It's not a given. Even with the State of Emergency, employers are legally allowed to require you to be at work.
GREENSBORO, N.C. — "Please avoid traveling unless absolutely necessary," said Governor Josh Stein in a state briefing. Stein declared a State of Emergency due to the winter weather.
When you heard that, did you think it was your 'Get Out of Work" card for the weekend?
"The employer gets to decide whether they want their business to stay open and whether they want employees to work there. Now, if you get fired because of it, you may still be able to apply for and be eligible for an employment benefit, but you don't want it to get to that point," said Nicole Patino, Employment Law Specialist, Nicole Patino Law.
In North Carolina, your employer can fire you for any reason, no reason, or a snow reason (like if you don't make it to work when you're asked to come in).
Patino says if you're uneasy about driving to work, talk to your employer as soon as you can.
"Sometimes the employer can arrange for pickup, so the employer may send somebody out to get you, but there are other options too, even in Uber. Lots of employers don't allow you to miss work if your tires are flat, because there are other options for you to get to work. So I would call and talk to a supervisor, talk to somebody, and see if there are other options that are available," said Patino.
To be clear, just because there is a state of emergency doesn't mean you're excused from work.
The NC Department of...
A simmering dispute between a Live Oak businessman and the city’s police department continues to escalate. Newly released body-worn camera footage showed a Live Oak police officer who made a serie...