Over the past few weeks New Englanders have been experiencing extreme snow accumulations, making for some harsh driving conditions. Heavy snowfall has made for slushy and dangerous roadways.
While many students get lucky and are often treated to snow days, many people who have other jobs are told that they need to get to work regardless of the weather.
Some areas of New England were said to have recorded snow totals reaching up to 30 inches according to accuweather.com. No matter how good the snow tires, that is some difficult snow to maneuver in.
Despite these concerning and dangerous storms, many employees were still asked to come into work. In some professions, there is simply no such thing as a day off.
These types of exceptions are for doctors, police officers, firefighters, etc. Anybody who deals with life or death situations on a daily basis must be ready to be on call at all times — there is no question there.
However, is it absolutely dire that all retail stores and restaurants be open during these wintery disasters? Places of recreation are where people go in times of leisure and fun. It is not a life or death situation if someone does not get to buy the latest pair of wedges at their favorite store in the middle of a blizzard.
Unfortunately, there are not clear laws in place protecting employees from traveling in unsafe conditions.
Raul Carpenter / Equinox Staff
According to an article on Small Business, “Unless an employer agrees that the weather is too bad for the employee to attempt the drive, an employee can be fired for not finding a way to make it into the workplace.”
Simply put, if a business decides to remain open during a storm, employees can be terminated if they fail to show up for work. I strongly believe this is unfair to the employees.
Of course people should be responsible in the workplace and do everything in their power to show up to work. However, for some, getting to work is much more difficult than for others. Not every employee lives close by, not every employee can afford the best snow tires or the most reliable car. It is not fair to hold everyone to the same standards and expect them to show up to work on a day that will more than likely get little business.
Again, unless you work as an emergency responder or you operate a snow plow, your job is probably not that important during these times. If getting to work on time for your shift at the local McDonald’s requires you to risk your life on unplowed roads in a car that is not safe in the snow, your employer should rethink his or her decision to even open in the first place. There have been various deaths resulting from the recent snowstorms that struck the Northeast and other parts of the United States.
An article on Reuters stated, “In the Boston suburb of Weymouth, a snow plow struck a woman, identified as Cynthia Levine, 57, as she walked through the parking lot of her condominium complex, killing her, police said.”
The same article proceeded to explain another death associated with the snow, “The death of a dining hall worker at the University of Connecticut who spent overnight storm duty in a dormitory dining room also was linked to the weather.”
It is plain and simple, we would not have these kinds of snow-related deaths if more people were encouraged to stay home in times of inclement weather. The loss of a life due to snow can be avoided if people can just remain in the safety of their homes and stay off the roads until the snow at least slows down. To me, you cannot put a dollar sign in front of a person’s life. If allowing an employee to stay home that day causes you to lose business, then lose business. After all, is life really about pooling in the most money possible?
We should focus more on our relationships with others and how we treat those around us. Heavy snowfalls and wintery mixes are inevitable here in the harsh winters of New England, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take rational precautionary measures when it comes to sparing someone’s life.
Sabrina Lapointe can be contacted at slapointe@keene-equinox.com
