Should employers pay staff for "Snow" Day

Whalebox

Can I have people's opnions on whether employers should pay staff for Monday if they were told not to come to work?

My boss said he will pay everyone but they must take it as a day's annual leave. When I expressed my astonishment (I must admit I assumed without question that everyone would be paid) he said he was astounded that I would expect the company to pay everyone.

On Tuesday we were told to get in if we could and I must admit for Tuesday I think it is fair that those who did not make it should be asked to use a days leave if they wanted to be paid.

Any HR experts out there?!?

robin_banks

TBH, I can kind of understand your bosses opinion. I actually made it in on monday after 1 1/2 hour walk.

Catty212

It took me two hours to get to work. I am on flexi so also had to leave at 3pm to get home. Luckily my boss has allowed us to put the standard daily hours on our flexi charts - despite working very very short days. Guess it depends on the company.

Whalebox

The key to the whole thing is that staff were told not to come in (some could have and would have walked in had the office been open).

Any other opinions would be very welcome...

surreysaver

If staff were told not to come in, then the employer should pay them. If staff claimed not to be able to come in, they should have the choice of annual leave or unpaid leave (or if their contract allows paid emergency leave and childcare was involved because school etc was closed, then that as well). Or choice of making hours up if their employment can allow that.

KME91

Your employer does have the right to dictate when you take your holiday days so in that respect he's done nothing wrong. if you've been given a day off because, for example, the registered first aider will not be able to get on to the site, or there are not enough staff able to come in to make a business day viable then closing the office and giving everyone a day off seems sensible. From the employers perspective he's losing a days business which is costing him, he doesn't want to have to pay extra to give staff the time off too.

PasturesNew

I would not expect to be paid unless I booked it as annual leave or made some other arrangement to work the hours over the coming weeks.

SandC

I think if you are told not to come in then they should pay everyone and not make them take annual leave. If there was anyone at all working then you should be given the choice of take it as a holiday, have it unpaid or work the hours back (again, discretion of the manager if you do a lot of unpaid hours anyway).

I can't ever see my place of work being totally closed and I could get here in heavy snow as I'm walkable distance (even if I would probably end up sliding down the hill on my backside most of the way!). I shouldn't be penalised because I choose to live close to work, however if others were to get paid for it I would expect a day of in lieu for my being in work holding the fort.

Mudd14

If the company was shut down and employees were told not to come in then I would say yes! All though if you dont have a guarenteed amount of hours in your contract they may get out of it this way. Harsh if they do!

If the company was open and employees were not notified, it was the employees decision then no i dont think people should be paid

surreysaver

KME91 wrote: »

Your employer does have the right to dictate when you take your holiday days so in that respect he's done nothing wrong.

But they have to give you notice equal to the amount of leave, so for office hours jobs you would need to have been told last Thursday or Friday.

tessie_bear

i think u should be paid if u tried to get in ....if u were told not to bother they should pay u imo