Should employers pay staff for "Snow" Day

exil

tigerlily wrote: »

I live in rural Cornwall and work 15 miles from home in an NHS hospital.
I start work at 8.30am but on Tuesday I couldnt even get out of the village at that point but by midday the road was just about passable so I went into work. As I eventually got there I will be paid for the whole day as usual.
Those people who took the whole day off have to take it as annual leave or lose the days pay.
I think this is fair. I have to say being as I made quite a diificult journey in which took over double the usual time to do and made arrangements to stay in the town last night so I would definately be able to get to work today I would feel REALLY pi**ed off if the people who were at home all day got paid the same as I will be! While I am in no way saying this about everybody who stayed off work yesterday I honestly believe there were alot of people who just fancied the day off to have a play in the snow!!

Well, if you worked 1/2 a day why should you be paid for the whole day and not just the hours you worked?

And if someone sets out for work and spends 8 hours stuck in a snowdrift or in a broken down train why should they be treated as if they had taken a sly day off?

Ewarwoowar2

SomeBozo wrote: »

Unless your company has a policy for "inclement weather" then closing the business and telling employees not to come in is a vlaid reason not to pay staff.

Bozo

You give so much incorrect advice on here as if it's the gospel truth.

It all depends on your contract of employment. Some companies (and one university I've advised) do have a clause in employees' contracts that state "If you cannot attend work due to being snowed in, you have to take the day off as holiday" or words to that affect. There may also be a clause in the contract that states that the employer can shut down the workplace at will and not pay staff. However, I've never seen such a clause.

If the contract is silent on this issue, or you don't have a written contract of employment, it's a grey area open for negotiation. For example, what happens if you can't get in to work, but you can work from home via the internet. Why should you be forced to take a day's holiday when you are ready and able to work. It may be a breach of contract by the employer to force employees to take holiday or not pay them at all for contracted days of work they are willing and able to work.

If you get can't to work and you can't work from home (and you contract does not deal with the situation) then its all down to bargaining power. If you have a union, they may be able to convince the employer to pay for the day off work without having to take annual leave. If your employer is all powerful, they may force you to either take the day as annual leave or not pay you at all.

brightonman123

depends on size of form, and whether they could affford to take a hit. would hope/expect staff to make up lost time (cant see whymif i was a boss, staf shoud be paid to take a day off, and go sledging on my money!).

then again, a natural disaster is not the staff's fault.

wisbech_lad

Maybe I am missing something, but if you are forced to take a day's holiday, you still get paid no? Certainly most vacation is paid.

If you were forced to take a day's unpaid leave, yes, unfair

tigerlily

exil wrote: »

Well, if you worked 1/2 a day why should you be paid for the whole day and not just the hours you worked?

And if someone sets out for work and spends 8 hours stuck in a snowdrift or in a broken down train why should they be treated as if they had taken a sly day off?

I simply explained that is how it works with my employer......they decided it not me!
As with every situation there are people who will take advantage and those who wont. I got to work as soon as I could yet there were those people who came from the same places as some others who got to work who very early on had decided that they were going to go and build snowmen!!
I spent my time that morning checking on road conditions and preparing extra clothes and a flask of tea etc for my journey just in case. I did not build any snowmen or wander around looking at how pretty the snow was.
Of course there should be an element of flexibility for those who can prove they did try to get to work and got stuck.

onlyforboards_2

Smiley82 wrote: »

I agree with several of the previous posters. Someone who managed to get to work and spent the day being productive would have a right to be annoyed if others who sat at home and played in the snow/looked after childrent etc got the day fully paid.

Surely that person is the only person who can assume they will not be paid! If your company is closed and staff are told not to come in it doesn't matter what obstacles you have overcome to get there you cannot expect to be paid! I'd happily work in an empty office on Sat and Sunday with no phones ringing for full pay!

I love how this snow topic brings out all the "why should I be penalised for living in walking distance of where I work" people. I expect these are the same people who tell the unemployed to "get on their bike."

clairec79

When were they told not to come in? To me that is key,

If they were rung by the boss prior to the time of work starting saying 'don't come in' then they should get paid.

If they rang in and the boss told them that they could stay home if the weather was bad then either unpaid or annual leave.

Our work has that if you can't get in due to weather you will be paid for the FIRST day only

jeffmasson

someone must know? I too was called by my boss and told work was shut only to come in the next day to be told we are not being paid! Can take as holiday (only get 21 days so no way) or work next saturday. How can this be wright? That means they could shut whenever they want and not pay us. Whats the point of having a contract if they can do this.

lesley1960

As an employer I have had to think about this one and decided to pay those who we told to stay away or sent home early, those who said they couldnt come in will be expected to take a days leave .

ohreally

http://www.tuc.org.uk/law/tuc-15932-f0.cfm