The impact of the Beast from the East on leave and pay
02 March 2018
Rare though it is for the UK to experience extreme weather such as that being experienced this week, it has been known to happen and ACAS have produced a detailed article for their website that will help employers and employees understand their rights and their obligations for time when working hours are disrupted.
Good lines of communication are essential to ensuring that everyone is aware of any policies that exist within an organisation, and where provision has been made within contracts or the staff handbook then it might be useful to circulate a reminder of the details when there is an expectation of disruption to travel plans or a risk of school closure.
ACAS guidance us reminds us that
“There is no automatic legal right for a worker to be paid for working time they have missed because of travel disruption or bad weather.
If employer-provided transport is cancelled because of bad weather or travel disruption, and a worker was otherwise ready, willing and available to work, the worker should be paid for any working time they have missed.”
“Workers who were ready, available and willing to work will usually be entitled to their normal pay:
- if their employer fully or partly closes their business
- if their employer reduces their hours
- if other essential staff such as line managers are unable to get into work
- if staff who provide access to the building are unable to get into work.”
“Different employers will have different business needs during travel disruption and bad weather.
Whatever options are decided on, an employer should keep in communication with their workers and be flexible, fair and consistent.”
The article can be read in full under the Time off section of the ACAS website.