Pay Deduction for Bad Weather

soolin

The BBC news (now on) is going to carry a report about pay whilst not working due to weather conditions.

madammim_2

my husband works permanant night shifts about 15 miles from home. only one person (of about 15) on his shift took Monday night off using snow as the excuse, yesterday one of his female colleagues who has a longer journey to work asked to take holiday for a night as she wasnt confident about the driving but was told there was too much work so was refused it. This morning my husband had a message from his work that the factory will be shut tonight so dont come in, a management decision will be made about how people can make up the time. We dont think this is fair because he is available and willing to work tonight and was happy to drive and expecting to be there. Can they expect him to make up the time when its not his choice not to go in?

elisamoose

I presume if your employer closes the workplace (such as a school) then you cannot be asked to make up the time or have pay docked ?

TotallyBroke

I'm not sure if they can force him.
But under the current climate and knowing that they are busy (due to refusing someone's holiday on those grounds) would it be too much to work an hour earlier or later every shift until the time has been made up. Or instead of doing 4 on 4 off, do 5 on 3 off (example)

madammim_2

we are just not quite sure how its going to work. the factory operates on a 24 hour shift system. 8 hours earlies, 8 hours lates, 8 hours nights. So if he went in early or stayed on late there would be somebody else doing his job. Same would go for every other employee this will effect. People will be falling over each other! so we can only envisage that they are going to suggest weekend working (he currently finishes at 6am on Saturday mornings and starts the next week on Monday night) or covering someones holiday on another shift (but how could he go in an work a late shift of 8 hours, followed by his own night-shift of a further 8 hours?)

TotallyBroke

If he permanently does the night shift then they may well ask him to work later on the Saturday. Or if he does a 4 on 4 off shift they may ask him to come in for one of the shifts on day 2 of his 4 off.
I wouldn't worry about it they'll figure something out. Just enjoy the evening together.

rose28454

My daughter works in a clothes shop 25 miles from home and was supposed to work Tuesday but did not go as she was too frightened to drive. The shop only had 3 people working that day as it was season change over so the other 12 or so were working that evning from 6.30p.m. to 2.30a.m. Her colleague who lives near us and was working that shift couldnt get in either. Most of the staff live in the town where the shop is but my daughter and the 3 others who live away did not make it in at all. Wednesday she had a call from the supervisor to say would she be in on Friday. She said yes. Last night my hubby even span the car on part of the route and he was really careful. So this morning she rang and said she could not make it as the road was very bad and in fact we found out later it was closed by a fallen tree.
She is due in tommorow but the weather is forecast as very icy and her father had offerred to take her but decided it would be too dangerous. She is only actually contracted to do 4 hours per week so where does she stand. Should she ask to take it as holiday? I dont beleive they will pay her anyway and that is not the issue as she is too frightened to drive herself. Where does she stand??

sillyvixen

half of us got into work today the other half could not - work still needed doing, we worked like slaves to get everything done (i will have to go in early 2morrow to get stuff done) none of us that worked had a lunch - i had to leave 45 mins early to get in on time, why should those who did not work get paid the same as i did!!

Tiggergirl

I think it's fair that if you have a certain number of hours work stated in your contract of employment, you cannot expect to be paid for the hours you did not work.

Some people here appear to be saying that an employer cannot deduct that pay from you as it would be breach of contract. Technically if you have not worked those hours or taken them as holiday, you have not fulfilled your contract either.

If you are in the situation where your pay may be docked because of this, you could try the following:

- Ask your manager if you can make those missed hours up over the next couple of weeks
- Ask to take them as paid holiday, or if you have used all your holiday up then ask if you can borrow it from next year's entitlement.

rose28454

Tiggergirl wrote: »

I think it's fair that if you have a certain number of hours work stated in your contract of employment, you cannot expect to be paid for the hours you did not work.

Some people here appear to be saying that an employer cannot deduct that pay from you as it would be breach of contract. Technically if you have not worked those hours or taken them as holiday, you have not fulfilled your contract either.

If you are in the situation where your pay may be docked because of this, you could try the following:

- Ask your manager if you can make those missed hours up over the next couple of weeks
- Ask to take them as paid holiday, or if you have used all your holiday up then ask if you can borrow it from next year's entitlement.

Yes you are right. My daughter is going to discuss it with her boss when she goes in next week. Her boyfriend who works in IT has been in all week except today and has had to take today as holiday. The fair thing would be to take as holiday, take as unpaid leave or to make up the hours. Whatever the ins and outs it is better to stay home and lose money rather thank be hurt in a crash!!