Rare amber warning for snow and ice for large chunk of UK: What are your rights if you can’t get to work?

Residents in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire are among those warned by the Met Office that snow and freezing rain will ‘likely lead to disruption to transport and some other services’ from 6pm on Saturday (January 4) until 12pm on Sunday.

Most of Sussex and the entirety of Surrey is still covered by a yellow warning from midday on Saturday until 11.59pm on Sunday.

The Met Office warned: “Heavy snow, and some freezing rain in places, may cause some disruption over the weekend.

"There is a small chance that power cuts will occur and other services, such as mobile phone coverage, may be affected.

"There is a slight chance that some rural communities could become cut off.

"A small chance of injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces.

"There is a chance of travel delays on roads with some stranded vehicles and passengers, along with delayed or cancelled rail and air travel."

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued an amber cold health alert until 12pm on Wednesday, January 8.

What are your rights if you can’t get to work?

With weather warnings in place, many across the country are facing challenges getting to work or managing school closures.

Neha Thethi, head of employment at Lime Solicitors, explains workers’ rights in these conditions, from pay entitlements to emergency leave.

Does my employer have to pay me if I can’t get to work due to the snow?

“Whether employees get paid on days when they cannot make it into the office will largely depend on their contract of employment.

“Many employers will have a ‘bad weather policy’, so it is always worth checking your contract.

“However, on a general note, employers do not have to pay employees who are unable to get into work, subject to their contract.

“Employees are expected to make reasonable efforts to attend work despite any severe transport disruption or road closures.

“However, it is usually best practice to be flexible in these circumstances by allowing employees to request the time off as annual leave or to work from home.

“With the help of technology and working adjustments made during the coronavirus pandemic, many employees should be able to work from home.

“However, it is important to remember your employer should not force you to attempt the journey if there are legitimate concerns for your safety.”

My workplace has closed for the day due to the snow – do I still get paid?

“If your employer has closed the office because it is inaccessible, they should usually still pay employees for that day.

“Withholding pay when employees are unable to work through no fault of their own could be considered as an unauthorised deduction from wages.

“In those circumstances, employees may be able to bring a claim against their employer.

“However, it should be noted that some employment contracts contain a temporary ‘lay-off’ clause.

“If this is the case, employers can refuse to give the full amount of pay to employees to a limited time.”

Can I take time off work if my child’s school is closed due to snow?

“Schools are often closed when there is bad weather, forcing many employees to stay at home to look after their children.

“If a school was closed at short notice, this would constitute an emergency relating to a dependant, in which case, you would be entitled to take time off as dependency leave.

“This type of leave does not have to be paid. Your employer cannot refuse you dependency leave if you have no other choice, and you cannot be disciplined or sacked for taking the time off.”

Where could snow fall this weekend?

The Met Office said outbreaks of rain will spread progressively northeastwards later on Saturday and overnight into Sunday. This will likely be ‘preceded by a spell of snow on its northern flank’.

“Whilst there is some uncertainty, any snow in southern and eastern parts of England, especially at low levels, will probably be rather transient before turning back to rain,” the weather experts said.

"However, some significant accumulations of snow are possible across parts of Wales, the Midlands and northern England in particular, at least for a time, where 5 cm or more could accumulate fairly widely, with perhaps as much as 20-30 cm over high ground of mid and north Wales and potentially 30-40 cm over parts of the Pennines. This, accompanied by strengthening winds, may lead to drifting of lying snow.

"In addition, as milder air moves northwards, snow may turn to a spell of freezing rain for a time, again more especially across parts of Wales, the Midlands and northern England, adding to the risk of ice and leading to some treacherous conditions in places. A fairly rapid thaw of lying snow is possible later on Sunday, although exactly how far north the rapid thaw will reach remains uncertain at this stage.”

In the event of severe weather, the Met Office urges that people help to protect vulnerable people that you know including older people, those with underlying conditions and those who live alone: “They may need support with food and medical supplies. If you are worried about your health or that of somebody you know, ring NHS 111.”