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Q: In light of recent events, do I have to pay employees when the office was closed for snow days?

A: Generally, no. You need only pay for actual hours worked, and if the office was closed because of snow, employees were not working and you do not have to pay. However, if the employees have any accrued vacation, sick leave or paid time off, they may be able to use it to compensate for the missed day. In addition, if employees are subject to a contract, union collective bargaining agreement or in practice of being paid for snow days, you must follow it. You should also be careful with exempt employees who do not receive overtime. If you deduct partial days from their salary, the overtime exemption could be lost. Thus, the safest approach with these employees is to require that they use accrued vacation or paid time off for snow days.