The recent hurricane in Texas and the impending hurricane (hurricanes?) in Florida highlight the need to maintain a current, documented, and widely distributed policy covering a variety of inclement weather situations.

Some questions your policy should address or consider:

• Does or should your policy tie to an external actor or event to mandate closure (e.g., closing when local municipal schools are closed)?
• Who at your organization makes the call to close?
• How much time is reasonable to make a call before the start of a shift, or the start of business?
• How is the message communicated to employees, and are there any potential weaknesses in that communication chain?
• Will you make special accommodations for employees who cannot make it in to work due to inclement weather?
• Will you pay employees or allow them to use vacation time when your organization decides to close?