In places like Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia, most HR professionals have contingency plans for snow days–not earthquake days. But that’s what they faced this afternoon when a reported 5.8 magnitude quake centered in Virginia shook much of the mid Atlantic. Also today, Colorado experienced its biggest earthquake in 40 years.

As a result, some employers closed early and some employees were too skittish to return to their workstations. The Pentagon was evacuated and several other Washington landmarks were closed. Here is some advice for handling the HR issues of the day.

Establishing a Crisis Management Plan: 7 Key Pieces

The best response to an emergency should come before it even happens. Here are some tips for handling such situations:

1. Establish a procedure for notifying employees, suppliers, customers  and clients in case of an emergency. Designate one person to handle  media questions.

2. Scout out alternative locations and  equipment before you need them. Such planning saved many Gulf Coast  employers. Look into reciprocal arrangements with other businesses to  share computers and work space.

3. Identify important  business functions that must resume immediately. Determine what’s needed  to restart them as quickly as possible.

4. Keep duplicates  of both computerized and written records. Maintain copies of up-to-date  inventory, customer lists and other important contacts in a secure  off-site location. Create an “evacuation box” containing important  documents that you may need to grab in case of emergency.

5. Plan escape routes, post them and give copies to employees. Designate a meeting place outside the building.

6. Ask suppliers, subcontractors and outsourcing partners if they have  disaster plans and whether they test them. List alternate suppliers  that have continuity plans.

7. Update your disaster plan as  you upgrade technology. Make managers aware of your plan. Test safety  features (fire alarm, first-aid kits, etc.) once a year.

For more details, read our report: Crisis Management: Set a Smart Policy Before Disaster Strikes

Online Tools: Updating Your Emergency Plan

The Society for Human Resource Management toolkit of resources

The U.S. government’s free online booklet, Emergency Management Guide for Business & Industry

OSHA’s web site — emergency-preparedness section

Also, a government Web site, www.ready.gov, offers downloadable posters, brochures and checklists that help individuals and businesses prepare.

Must You Pay Employees if You Close Up After an Emergency?

The rules on “to pay or not to pay” in such cases are similar to dealing with inclement weather. The rules differ based on whether the person is exempt or nonexempt…and whether you have to send the person home early–or just tell them not to come in for the day.

In this article, can find a handy flow chart to help you make the to-pay-or-not decision.