What happens to airline workers when flights are cancelled?

I might start working for an airline soon and since it started snowing a few times again here in chicago i began wondering what happens to workers when a storm hits and flights are cancelled? Or when flights are cancelled in general?

THEY DO NOT WORK.

They might be stuck in some far off place and the Airline looks after them or they are stuck at home and get nothing. They might get diverted to some other destination.
They like all the passengers have their schedules disrupted. Maybe a bit of overtime after the storm getting the planes back to where they are supposed to be.

If you are working ground crew you get extra work deicing the planes.

Just like everyone else they are stuck until the airlines start to fly again and they get a flight.

Now, if they are based in that city and that is where they live, they can just go back home until the airline contacts them as to when to report for their next flight.

If they are away from their "base", the airline generally has arrangements with hotels where the Flight Attendants will stay. Where they will just stay there until the airline informs them when to report again.

Now, sometimes the airline may just have them fly to get them to another airport that they will then work their next flight.

They generally won't get paid for the time they were "off duty" waiting for the storm to pass.

The people in the airport work. Who do you think is there dealing with all of the pissed off people stuck at the airport that need to be rebooked? Cancelled flights create more work for the ground personnel.
The aircrew are stuck wherever they are until their flight gets out

Overall, it's fairly rare. By airline workers, do you mean flight crews like pilots and flight attendants or just people who work at the airport in general?
Assuming you meant flight crew, a few things could happen.
If a cancellation happens at a crew base, the crew might get dispatched on another route or they might just stay home for the day. If its like a major storm, flights may be cancelled a day or two in advance. In this case, no work, no pay. If they're on a route, they may end up stuck until the problem passes. Or the crew and or aircraft may be repositioned ie deadhead with no passenger. Some routes are out and back so it they get stuck on the outbound, then they'll likely wait. But then you have pilot hours. They can only be on duty for spnmany hours a day by faa mandate. If a delay and or cancellation means they'll exceed their allowed hours, a further delay and or cancellation could occur, especially if the plane is away from a hub.

You have selected a best answer, but I will answer anyways.

It depends on the particular job and it depends on how many flights are cancelled. Usually the airline employees is re-assigned to other duties according to operational needs. However in some situations, if there's an excess of employees needed, some may be asked if they would like to go home early.