Poll: Receive paycheck when office closed due to hurricane?

[Warik]

You work on a salary. A hurricane passes through your area, and your office is closed for two days. Does your employer pay you for those two days?

Vote, and then read why I ask below in white:
<font color="white">I'm overworked, underpaid, had my pay cut a few months ago, and have no overtime, medical, dental, or retirement plan benefits. Everyone else's job sucks similarly. My employer asked me to show him payroll for this week before I submit it to the payroll company, presumably to tell me "hey, no one gets paid for the hurricane." I think it's bullshit. What do you think?</font>

[Warik]

[IndieMatty]

I had 2 weeks off for 9/11. I got paid, and some people who came in got those days added as vacation. Office should pay.

[jcx]

Depends. Is your boss driving a Ferrari while all the employees are eating Top Ramen? Then yes. But my guess is it's a small company that is perhaps struggling financially (perhaps that explains your pay cut and lack of benefits) and simply can't afford to pay staff for those missed days. Either way, doesn't sound like the best place to be working. I think you know what you need to do.

[Warik]

jcx, you get a gold star for your masterful deductive reasoning skills.

Financial troubles? Yes. Not the employees' fault, so I don't think we should have to pay the price for it. Really the employer's fault (I am privy to evidence that confirms that fact).

If by "what you need to do" you mean "demand you get your hurricane pay unless he wants to find himself a new Director," then ya, I know. =)

[d10]

I could not work for months and still get paid. In fact that's pretty much what I've been doing since early September, and will continue to do until late this month.

[swede123]

How do you have a salaried job that doesn't include any benefits at all? This to me seems like a very crappy job, and regardless of what happens with these two days you should seek a better position.

Swede

[B Dids]

[ QUOTE ]
How do you have a salaried job that doesn't include any benefits at all? This to me seems like a very crappy job, and regardless of what happens with these two days you should seek a better position.

Swede

[/ QUOTE ]

That was my thought. Who gets salaried and doesn't have benefits.

[4_2_it]

You should definitely be looking for another job. In most company's salaried workers have access to health, dental, 401k and other benefits.

You mentioned that it wasn't the employees' fault that the company was failing. Unless you work for Enron or the owner is just taking $$$ out of the register every day, I will submit that, while management may be at fault if the company has a bad strategy, the execution of the strategy falls to the employees. For example, your production group needs to make quality products, your marketing department needs to position your product, your sales force needs to sell your products, your accounting department should be looking for ways to cut costs/drive efficiencies. I could on, but I think I made my point.

If you work for a small company then this may no be totally applicable, but I'm guessing that a lot of it is.

Monster.com and Careerbuilder.com are your friends.

[The Venetian]

Seriously, if you aren't already looking for a new job, start now. Situations like this just don't improve.

But, to answer your original question, would you be expected to turn out the same amount of work, whether you were actually in the office or not? If so, of course you should be paid for those days.

Hourly workers probably aren't entitled, but it's a huge morale killer to not pay employees for situations that are out of their control.

Start looking while you have a paycheck.

[Warik]

I get vacation and sick pay (and I've taken about 4 sick days in 6 years), that's about it. Never worked less than 40 hours, never been paid for more. Total BS.

But yeah 4_2_it, I see your point that you can't blame the employer completely... assuming a strategy has been given to the employees. No such animal. I've told this guy multiple times that we need to sit down and figure out exactly how much productivity we need out of everybody to be where we need to be, and how much can be allocated towards marketing, and in turn, whether or not those two variables are compatible.

Every time he's just pulled two numbers out of his ass: "uh, we need everyone to sell $X per month and we can only spend $Y per month on advertising." No analysis, nothing... just pulls the numbers out of the sky and ignores the topic.

Unfortunately, however, Monster.com and Careerbuilder.com are only your friends if you know what you're looking for and know what you wanna do with your life.

That isn't me at this point. Maybe unemployment will get me off my ass.

=(

[Warik]

Yippie.

Looks like we get hurricane pay. I didn't have anything to worry about. He just wanted to read the entire thing digit for digit and watch me nod my head 100 times indicating that the numbers were correct.

There's a half hour of my life I'll never get back.

oh well. lunch over. back to work.

[4_2_it]

[ QUOTE ]

Unfortunately, however, Monster.com and Careerbuilder.com are only your friends if you know what you're looking for and know what you wanna do with your life.


[/ QUOTE ]

I posted my resume on both 3 years ago and was contacted by several prospective employers. I wound up takinga job with one and relocating my family. I am also in the accounting field. PM me if you want more info.

So it sounds like you work for a very small company that flies by the seat of its pants. I've been there. It sucks worrying about making payroll and seeing mistakes that a 2nd year Podunk U business student drunk off his a$$ wouldn't make. I wish you you good luck in the future.