Extreme weather and work. Advice please.

jem16

What happens in the case of a care worker who has to drive to different homes to care for people but cannot do so because the weather conditions make driving impossible?

scooby088

All reasonable attempts should be made to get to work, i have been lucky enough that i have only lived a mile or so away from work so in bad weather i wouldn't have thought twice about walking to work.

I think that is not extreme weather at all, i just think that it's our local authorities that are ill prepared for the weather conditions.

Shelley84

Jem I am a care worker. We are expected to walk if we can, instead of drive. And get no extra pay even though the day will be twice as long.

Luckily where I live has no snow or ice whatsoever!!

jem16

Shelley84 wrote: »

Jem I am a care worker. We are expected to walk if we can, instead of drive. And get no extra pay even though the day will be twice as long.

It's my daughter-in-law who is the care worker. She doesn't work in the same area as she lives otherwise she probably would have done so.

She is due to start her 2nd part of the day's shift around 6pm tonight. The main roads are a bit better now and she has tried driving and so far so good. She will stick to the main roads and walk where necessary on side roads.

Luckily where I live has no snow or ice whatsoever!!

Lucky you! There doesn't seem to be many places not affected.

onebusybee

Thanks everyone.
Well I did attempt to get to work but did not get very far. Rang work to let them know the situation and have been told because of the distance to stay at home until conditions improve. Taking it as annual leave so don't lose out too much.

wayneunique

I'm in the same position. I have taken the past two days off due to not being able to get in to work (I live nearly 50 miles away).

I drive to work but due to dangerous conditions driving is not an option, especially living in a small village. Train station cancelled all services, while a coach service that goes in to London also cancelled all services too.

I've only got four days holiday left but I'm going to ask my boss that I want to make the time up as for me it wasn't a holiday, especially walking in a blizzard for over an hour just to get to a train station. :mad:

Oldernotwiser

jem16 wrote: »

What happens in the case of a care worker who has to drive to different homes to care for people but cannot do so because the weather conditions make driving impossible?

More importantly, what happens to the people who are waiting for the carer to bathe, feed or toilet them?

jackieb

jem16 wrote: »

It's my daughter-in-law who is the care worker. She doesn't work in the same area as she lives otherwise she probably would have done so.

She is due to start her 2nd part of the day's shift around 6pm tonight. The main roads are a bit better now and she has tried driving and so far so good. She will stick to the main roads and walk where necessary on side roads.



Lucky you! There doesn't seem to be many places not affected.

I'm a care worker. My manager has tried to cover shifts for the rest of this week with people who live in town. I only work relief so i'm not sure how it affects those who can't get in (i'm guessing they have to make up their hours somehow). I've been asked to work more than normal as people who live out of town are finding it difficult to get in. I'm having to leave my house at 6.30am tomorrow to walk to work.

lyndsay1986

My husband wasn't at work yesterday either. the snow was quite bad here and he is a delivery driver ..on his route the main route to get there was closed so work rang and told him not to go out. He could go into the warehouse and set his van up for today if he wanted so at least he would get some pay. He had to walk the 3 miles to get there .

My mother in law is in a care home and come 8am when it was shift change no carers was there to change with the night shift! so they had to stay . Until 1 of workers turned in an hour late as he was walking ..he walked 10 miles just to get there and make sure that someone was there to care for elderly. All the other staff phoned in and was told to walk as they only live about 2 miles away at most.....they never turned up.

getmore4less

jackieb wrote: »

I'm a care worker. My manager has tried to cover shifts for the rest of this week with people who live in town. I only work relief so i'm not sure how it affects those who can't get in (i'm guessing they have to make up their hours somehow). I've been asked to work more than normal as people who live out of town are finding it difficult to get in. I'm having to leave my house at 6.30am tomorrow to walk to work.

If on volutary cover then ask for pay to cover some of the extra time.