We have a contract - we get paid - at all levels if we are not contacted about a game cancelation within a "reasonable" amount of time. ( usually at least 3-4 hours prior to scheduled start) This is enforced by the conference commissioners. One set of officials had an issue with a school and the State stepped in and made sure they were paid.
20+ years ago when I first began officiating there was a story about a guy who had arrived at a school and was told to go home the game just got canceled. They didn't pay him. According to all accounts - on his next visit to the school - he arrived and got his check, cashed it at the ticket booth (the school asked you to do this but I never knew why), then left without doing the game.
Apparently he never worked there again. He was always kind of a surly guy.