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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think people shouldn't use annual leave if they can't get in due to bad weather?

70 replies

malificent7 · 24/01/2025 07:55

I was surprised to find out that is the law to use annual leave if there is bad enough weather to make travel dangerous. I had to use my annual leave to avoid my commute through a huge flood last year. We are having increased storms now.
Of course in an ideal world we would all work in the same town we love in but this is not always possible.

OP posts:
ItsByThere · 24/01/2025 08:23

It would be worse if you were just forced to have it unpaid, at least by taking out of your holidays you are still getting paid.
You can’t expect your place of work to just pay you to stay at home realistically.

GreyAreas · 24/01/2025 08:20

Well I suppose it's also unfair to people who move heaven and earth to get in (stay somewhere the night before, leave early, risk the buses) if others can just not.
But if I was a reasonable boss my contingency plan would not ask people to travel if the authorities are requesting 'we only travel when essential' unless work that day is critical and can't be done at home.

HellofromJohnCraven · 24/01/2025 08:16

It's always been the case in the 40 years I've been working. It used to snow a lot more than now.

RedRiverShore5 · 24/01/2025 08:11

We were expected to make up the time on bad weather days, sometimes if it was snowing the local people could get in but people further away couldn't so they just made up the time on other days, people weren't given days off as it wasn't fair. If the site closed though everyone got the day off

Celia24 · 24/01/2025 08:10

IhadaStripeyDeckchair · 24/01/2025 08:01

Well if you can't WFH then it's either annual leave or unpaid leave - which would you prefer?

You can't expect to be paid for not working, that's unreasonable and unfair on those who do work, whether in the office or from home.

No sorry, this is a ridiculous statement. ‘Not fair’ to those working, really?

OP, hopefully in future something will be in place to to ensure workers are correctly compensated if they cannot go to work or work during extreme weather. Today I’m in a red zone where everything has shut down so if you want to talk about fairness there’s a lot to discuss.

Kinneddar · 24/01/2025 08:08

Probably it's to stop the inevitable CF who'd make a half hearted effort to come in & say they couldn't manage. Where do you draw the line, how bad would the weather have to be, how hard would you be expected to try

Annual leave seems fairest

Glittertwins · 24/01/2025 08:07

In that case, could they have been reasonably expected to have worked from home? Walk in?
I can't always drive into the office in heavy snow but I can walk in (might take a bit of time but possible).

sweetpickle2 · 24/01/2025 08:06

It’s “legal” for companies to make people take annual leave for almost any reason they like.

Agree that on the face of it, it’s a bit tight, but without knowing more details it’s hard to say re: your specific job and company.

Changingplace · 24/01/2025 08:06

malificent7 · 24/01/2025 08:03

I suppose I phrased this bafly...it is legal to make people take annual leave for bad weather.
So for example a colleague told me about a year with loads of snow...couldn't get in even thoigh ot was in the same town. Made to take annual leave.

It’s a company policy decision, not covered by employment law.

Original poster
malificent7 · 24/01/2025 08:03

I suppose I phrased this bafly...it is legal to make people take annual leave for bad weather.
So for example a colleague told me about a year with loads of snow...couldn't get in even thoigh ot was in the same town. Made to take annual leave.

OP posts:
Anniedash · 24/01/2025 08:02

What’s you suggestion then. Unpaid leave is also available.

IhadaStripeyDeckchair · 24/01/2025 08:01

Well if you can't WFH then it's either annual leave or unpaid leave - which would you prefer?

You can't expect to be paid for not working, that's unreasonable and unfair on those who do work, whether in the office or from home.

BraveFacesEveryone · 24/01/2025 08:01

If your work place are open and are offering you work, and you are not able to provide that work, then yes, it should holiday or unpaid. Why should the company pay you for not working? The weather is no fault of theirs anymore than it is yours.

Notsuchafattynow · 24/01/2025 08:01

Well yes, I agree.

Why should Bob who lives rurally get a free paid day off when Lucy who lives in town can get in?

skippy67 · 24/01/2025 08:00

"The law"...😅

PivotPivotmakingmargaritas · 24/01/2025 07:59

What do you suggest should be used then? As I get why you think it’s not fair but a storm isn’t a businesses fault either and if they allowed everyone the day off there would always be CF’s who take advantage

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 24/01/2025 07:59

I don’t think it’s the law! I think it’s a matter of company policy.

Do you mean there’s not a law preventing that from being the policy?

Overthebow · 24/01/2025 07:59

It’s down to company policy surely? Some companies pay if they close and you can’t work. At mine I’d just work from home, but it is expected that all laptops are taken home each day.

Glittertwins · 24/01/2025 07:57

I believe our company policy was that it had to be taken if you couldn't get in to the office and you'd left the work laptop behind at the office as it was expected that it would be taken home with you.

RedHillLady · 24/01/2025 07:56

The law???
Care to evidence that statement?

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