Hurricanes can not only reek havoc on land, but can also present problems to your company. Although you will not be able to control a hurricane, you can control how you and your employees react to one. Human Resources departments need to be aware of some of the challenges as well as federal and state regulations pertaining to severe weather emergencies.
For example, Chapter 22 of the Texas Labor code states “An employer may not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against an employee who leaves the employee’s place of employment to participate in a general public evacuation ordered under an emergency evacuation order.” Employers who violate this code can be penalized.
Furthermore, do you have emergency protocols is place? Some key information that needs to be addressed within your company includes:
- Who does the employee need to contact in such an emergency
- Does the company have accurate and up to date information on emergency contacts for ALL employees
- What steps need to be taken to secure all company property and information
- What are the evacuation routes
- What is the policy on returning back to work after an evacuation
If you do not have protocols in place or simply want to make sure that your current ones are sufficient, please give us a call at 281-469-1800 to schedule some time with one of our consultants.
