Icy roads, what are my rights at work

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TyreLever
TyreLever Posts: 212 Forumite
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in Employment, jobseeking & training
I only have a motorcycle and cannot afford to drive a car, or learn to drive one. What are my rights at work if the road conditions are too dangerous for me to ride in?

I done a search and all I come across is about asking for taking unpaid leave, or about working from home. Its not like I can drive the forklift around my house, even if I brought it home! But to the point, can my employer give me a disciplinary? Or whatever the AWOL thing is. I know of nobody that can give me a lift in either.
Sometimes my advice may not be great, but I'm not perfect and I do try my best. Please take this into account.
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  • Torry_Quine
    Torry_Quine Posts: 18,833 Forumite
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    TyreLever wrote: »
    I only have a motorcycle and cannot afford to drive a car, or learn to drive one. What are my rights at work if the road conditions are too dangerous for me to ride in?

    I done a search and all I come across is about asking for taking unpaid leave, or about working from home. Its not like I can drive the forklift around my house, even if I brought it home! But to the point, can my employer give me a disciplinary? Or whatever the AWOL thing is. I know of nobody that can give me a lift in either.

    It's up to you how does you get to work. If you don't go then you could ask for it to be annual leave but they don't have to grant it.
    Lost my soulmate so life is empty.

    I can bear pain myself, he said softly, but I couldna bear yours. That would take more strength than I have -
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  • elsien
    elsien Posts: 32,738 Forumite
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    Does your company have anything about this in their policies/handbook? Some of them do.
    All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.

    Pedant alert - it's could have, not could of.
  • tacpot12
    tacpot12 Posts: 7,969 Forumite
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    As Torry said, it's your job to get you to work, not your employers. Not turning up at short notice is not good, but reasonable employers will accept it if you are a good employee at other times.

    You should call them asap when the weather conditions might be too bad to ride to work, and explain that you will try to come in and will call them if you are not able to make it. You need to make reasonable efforts to get to work; don't put yourself in real danger.
    The comments I post are my personal opinion. While I try to check everything is correct before posting, I can and do make mistakes, so always try to check official information sources before relying on my posts.
  • clairec79
    clairec79 Posts: 2,512 Forumite
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    It also depends on what they count as reasonable - if you live a mile away and say you can't get in because of icy roads they could reasonably expect you to walk it, if you live 30 miles obviously you couldn't walk it
  • theoretica
    theoretica Posts: 12,305 Forumite
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    Alternatives could include getting a taxi in, or part way in to somewhere you can get a lift or public transport.

    Keep in mind that you really don't want an employer refusing to hire people who don't live close or don't commute by car because they are unreliable in bad weather.
    But a banker, engaged at enormous expense,
    Had the whole of their cash in his care.
    Lewis Carroll
  • xapprenticex
    xapprenticex Posts: 1,760 Forumite
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    Call them first thing and ask if you can take the day A/L or unpaid leave, i wouldnt ride a bike in this weather.

    WORST case scenario is they grant half day giving you time to get in by public transport. Taxi really depends on cost, return with taxi would cost me about £90.

    Thats almost a days wage so i would refuse that.
  • Takeaway_Addict
    Takeaway_Addict Posts: 6,538 Forumite
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    TyreLever wrote: »
    I only have a motorcycle and cannot afford to drive a car, or learn to drive one. What are my rights at work if the road conditions are too dangerous for me to ride in?

    I done a search and all I come across is about asking for taking unpaid leave, or about working from home. Its not like I can drive the forklift around my house, even if I brought it home! But to the point, can my employer give me a disciplinary? Or whatever the AWOL thing is. I know of nobody that can give me a lift in either.
    You'll have to take the hit and book a taxi
    Don't trust a forum for advice. Get proper paid advice. Any advice given should always be checked
  • Gavin83
    Gavin83 Posts: 8,749 Forumite
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    Where do you live and how far are you from your employers? If your employer feels you could reasonably use another method to get to work they’re likely to be a little upset.

    However you might be able to take annual leave or unpaid leave if you truly can’t make it.

    How long you worked there?
  • adonis
    adonis Posts: 1,072 Forumite
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    I used to ride a motorbike in all weathers, the only time I wouldn't was if if it had been snowing for days and the roads were badly rutted with ice.

    If it was bad I got up earlier and took the bus.

    Would I take the bike know, I don't know, too many people who cant drive.
  • motorguy
    motorguy Posts: 22,473 Forumite
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    edited 10 December 2017 at 8:18PM
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    xapprenticex wrote: »
    Call them first thing and ask if you can take the day A/L or unpaid leave, i wouldnt ride a bike in this weather.

    WORST case scenario is they grant half day giving you time to get in by public transport. Taxi really depends on cost, return with taxi would cost me about £90.

    Thats almost a days wage so i would refuse that.

    So lets just step this out a bit - you would refuse to get to work by taxi even if that meant you were preserving your income the other days of the year and could lose your job over it?

    Doesnt sound like that great a plan?

    A friend of mine had a lifelong job as a postman. They brought in some sort of compulsory B/H working whereby you were rota'd to work it but got the day off in lieu. He "refused" to do it "as a point of principle" for no other reason than "he liked bank holidays off". So they put him through the disciplinary process and he still refused so they sacked him. Now he has bank holidays off. And every other day too....
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