Snow = No pay

[Lord Tyrion]

I run a small firm, employ 3 non family members. On Wednesday the staff were sent home at lunch time due to the bad weather. When it became apparent that Thursday was going to be as bad we told them not to try coming in on Thursday. They don't work on a Friday. It was a safety issue, work is not worth dying for. I did not consider docking pay.

Talking to the staff today they mentioned a number of people that they knew that were told if you don't come in you wont get paid. I was horrified by that attitude. It was utterly unsafe to be on the roads in Northumberland for a number of days last week, it was clearly the same in other areas. The met office, the police, the council were all saying do not travel unless it was essential and on this occasion they were spot on. To treat staff that way is appalling.

Am I naïve? What company policies / attitude do you have covering extreme weather conditions?

 

[Kellfire]

I work in the NHS. We expect staff to make every effort to get into work and if they are unable they can take it as annual leave or take a day unpaid. they don't simply get the day off for free.

 

[Lump]

I know another surveyor that works for another company.
His boss told him if he choose to come in he’d have to accept liability if he pranged the company vehicle. If he didn’t come in, no pay.

 

[Khamelion]

Maybe a little naïve but very admirable all the same, after all it's not the employees fault they cannot get into work, being snowed in and bad weather I suppose could be construed as an 'act of god', but lets put that another way, would you still be paying an employee if their house had been struck be lightening and had taken significant fire damage for which they needed to be at home to resolve? Both are 'Acts of god', both are weather related and both are thankfully fairly rare occurrences?

If in the latter situation would you instruct them to take a days leave, go unpaid or as in the case of the snow day tell them it's not their fault, take a day off for free, where do you see the difference?

 

[IanM]

We sent home all the folk with long journeys on Wednesday.... most folk can work from home and use Skype etc so no impacted.

Not naïve, LT you're showing flexibility on one side of the equation you can ask your people to reciprocate on when it's needed. Hope they appreciate it...in the long run it makes good business sense as well as being the decent thing to do

 

[Papas1982]

I think it's admirable, and would hopefully pay dividends with the staff wishing to repay your goodwill.

Unfortunately most larger businesses will look to save money wherever they can. My place in Dover had no bad weather so expected everyone in. Even though just 5 miles away was havoc. We don't get sick pay either as too many staff were taking the mick with it.

 

[Imurg]

Being self employed I obviously don't get paid if I don't work
Can't take learners out on the road of there's any risk.
It's too easy for them to brake too hard, accelerate to much of steer too quickly.
Once the car's grip is gone there nothing I can do timber it back.
So...
I lost 3 days work...

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Maybe a little naïve but very admirable all the same, after all it's not the employees fault they cannot get into work, being snowed in and bad weather I suppose could be construed as an 'act of god', but lets put that another way, would you still be paying an employee if their house had been struck be lightening and had taken significant fire damage for which they needed to be at home to resolve? Both are 'Acts of god', both are weather related and both are thankfully fairly rare occurrences?

If in the latter situation would you instruct them to take a days leave, go unpaid or as in the case of the snow day tell them it's not their fault, take a day off for free, where do you see the difference?

In terms of the hypothetical issue, as we are a small firm with good staff relations on the whole, I would give them a days grace to deal with the shock and initial need to get things moving but any more time would be at their cost, holiday or pay. They are not putting their life at risk to come into work which I think they would have been last Thursday. That is partly why I am so surprised, it was clear that it was not safe to travel in many areas of the country. Surely there is a duty of care involved.

It is probably easier in some ways for me as I can make a judgement on each issue. Larger companies have more staff, more complications and so perhaps have to be more rigid to prevent people taking the Mickey. Last week should come under the exceptional category for me though.

 

[Khamelion]

In terms of the hypothetical issue, as we are a small firm with good staff relations on the whole, I would give them a days grace to deal with the shock and initial need to get things moving but any more time would be at their cost, holiday or pay. They are not putting their life at risk to come into work which I think they would have been last Thursday. That is partly why I am so surprised, it was clear that it was not safe to travel in many areas of the country. Surely there is a duty of care involved.

It is probably easier in some ways for me as I can make a judgement on each issue. Larger companies have more staff, more complications and so perhaps have to be more rigid to prevent people taking the Mickey. Last week should come under the exceptional category for me though.

I work for a large company and have a small team, I have no objection to them going off on hospital appointments either for themselves or family, as long as they tell me and don't take the pee, my view being family come first, work can wait. We all work long hours at times, so in reality they are only getting back the time they have worked.

 

[MegaSteve]

Been told all of the HR folk, as well as many other of the box ticker desk jockeys, elected to 'work' from home last week... However this is not always an option for us income generators... As we have to go to the coalface rather than have the coalface come to us... Judging by the tone of the e-mail sent out by HR anyone that didn't make it in will need a good reason to have failed to do so... Basically lose pay or preferably [for them] use holiday allowance... Usual stance of one rule......


Yep, don't care too much for corporate spherical objects...
And, glad I've only got 12 more working days...

 

[Matty6]

At our place if the office is open, and you can’t get in cos of the snow, you have to take it as annual leave or unpaid. Glad I work from home!

 

[Kellfire]

Being self employed I obviously don't get paid if I don't work
Can't take learners out on the road of there's any risk.
It's too easy for them to brake too hard, accelerate to much of steer too quickly.
Once the car's grip is gone there nothing I can do timber it back.
So...
I lost 3 days work...

My first driving lesson was on a very icy day. He had me do an emergency stop without really giving me any instruction on how hard to break. Needless to say I slammed on as hard as I could. I never did that again!

 

[Hobbit]

Every manager has a duty of care for their staff. As a manager I have sent people home early many times, and I have also told they will be paid if the advice is not to travel unless absolutely necessary. I didn’t ever want to ring someone’s partner and say their loved one has been injured, or worse, battling the weather to get into work.

As for paying or not paying them... if a company say no pay, why not ask the individual to do an extra half an hour each day for sixteen days = lost day.

 

[Deleted member 21784]

My department are much better than parts of the company / world. They bring in anyone who’s qualified to staff the room incase people can’t make it.. if they can’t nothing is said

I stayed on for a mate who was stuck and did a double so he did my shift 2 days later

Team work

 

[Bunkermagnet]

I run a small firm, employ 3 non family members. On Wednesday the staff were sent home at lunch time due to the bad weather. When it became apparent that Thursday was going to be as bad we told them not to try coming in on Thursday. They don't work on a Friday. It was a safety issue, work is not worth dying for. I did not consider docking pay.

Talking to the staff today they mentioned a number of people that they knew that were told if you don't come in you wont get paid. I was horrified by that attitude. It was utterly unsafe to be on the roads in Northumberland for a number of days last week, it was clearly the same in other areas. The met office, the police, the council were all saying do not travel unless it was essential and on this occasion they were spot on. To treat staff that way is appalling.

Am I naïve? What company policies / attitude do you have covering extreme weather conditions?

Very laudable and no doubt your employees will think mnore of you and be more willing to help when and if asked.
I also work for a small company, and get paid for every day whatever happens. I dont take the mickey and are more than prepared to make up lost time due to the weather. Sadly though too amny will take the easy route and not look at the bigger picture thus thinking only of themselves. Good worker - boss relations need give and take from both sides, which many dont see.

 

[jim8flog]

Where my daughter works most of the top brass have 4x4s. They go out and bring the workers in and ferry them home again. My daughter was allowed to work from home simply because most of her work involves email communication with clients.

I remember once years ago making the 15 mile trip to my job and it took me over 2 hours. When I got in the only other person to have made it was the MD. He said I might just as well go straight home. I never did it again. However I was salaried.

 

[MegaSteve]

Good worker - boss relations need give and take from both sides, which many dont see.

Exactly... Always preferred working for smaller independent employers over corporates as there's nearly always the scope for give and take from both sides... If the lot I worked for had stayed independent I suspect I'd still be working for several more years...

 

[DCB]

Safety of staff and customers is paramount. In our area last week's weather was not like anything I have experienced in many years. The senior management made a good decision and sent folks home before they got stuck at work. Noone will be docked pay as management made the decision to send staff home and to close venues.

 

[FairwayDodger]

Our office was closed for two days at the end of last week. I walk to work so wouldn't have had much trouble getting here so would be very put out to have pay docked. As it happens, I was stuck in Paris on a business trip so was actually working while most of my colleagues had a couple of paid days off. Them's the breaks!

 

[TreeSeeker]

Not sure where I read it but I think you have to pay them if you tell them to not come in the day before, I think the rule is to give twice as much notice as the time you expect them to take off as annual leave.

If you are open and they can't make it that's different but given your original post I think you were not only right but actually meeting your obligations.

As happens my work pays for hotels if people have to be in the office when there is bad weather. I think if work is closed its paid leave but I'm yet to find out!