Boss fires employee for refusing to illegally drive to work during a hazardous snowstorm: 'My county had a Level 3 snow warning, it's illegal for me to drive to work.'

Emmy Pratt • Writer and Editor

Jan 26, 2026 8:00 PM EST

They would rather lose their job than get arrested, which is a good priority.

During inclement weather, some employees have no choice but to go to work. If you're a sanitation worker, your boss is not going to be sympathetic to the idea that you can't make it to work in the snow. If you're a United States Postal worker, you live by the quotation, "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds." A pilot cannot simply do their job from the comfort of their home. Police officers can't do their duties from behind a computer screen.

There are rare situations when even essential workplaces must shut their doors due to inclement weather. It's quite uncommon for the government to tell its citizens that it's illegal to drive on the road, but when a crazy blizzard hits, they might have to do so for a brief period to protect citizens. After all, the average guy is going to view his drive to the grocery store as "essential," even when he has a fridge full of food that will surely last him through 24 hours of snowfall. If the local government is telling citizens they will be arrested for driving unless they're in an emergency vehicle, your business should not risk having your employees arrested just so they can sell your wares to approximately 2 customers who will ask, in bemusement, "Why are you guys still open today?"

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The employee in this story veered toward preserving himself rather than his job. He did not want to get arrested for driving illegally, so he called in sick today. His supervisor was anything but sympathetic and fired him for this without a second thought. Now, he's wondering if there is any legal recourse in this matter.
I just got fired for not risking my safety

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