Just got an email from my old boss, who’s at work today, and am reminded of why I’m glad I no longer work there. (Hurricane? Foot and a half of snow? What are ya, some kind of sissy? We expect you at work.)
For those in Sandy’s direct path, are you working today, and how?
Note: The “working at home” options are as follows:
Always: You work from home, as a freelancer, contractor, consultant, or regular employee, all the time – you have no other office you’re supposed to show up at (aside from an occasional meeting or whatever).
Standard/occasional: You work from home one or more days a week anyway, so today is a good day to do so
Exceptional: You don’t usually work from home but can, and are doing so today
I own a retail business with a storefront. Monday is my regular day off but I do go in most Mondays to do some ordering or organizing. I’ve made a number of work related calls and done some online ordering from home.
The only reason I’d go in while the storm is still storming is to check for water damage. If there’s an extended power outage I’ll go in during daylight, because I’d go stir crazy at home. I don’t have staff, but if I did I wouldn’t ask any of them to work. It might be easy enough to get in in the morning, but why risk it if getting home is potentially a problem.
Now, I sell picture framing, a lovely, but completely non-essential service. Three doors south is a hardware store and they’re all hands on deck today.
I work from home anyway, but the land line is out so I can’t.
I had one dog walk today but the client cancelled because she is coming home early.
I had clients who were away during Isabel, I had to go out but not when it was dangerous. We didn’t lose power but most of my clients did. It made my job harder, but as long as the roads were clear I did what I had to do.
Working the office, as usual. Of course, I’m thousands of miles from the Hurricane.
My place of work has many locations. Here is snippet of latest email
All employees, contractors and vendors within these office locations are asked to work remotely, if possible. Please note that this weather system remains fluid with additional jurisdictions calling for a state of emergency in their local areas. You are encouraged to heed the local government’s guidance, advisories, and evacuation warnings in all instances.
How nice of them to tell people it’s ok to not come in if the cops are barricading. How sweet!
When I was in Norfolk, I worked during most of Isabel 'cause I worked for AAA at the time, and yep, we were busy.
And when I worked in downtown Norfolk for another company, there were days when flooding was bad enough (not during hurricane; just normal, crappy rain) that people were losing their cars trying to get into work; just going through such deep water that the cars would stall, then float around, and be stuck until the water’s receeded. By which point the cars were often just…toast.
So I declined to go in, on several occasions. Job is good, but being asked to lose your car over it? Fuggedabout it.
I went in for about 5 hours this morning. I’m guessing half the office didn’t show up. I decided to leave when it looked like the winds were picking up, so now I’m home safe and dry. I could have stayed home if I wanted, but as a temp, I don’t rate vacation days so I wouldn’t have gotten paid. Part of the day is better than none, I’m thinking. Tomorrow isn’t forecast to be as bad, so I expect it’ll be a regular day, unless the office is without power.
My sis-in-law cancelled school today. She Homeschools, so wouldn’t have had to, but they’re all itchy and anxious enough that little learning was probably going to happen anyway, and the local schools are out.
Brother is working from home–which is not typical, but not exceedingly weird either. Well, actually, I don’t know if he’s working–I just know he’s at home.
I am not in the path of the storm, so I’m not working today, because I happen to have it off–will work tomorrow.
I always have Monday and Tuesday off, but I typically do 1-2 hours worth of work from home on those days anyway (I manage two stores). Did less work today though since the stores are closed and they’re not calling/emailing me with questions.
Not sure if Boston is in the direct path, but few folks are here at the office. I hate working from home so I come in whenever I can, and I have a Subaru. Besides, we had a big lunch with lobster rolls and few folks to eat them.
Our office posted an email saying “Since we follow Federal guidelines for office closure, the office is closed today” then “everybody is expected to work from home if possible”.
Yay. So generous of you.
The office is closed Monday and Tuesday. I’m keeping an eye on my email and will manage anything important, but it’s been very quiet and I think most people are focusing on keeping their homes and family safe.
I feel like the entire fucking state is on holiday. I’ve been getting various e-mails about it all day. I live upstate NY, though we are supposed to get torrential downpour and winds and all that; it’s not supposed to be that bad. IT’S JUST A HURRICANE PEOPLE. We don’t live anywhere near anything larger than the Hudson, we’re not going to be swept away, and if it starts bad, we can always be sent home.
We close when the Federal government shuts down the DC offices, so we’re off today. My supervisors are very comfortable with us taking a day off if the weather is severe enough to make the commute dangerous, and if it’s not a government-sanctioned day off, then we would take a vacation day to cover it.
I used to work in a hospital blood bank, and we were told to bring a backpack with jammies and a toothbrush, because we were coming in (and staying in, if the weather got worse). I’m glad those days are over.
Feel sorry for the insurance folk stuck on the phones. When I was in Norfolk for Isabel, we all had friends or knew people who knew people who worked for the insurance companies, and they were locked in for the duration. Jobs were threatened if someone wanted to leave, to, say, go be home with their children who had no parent there.
I have no sympathies for insurance companies as a business, but a lot of it for the people who work there.
