Events such as power cuts, flooding and storms can play havoc with your business. If you are left without power, access to your premises are closed, and/or transport is stopped resulting in low staff turnout you can find yourself in turmoil. So what do you do?
The most important thing is to check the type of employee contracts you have. The following are simple guidelines but it is crucial that you check your own policies and procedures before making any decisions.
If the Workplace stays open
If you get into work, open for the day and your staff fail to turn up you need only pay them where the contract states you will or they are on annual leave or agreed sick leave. You may of course choose to pay over and above this if you wish, and many employers do.
If salaried staff turn up and the workplace is open they are entitled to payment (unless your contracts say otherwise) even if there is no work for them to do because of circumstances outside their control. If staff could have got into work but choose not to do so then they are not deemed ‘ready and willing’ and cannot usually expect to be paid.
With hourly paid work the situation is different and generally speaking in these circumstances they will expect to be paid for the hours they work.
If the Workplace is closed
If circumstances are too difficult to stay open you will not be able to provide work that day. If you can arrange for staff to work from home they should then be paid in accordance with the hours they work.
You will therefore need to pay your staff unless their contracts say other wise. This may vary widely on areas such as: flexible, zero and annual hours contracts.
