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Businesses throughout the state either closed or maintained a skeleton crew of employees on Monday, as employers dealt with the aftermath of one of the region's biggest snowstorms in history. And many turned to a high-tech alternative when feasible: telecommuting.

Marriott International, which closed its Bethesda headquarters Monday, takes its cues from the federal government when deciding whether to have employees come in to work but also assesses weather conditions in Montgomery County, where many workers live, said Stephanie Hampton, a company spokeswoman. Federal offices were closed Monday.

"The decision is based on the safety of associates, as well as the cost of opening the headquarters building," said Hampton, who was telecommuting on Monday. "Many of these associates can continue to perform essential work from home."

Managers at individual hotels make their own decisions based on business volume and the safety of associates, she said.

"I would presume that some associates could possibly stay overnight to ensure their safety and ability to serve guests," Hampton said.

About half of the employees in the local offices of military and aerospace company BAE Systems Inc. in Rockville, the U.S. subsidiary of the U.K. giant, made it to work Monday, said Scott Fazekas, a spokesman for BAE, another major employer in Montgomery County.

Many employees can work from home, but management carefully monitors the weather situation and considers safety as well as what is needed to run the company, Fazekas said.

"We consider whether the federal government is open, since that is our biggest customer," Fazekas said. "But more importantly, we consider what customers need us to be doing."

Shopping centers open, close, open again

Lakeforest Mall in Gaithersburg was recovering from Saturday's sales loss, when the mall did not open due to the storm, with an especially busy Monday, said Susan Davis, director of marketing. She attributed the spike in foot traffic to children home from school and parents who might be getting cabin fever.

When determining whether to close, the mall often consults with its anchor stores such as Macy's and J.C. Penney, she said. The mall also has to access how quickly people are going to be able to clear the parking lot for customers and tenants.

At Arundel Mills in Hanover, Wendy Ellis, marketing manager, said, "We take a lot of things into account when deciding whether to close. We look at how much snow is on the ground, what the roads look like. Each time something happens, we look at the situation and determine what will be the best response ... It takes a lot of accumulation to close."

Tom Saquella, president of the Maryland Retailers Association, said that stores lucked out this year compared to when the earlier snowstorm hit in mid-December, since this is not a busy time for them.

He said the greater impact might be the budget hits for snow removal and the common area maintenance charges, which can be especially substantial for smaller stores. Saquella said some stores also have to bring in people for additional hours to deal with the snow, another cost to them.

"We're telling people if they're coming in for a specific store, they should call the store first. We understand that some employees are not going to report," Ellis said, adding that she thinks the majority of stores will be open.

Management monitors safety, other needs

About half of the employees in the local offices of military and aerospace company BAE Systems Inc. in Rockville, the U.S. subsidiary of the U.K. giant, made it to work Monday, said Scott Fazekas, a company spokesman.

Many employees can work from home, but management carefully monitors the weather situation and considers safety as well as what is needed to run the company, Fazekas said.

"We consider whether the federal government is open, since that is our biggest customer," Fazekas said. "But more importantly, we consider what customers need us to be doing."

The Melting Pot, a Gaithersburg restaurant, was closed on Monday during the lunch hour, while nearby restaurants such as Hunan Palace remained open. Jackson Hewitt Tax Service on Luanne Drive in Gaithersburg was open during a key time for tax season, but there were few customers.

"It's tough to get around," said Luis Correa, office manager of the income tax preparation franchise. "Some of our employees didn't make it in to work."

Grove Center Veterinary Hospital in Gaithersburg was open Monday, and some customers kept appointments. One dedicated employee drove there all the way from Hagerstown.

Wonder Book, a Gaithersburg retailer on Shady Grove Road that sells books, DVDs, videos and CDs, was seeing more customers on Monday after being virtually dead on Sunday, said Tamisha Franklin, store manager. The store was closed Saturday, when the bulk of the 2-foot snowfall hit Maryland.

"All of our employees made it in today," Franklin said. "I didn't have far to drive, but I took it slow."