region chicago You will enter a marked period Low temperatures And one Winter storm Which will affect traffic and the work of various activities illinois. The advance of the cold air mass is followed by an organized system snowwill lead to a stage Limited movement during the weekendThis will create complications in transportation and raise questions about work obligations.
Friday will be the last stop before the main event. According to available forecasts Temperatures will remain in the 30°F (−1°C to 1°C) range.without the ability of the sun to increase thermal sensation.
This cold stability precedes the arrival of the regime that, After midnight, snow will begin to form from the west towards the capital area. On Saturday, continuous rain and moments of rapid accumulation are expected. Which will harm the visibility and condition of traffic surfaces.
The forecast also includes extending the cold beyond the weekend. A new entry of polar air is expected between Monday and Tuesday Which may enhance the drop in temperatures.
With this panoramic picture, there is a need to review how federal and state labor laws are addressed The relationship between extreme weather conditions and commitment to attending work.
During weather events that affect transportation, employees often face uncertainty about what to do How to act. Legally, both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and… National Labor Relations Act (NLRAfor its abbreviation in English) establishes standards that define When an employee refuses to perform a task for safety reasons. However, these rules do not always apply to absences due to inability to travel to the workplace.
OSHA states so Employers must ensure environments free of serious hazards. Although the agency does not have a specific standard for extreme cold, it does set one Cold stress as a recognized occupational hazard.
In activities requiring leadership, the organization provides clear safeguards: An employee who believes that driving involves serious risks may refuse to do so without fear of retaliation.. But this criterion depends on the type of work.
For its part, the National Resistance Authority said Protects the right of private sector employees to work together to improve working conditions. Regarding safety, the law states that an employee or group of workers may refuse to perform work when there is a condition considered to be risky. So that rejection is protected Three criteria must be met:
If these elements are present An employer cannot take disciplinary action against an employee. However, these protections do not automatically cover absences caused by… Inability to reach the workplace due to snow or iceif these are not related to a hazard in the workplace itself.
This means that in many cases, Each company’s internal policy determines whether an absence due to snow could result in a penalty or even dismissal.. Employees and employers should review local provisions to determine the extent of that protection.
From the point of view of Fair Labor Standards Act (a pennyfor its abbreviation in English), employee exemption They must receive their full weekly salary Whenever they do some activities during the week. However, if the company remains open and the worker does not attend for personal reasons, including transportation complications, A contractor can deduct full vacation days without changing their exempt status.
If the company closes Due to weather conditions, The weekly salary cannot be reduced. In those cases, the employer usually requires Exploiting accumulated leave To cover absence Practice permitted by federal regulations. Furthermore, in Chicago, there is currently no law requiring employers to provide paid snow days or excused absences.
Therefore, The possibility of dismissal due to absence during a snowstorm depends on the boss or the contracting companyunless the worker is protected by a union contract, OSHA near-miss provisions, or coordinated activities under the National Labor Law.
In the absence of specific regulation regarding extreme cold, the Illinois General Assembly provided Two legislative initiatives:
They are both under the title Safety law against extreme temperatures in the workplace. Suggestion seeks Establish mandatory standards for extreme hot and cold conditions.
In the House version, introduced by Representative Edgar Gonzalez and co-sponsored by several Democratic lawmakers, The bill is pending in the Rules Committee. The Senate presented a similar version, led by Senator Robert Peters.
The law requires the labor manager to implement by 2026 a mandatory plan that includes: Warming stations, paid rest periods, personal protective equipment, alert systems and exposure limits For employees in environments with thermal sensation equal to or less than 40°F (4°C) outdoors and temperatures equal to or less than 60°F (15.5°C) or 65°F (18°C) depending on the type of indoor work.