Hurricane Update: Should I Pay Exempt Employees Who Miss Work Due to Bad Weather Conditions?

When it comes to deductions from exempt employees’ salaries it is easy to get into trouble. The general rule is that an exempt employee is entitled to receive his or her entire salary for any workweek he or she performed work. This means, if the worksite closes for a partial week due to bad weather conditions (such as a hurricane), and the exempt employee has worked during that workweek, the employee is entitled to his or her full salary. However, if the employer has a leave benefit, such as PTO, and the employee has leave remaining, the employer can require the employee to use paid time off for this time away from work. If the employee does not have any remaining leave benefit, he or she must be paid.

If the worksite remains open during inclement weather and an employee is absent, the employee can be required to use paid time off. If the employee does not have any paid time off remaining, the employer may deduct a full-day’s absence from the employee’s salary.

For a more detailed explanation see:
https://www.dol.gov/whd/opinion/FLSA/2005/2005_10_24_41_FLSA.pdf.

Jennifer Fowler-Hermes
jfowler-hermes@williamsparker.com
941-552-2558

This post was originally published on The Williams Parker Labor & Employment Blog, which focuses on the latest trends and developments concerning labor and employment law and provides commentary and analysis regarding best practices for employers, HR professionals, C-level executives, and boards of directors. Visit the blog to read more and subscribe to receive the latest updates.