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VERIFY: Can you be fired for missing work during a natural disaster?

Can you be fried for missing work during a natural disaster? 11Alive’s Verify Team has the answer.
Georgia is one of 21 states suing the U.S. Department of Labor to try to block a new overtime rule that would make about four million more Americans eligible for overtime pay.

Can you be fried for missing work during a natural disaster?

11Alive’s Verify Team has the answer.

We talked to Atlanta attorney Brian Douglas who says in Georgia, it is cut and dry. You can be fired for any reason no matter how bizarre, other than discrimination.

When a State of Emergency is declared, all governmental agencies are forced to close. But that mandate ahs no bearing on private businesses.

So it’s true. You can indeed be fired in Georgia for not showing up to work during severe weather.

But Douglas says employees do have recourse.

You can file a complaint with the Dept. of Labor and in case like Hurricane Irma, a company would likely be penalized if they did fire employees for not showing up to work during severe weather as that could fall under unfair labor practices.

Douglas says another course of action is to file a lawsuit. Most companies follow emergency recommendations so employees shouldn’t anticipate this as a major issue. But the topic does keep popping up on social media.

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