Snow day and the employment implications of adverse weather conditions

There are a number of circumstances where employees may be prevented from attending work through no fault of their own. This time of year it’s usually due to poor weather conditions or transport problems.

What’s important in an employment context is to ensure that all parties know their own responsibilities, whether through a policy, internal briefing note, departmental meetings, notice boards or a newsletter.

Key line management responsibilities include…

1. ensuring that adequate and appropriate communications and reporting mechanisms are in place in the event of extreme weather or other serious emergency conditions;
2. considering how staff can be redeployed to enable the business to operate and essential services be maintained;
3. planning ahead with due consideration to operational requirements, prevailing weather conditions and forecast, employee safety, alternative methods of transport and individual circumstances;
4. determining how such absence is to be treated.

Key employee responsibilities include…

1. making all reasonable effort to attend work;
2. personal risk management;
3. compliance with absence reporting procedures.

At Employee Management Ltd, our HR consultants have extensive experience of originating and maintaining policies and procedures and can advise on any matters relating to absence.

For further details of the full range of HR and employment law services available from EML, call us now on 01942 727200.