better than a no-show.

    • #3301835

      How about taking the bus on those days?

      by websunny ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      Your boss has a business to run and has to answer to his clients. Apparently you cannot work from home and your job would be at stake should you stay home. Therefore, the next best thing would be for you to hop on the bus, they are reliable, very safe on ice as they normally run slow, are driven by experienced pros and these days they have their own dedicated lanes which will be a bonus on ice storm days as normally there is a lot of traffic congestion.
      Should the bus system not be available because of the severity of the storm would be sufficient reason to justify your absence from work and it would be difficult for your boss to call you up on it.

      • #3301825

        unfortunately . . .

        by apotheon ·

        In reply to How about taking the bus on those days?

        For long commutes, the bus is often not really much of an option. The bus trip is certainly a “good” idea for shorter commutes, but if you have to go thirty miles or so one way, taking the bus would make your commute take something like two hours. Four hours out of the day just getting to and from work is sort of unacceptable in my book.

        Then again, if the job is that important, you should be able to find a place to live that’s closer to work.

        • #3301818

          I’ve done it

          by oz_media ·

          In reply to unfortunately . . .

          What was normally a 40 minute commute could be more than 2 hours on a bad snow day, again in a PACKED bus, usually standing room only and all stuffy due to the heater and closed windows. Mch like front row at a concert really.

          But I got paid well for the fact that I was reliable and capable. You do what needs to be done to get the job done, not because it is easy of comfortable. What about when you wer younger, haven’t you ever worked at some BS position doing grunt work or physical labour, maybe as a teen while all the experienced workers who’d put in their time watched with a coffee in hand? Geez, hopping a bus on a bad day seems like nothing in comparisson to real work.

        • #3301814

          bus vs. “real work”

          by apotheon ·

          In reply to I’ve done it

          Yeah, I’ve worked in BS positions doing grunt work, et cetera. I’ve been in the Army.

          I’d rather dig holes for the Army than take a two-hour bus ride to work every day.

        • #3303839

          MOST would

          by oz_media ·

          In reply to bus vs. “real work”

          I know I’d rather had labour to buses,my point is that you learn to do what you have to do, like it or not. You are hired to do a job, that’s why they call it work and not fun time. As a trusted employee of that company you are expected to do whatever possible to get there. Of couse there are days when travel is warned against, but in such a situation even the employer in question here would accept your absence.

          It has to be within reason. Taking public transport must be consiedrered within reason.

          OM

        • #3303786

          note . . .

          by apotheon ·

          In reply to MOST would

          I would be willing to take the bus, if such was necessary, for a job I wanted to keep. I would not, however, be willing to do so as more than a (very) temporary solution to the problem. If need be, I’d move. Period. If I was far enough away, and had to deal with the possibility of being caught in weather that would prevent me from driving (or something along those lines), I’d have plans either to move my residence or move my job.

        • #3303571

          Exactly

          by oz_media ·

          In reply to note . . .

          if you can’t commute to work, move or find a more suitable location to work in. Everyone seems to complain about being out of work, and yet these same people are usually the ones who wouldn’t go the extra lengths to get there.

        • #3298417

          Re: Most would

          by vltiii ·

          In reply to MOST would

          Being expected to do whatever to get to work is your interpretation of what it means to have a job. A better characterization would be do whatever it takes within reason.

      • #3304097

        Public Transit Availability

        by willcomp ·

        In reply to How about taking the bus on those days?

        Your response requires access to a public transit system. Quite appropriate for metropolitan areas but not so for most of the US (and Canada).

        To my knowledge, omly one city in my state has public transportation (buses) and they run only within the city limits. That leaves 99% of the state without public transit so it’s not an option.

        Questioner didn’t state whether he was located in an urban area; but if in a smaller city or rural area, public transit is likely not an option.

        Dalton

        • #3304080

          Transport

          by oz_media ·

          In reply to Public Transit Availability

          If you live in the boonies and can’t get to work, you are not a prime candidate for your employer.

          IMO, it is just as much the employees responsibility to get to work as it’s the employers responsibility to pay you.

          If your employer said you will be paid next week because he can’t get to the bank in bad weather, you’d be pretty damn pissed off wouldn’t you?

        • #3300725

          Location, Location, Location

          by willcomp ·

          In reply to Transport

          Depends on where your place of employment is. I used to work at a nuclear power plant (not in IT) accessible only by narrow rural roads. Nuclear plants are not located in the center of metropolitan areas but rather the exact opposite.

          In icy weather, it was not unusual for roads to be blocked by the brave souls who tried and didn’t succeed or broken trees. So the rest of us couldn’t get there period. Granted, in our mild climate such was an every few years occurrence. But Texas isn’t much different (climate wise) and the fools there don’t know how to drive in poor conditions either.

          Dalton

        • #3298414

          Re: Transport

          by vltiii ·

          In reply to Transport

          This is incredible. Because he lives where there is no public transportation he shouldn’t have a job? It must be miserable being a direct report to you!!! How much more unhuman can one person be?

    • #3303834

      Ambiguous policy!

      by michael.r ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      What you have here is a company policy that?s ambiguous. You now have a pile of killer suggestions from this discussion thread (like “Look for the win-win” from maxwell edison), so why don’t you take-up the offer from your CEO and talk to “your immediate supervisor”? Your co-workers can give you their opinion. So What! Management (if they?re capable) will give the company direction.

      All the best!

    • #3303718

      The weather is no good reason

      by saphil9 ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      I pay attention to my own driving and don’t worry about the other drivers. In my piece of Georgia, there is a tiny bit of ice or snow some years. Sometimes the company is closed, but I used to have to go in anyway as network administrator. These days, Wet or dry, I make it to work. I really have no excuse not to….

      I can shell into the server from home. lol Cannot beat the commute time.

      • #3298413

        Re: Weather

        by vltiii ·

        In reply to The weather is no good reason

        Kinda scary, paying attention to your own driver and disregarding others. Good drivers pay attention to their driving as well as others.

    • #3303672

      This worked for us…

      by hitek-hillbilly ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      One company I worked for was in North Carolina. There they don’t often get snow, but sometimes when they do it’s heavy, and they don’t have the infrastructure to deal with it.

      They had a “call list” for each departmental manager. The CEO would make the decision as to whether the weather was too bad to travel in. Then she would call the department heads, and they called their reports, who called their reports. On snowy days, everyone knew to wait until at least 7:30 to see if they had to go in or not, and no one complained if you got in late on a snowy day, because everyone knew that (1) travel was difficult and (2) you waited to be sure you were supposed to come in.

      As far as time goes, the standard policy was this: If it was the first day it had happened, nobody got docked; the company absorbed it.

      If it was past that, it was a “no pay” day, meaning you either could take no pay, or you could take a vacation day. And, of course, some people had work they could do from home, but in this particular instance that was only about 25% of the company.

    • #3304175

      What do I do?

      by oldmainframer ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      Generally, I try to go to work. I also live in the Dallas area. I concur that people are CRAZY here in the snow/ice. With me, there is no question about getting paid. I’m a contractor, so if I don’t work, I don’t get paid.

      There are times that I can’t get out of my neighborhood. I live at the bottom of a hill, so if there’s much ide, I can’t get up the hill in any direction.

      BUT, it seems like the way you worded it, your policy has some flexibility. And as always, you should discuss things with your supervisor.

      Back in ’76 or so, I lived in Ohio and we had a blizzard. I worked from 3-11. Waited all day to hear from my supervisor what was up. Tried calling the office and no one answered. Finally called him at home (had to look him up in the book) and asked what was up. Turend out that NO ONE called anyone, so we all assumed that the office was closed. This was a Thursday. Same deal on Friday. Finally thawed out enough on Monday, that we could actually make it in to work.

    • #3303966

      Judgement Call

      by sam ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      If your employers leaves you the option of using your best judgement; that would indicate that they would prefer having you stay home to having you “out” for an accident. Here, in Kansas City, we have bad weather frequently but we also have the infrastructure to handle it. Even with that being said there are times over the years that I have opted to stay home as opposed to endangering myself or others.

    • #3302432

      I’d rather go to work in bad weather

      by maxwell edison ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      .
      I’d rather go to work in bad weather, than have to weather bad work.

    • #3300833

      Check Road Closings

      by jrisner ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      You should use your own judgement. If the roads are closed around you I would stay at home. Your insurance will not cover you if you drive on a closed road. Another thing is to maybe wait a few hours and let the roads clear up before going in to work.

    • #3318999

      To work or not to work?

      by gonzonorth60 ·

      In reply to Go to work during bad weather?

      It’s simple. If state authorities declare driving hazardous or advise motorists to stay off the roads, then do so. If you feel justified in not putting yourself (read your life) at risk by venturing out in inclement weather, then that is your call, not the company’s. If they decide to dock you a day’s pay, you have two options: 1) Grieve it with the your union, State Worker’s Comp Board or, 2) chalk it up to taking a day’s pay and possibly saving your life by not venturing out in bad weather.

      Merry Christmas!

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