The British don't do snow very well, presumably as it usually just comes for a short while and goes again quickly, not settling. So we don't really know how to cope when snow goes on for a few days and it's not worth committing masses of resources for this occasional eventuality.
Some workers are staying at home as a result of the snowstorms. Indeed they are often advised 'only to make essential travel'. But the strict legal position maybe a surprise and give the extra spur to make the effort to come in one way or the other.
As a starting point, employees are only entitled to be paid for the work they do. Therefore even if it is not the employee's fault, because he does not turn up for work (unless there is a provision in the contract providing for this which is unlikely), the employer is not obliged legally to pay him. Of course many employees may exercise some discretion in favour of the employee in these circumstances. He could overlook the point and it is also open to agree that the time is take as annual leave for instance. However as an owner- manager myself, as well as a lawyer, I know the difficult balance which has to be struck with the workforce to achieve fairness because there has to be sympathy for those who do get in as well and have to take up the absent ones duties. So it's not just a case of exercising generosity to those absent. One solution might be agreeing with the absent ones that they work some extra time when they get back.
Working at home of course is an alternative and this recent spell has caused me to accelerate my programme of equipping our lawyers at least with remote access to our network. If the facilities are there the law would imply that the reasonable employer would allow an employee to work from home at such times and conversely the reasonable employer would agree to do so if asked.
It follows also that (again unless there is a contractual provision) the employee is not entitled to claim additional expenses e.g, taxi or staying the night in a hotel, although especially as to the latter where necessary it seems to me to be a good exercise of employer's discretion to pay.
The position is somewhat different for those parents who have to stay at home because the school is closed, although the net effect may be the same: employees have the right to time off for emergencies for assistance in care of children (and indeed incapacitated relatives who depend on them) but this is unpaid.
The authorities are interested in the costs to public services (emergencies, gritting, schools etc) and the media are too. The entertainment media are perhaps less responsible on top of this: it always makes me cross as a responsible employer when DJs say 'take a duvet day today' and I have heard some of our 'national treasures' say it on Radio 2 (of course they don't operate in the world most of us do). The legal position, as ever, does not necessarily favour the same line and adds to the mix of decision to be taken.
On a final note, one of my partners suggested that we diversify from legal services into grit as it's clearly a valuable commodity. It would work well to promote law and grit: We could call ourselves 'Lawyers of true grit'?
Some workers are staying at home as a result of the snowstorms. Indeed they are often advised 'only to make essential travel'. But the strict legal position maybe a surprise and give the extra spur to make the effort to come in one way or the other.
As a starting point, employees are only entitled to be paid for the work they do. Therefore even if it is not the employee's fault, because he does not turn up for work (unless there is a provision in the contract providing for this which is unlikely), the employer is not obliged legally to pay him. Of course many employees may exercise some discretion in favour of the employee in these circumstances. He could overlook the point and it is also open to agree that the time is take as annual leave for instance. However as an owner- manager myself, as well as a lawyer, I know the difficult balance which has to be struck with the workforce to achieve fairness because there has to be sympathy for those who do get in as well and have to take up the absent ones duties. So it's not just a case of exercising generosity to those absent. One solution might be agreeing with the absent ones that they work some extra time when they get back.
Working at home of course is an alternative and this recent spell has caused me to accelerate my programme of equipping our lawyers at least with remote access to our network. If the facilities are there the law would imply that the reasonable employer would allow an employee to work from home at such times and conversely the reasonable employer would agree to do so if asked.
It follows also that (again unless there is a contractual provision) the employee is not entitled to claim additional expenses e.g, taxi or staying the night in a hotel, although especially as to the latter where necessary it seems to me to be a good exercise of employer's discretion to pay.
The position is somewhat different for those parents who have to stay at home because the school is closed, although the net effect may be the same: employees have the right to time off for emergencies for assistance in care of children (and indeed incapacitated relatives who depend on them) but this is unpaid.
The authorities are interested in the costs to public services (emergencies, gritting, schools etc) and the media are too. The entertainment media are perhaps less responsible on top of this: it always makes me cross as a responsible employer when DJs say 'take a duvet day today' and I have heard some of our 'national treasures' say it on Radio 2 (of course they don't operate in the world most of us do). The legal position, as ever, does not necessarily favour the same line and adds to the mix of decision to be taken.
On a final note, one of my partners suggested that we diversify from legal services into grit as it's clearly a valuable commodity. It would work well to promote law and grit: We could call ourselves 'Lawyers of true grit'?
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