Storm Center

IAPE Office Closed On Tuesday (Maybe Wednesday?)

Okay, so maybe the stupid groundhog was right after all.

We've been pretty lucky in the Mid-Atlantic region this year, with only one notable winter storm in February and a few other dustings here and there. But the forecast for tomorrow calls for panic . . . um, we mean blizzard conditions throughout New Jersey. So, with the safety of the IAPE staff in mind, the Union office will be closed tomorrow due to this late-winter storm.

(We might be closed Wednesday, too. Surely the township of Plainsboro will have our roads and parking lot cleared by Thursday — fingers crossed.)

You can still reach IAPE reps via email while the office is closed — direct general questions to union@iape1096.org, or reach out directly to Bob Kozma or Tim Martell.

For Dow Jones employees who live and work in locations affected by this week's storm, please remember the Company and the Union have a long-standing agreement concerning severe weather and your obligation to report for duty during a storm.

In short, if a state of emergency is declared AND the roads or transit system you use to get to work have been closed by government order, you are still entitled to pay for the day if you choose to stay home from work.

If you decide to stay home because you believe it is too dangerous to commute (but roads or transit have not been officially closed), you may be docked pay for that day or forced to use a vacation day or personal day. This policy should protect you from discipline for making that decision.

This next part is important — ALWAYS INFORM YOUR MANAGER OF YOUR PLANS — especially if your travel/work plans change.

If you choose to work from home and you are able to do so, we certainly have no objection. Unfortunately, some DJ managers seem to prefer their employees to work in the office or not at all. So, if you cannot safely commute to work, call or email your manager. If that person prefers no work at all to working from home, so be it.

If you have any questions about the IAPE/DJ Severe Weather Policy, please contact IAPE.