Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 17, 1993 TAG: 9303170088
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: GEORGE KEGLEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
PAYCHECKS MELT AWAY
The weekend snowfall hit the paychecks of many hourly workers who were unable to drive through deep drifts to get to their jobs.Some could claim vacation or sick days for their lost time, but many others in Western Virginia are crowding into Virginia Employment Commission offices to file for unemployment benefits.
Every seat was taken Tuesday at the VEC's unemployment insurance office in Roanoke, said Bruce Johannessen, manager. The impact of the snow forced his office to close Monday, usually the busiest day of the week, but phones kept ringing, he said.
Johannessen said his office was prepared to receive 200 claims for storm-related jobless benefits Tuesday, double the 100 filed all last week.
"We're getting a number of people who were laid off for a week," he said. "Anybody who is not working and has no work available may be eligible for benefits," he said.
Technically, "if the weather puts somebody out of work through no fault of their own, they are unemployed," he added.
Johannessen helped interview the applicants. A half-dozen or so of his staff of 25 were unable to get to work, he said.
An influx of claims applications was expected this week in the western third of the state and northward to Winchester, where the snow was heaviest, said William Mezger, VEC research economist.
"They need to be off several days" to file, he said. If they go back to work later in the week, their earnings will equal their benefits.
Until now, very few weather-related unemployment claims had been filed, Mezger said.
Many hourly employees made an extra effort to get to work to keep their pay intact. "For the most part, they want to be here," said Dick Robers, vice president of Maid Bess Corp., a Salem apparel firm.
Maid Bess was closed Monday, but 75 percent to 80 percent of the employees were there Tuesday. Only 30 or 40 workers were able to drive to their jobs at the company's Galax plant, though, where snow was up to twice as deep as in the Roanoke Valley.
Appalachian Power Co.'s crews expect to work in inclement weather and "we're obligated to be here," said Dick Burton, the utility's public affairs director. Those who worked outdoors received extra pay, he said.
About half of the work force at ITT Corp. came in Monday and absent salaried personnel were required to take a paid time-off day, said Laurel Holder, the company's local spokeswoman. Hourly employees were excused if they were unable to work, she added. Company officials look at such situations on a case-by-case basis, Holder said.
Employees at the Elizabeth Arden cosmetics plant were required to take a sick day or vacation time if they missed a day of work because of the snowfall, said Don Hergrueter, Roanoke plant manager.
Ingersoll-Rand's Rock Drill Division had some attendance problems Monday, "but we don't close the facility," said Carolyn Sink, human resources manager. A large part of the work force is on salary, she said, and hourly people have the option of taking vacation time. "They have motivation to get here," Sink added.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield health insurance offices in Roanoke were closed Monday and they had a small number of "missing people" Tuesday, according to a spokesman at its Richmond headquarters.