Let’s not ignore that the OP is basically kind of ticked off that two employees didn’t trudge through impassable streets to make it in for the afternoon in which one patient showed up. Srsly?
But I agree, 1/2 day for Friday and a 1/2 day for Monday seems a reasonable outcome from the established policy.
Sure, why wouldn’t it be? I suspect that’s how most private businesses handle it for hourly workers.
I’m thinking you were using sarcasm or being snarky, but if so, I don’t get it.
Well, I would not want to work for you because you seem to be making up policy as you go along and that never sits well with me. I would find an employer who lays out their policies in clear language and is very clear when the situation comes up. If you were so clear that you’d be opening on Monday afternoon, then why do your employees have an expectation of getting paid for a snow day?
You realize that for the most part, federal employees are required to telework through snow emergencies, right?
Sure. And of the entire total federal workforce in a region, how many can do their jobs at home? And of that total, how many are diligent about getting work done on a snow day?
But that isn’t what this thread is about, in any case. I’ve already said that it makes sense for employees who are able and willing to work from home, a clear policy should be in place for snow days. But what about the others?
What if the boss is snowed in and can’t come to work, but the employees do? Do they get paid for waiting outside the door?
But this is the OP’s policy now, only it’s worse because the employees believe there is a snow day policy, but in reality she can override the policy at her discretion at any time.
I missed including the quote chain but it was in reference to this post:
Which is essentially a policy of “giving them paid time off if you’re in a good mood”. I was not referencing discretion of when to cancel work, but rather if paid time off should be given out on a whim or not. Paid time off can easily be laid out in a clear way through policy. “Under these conditions only, you will get paid time off” You can know ahead of time when you ask for a day off or a snowstorm happens if it qualifies for PTO or not, and if the boss denies your request then you know where you stand. When the boss leaves it up to their whim to pay you for time off or not, and they pay you on three separate instances but not the fourth, it creates stress as you try to determine, “but why did I get those days paid and this day not? Should I ask? What if they’re mad? I didn’t do anything, but…”
Those bosses also trend more towards, “you should be so GRATEFUL I gave you the present of PAID time off” which is just a petty environment to be in, as well.
That’s why I was saying, don’t start a policy where you pay people at your own discretion. Decide on the days off at your own discretion, but not in how payment ties into those days off.
Yeah. Look, sure you could get away with two half days. But that is going to cause resentment. Is giving out a half day extra going to break you?
If their job can support it.
What about those lazy teachers who probably get paid when schools are closed for snow? Nobody has mentioned how shiftless they are. They should telecommute at least, if not call up students on the phone during the duration of the snow emergencies and check in on their lessons.
Teachers generally make up their snow days at the end of the school year, so they still work their 186 days a year (or whatever the contract says), even if they have to shorten their summer vacation.
Although I have heard some schools are changing so that lessons will indeed be held on snow days, and students and teachers alike are expected to be at their laptops doing lessons. I can’t imagine that is very popular with either the students or teachers, though.
What I’m saying is that that’s not really possible. If I understand you correctly, what you’re saying is that the boss should close the office at his or her discretion, but have a policy of paying employees only under certain conditions. What would the conditions be? I guess I need an example of what conditions you mean, becasue i have a vision of " You get paid if there is more than two feet of snow or winds over 35 mph. If there is 20 inches of snow and the wind is only 29 MPH, you don’t get paid" Or is it “I’ll pay you when the schools close”- but that depends on the school board deciding to close, and who knows what criteria they use. Suppose she makes a detailed policy about paying for snow days and a hurricane happens instead? Apparently, if I’m understanding you correctly, you object to paying people when there is a policy not to pay so if the policy doesn’t address hurriccanes, the employees don’t get paid.
I don’t see what is so unclear or inconsistent about a policy of “I will notify you in the morning if I am closing the office. I will pay you if I close the office. I will not pay you if the office is open and you choose to take the time off.” And I really don’t see the objection to “The policy is that you don’t get paid- but I’m going to pay you anyway.” - sure it’s inconsistent, but does anyone really prefer knowing that they will consistently not be paid to having the possibility of being paid? That would be like objecting to a bonus in your paycheck because you don’t know when or if you will get one again, so you’ll be wondering every week if you’ll have extra money. Better to never have the extra money than to wonder, I guess.
Just narrowing down what you are astounded by. Your statement sounded too general for what I thought you meant. That being said, we have had one official snow day that I can remember and my private employer paid it as a snow day.
How about “When the Federal Government decides to close, we will.”? :rolleyes:
If, on a normal Friday afternoon, the staff is free to leave as soon as the last patient leaves, and they are not paid for any time beyond that, then it’s unreasonable of them to be expect to be paid for the afternoon at all.
Monday was a federal snow day and the roads were so bad that exactly one patient showed up. That, IMO, entitles them to be paid for the day as a “snow day.” Had 30% or more of your patients showed up, then that would make me think that the roads were, indeed, passable. Bottom line is that you don’t want your patients or your staff risking their lives to make it into work. And realize that if they have younger children, it’s especially difficult to find child care on snow days when schools are closed.
So, all in all, I think 8 hours of pay is quite reasonable.
Only if they can also stay and be paid, but that wasnt an option.
Still leaving it up to someone’s discretion. It’s just that it’s the discretion of person who makes the decision for the Feds, not the owner of that particular business. I don’t see how that’s any clearer or more consistent than “If I close the office , I’ll call you at 7am and I’ll pay you” . I might be stupid, but I just don’t see how one is clearer and more consistent than the other - especially when the person I was replying to said
Because that’s why we elect those Officials and give them that authority. It’s entirely consistent. “We are closed all Federal Holidays” is consistent. “We are closed whenever the fuck I feel like it” is not.
You version does’t allow for: workers who leave before 7am, or when the office is closed midday, or what “I close the office” means- does it mean if there are no more clients scheduled? For a disaster? Read the Op and the replies, that’s exactly one point of contention.
And, it also leads to discontent. “That cheap SOB made us come in even when everyone else was closed!” Or it leads to an employee getting in a accident- who will then be sure to sue.
Finally- Full time workers have a reasonable expectation to a 40 hour week. They should not get their pay cut and be sent home on a whim.
The problem with going entirely with the Feds is that we are 30 miles from DC and conditions can be different here. I’m satisfied with my current solution and so is the staff. I’m sorry about not putting the actual policy in the OP but I had to go find it. The problem with paying for Monday afternoon is that it sets a precedent; even if we are open, if the Federal government is closed or if you think you cannot make it in then I will pay you. Being inconsistent in this way is what has led to me now paying for bereavement time (if you pay once you pay always) and paying when the office is closed for Jewish holidays (same thing). That is why I put in writing in the office manual that if the office is open, we don’t pay for snow days but if I decide to close for weather we do.
Also, it wasn’t as if I was trying to get them here in a blizzard. The snow had stopped for 36 hours by the time we opened and everything I saw was plowed including the office parking lot.