The short answer is “No”. There is no legal right to be paid for not working! However, you may want to offer the following options:
Depending on the situation, you would not normally start a disciplinary process because of the absence. However what if everyone else has made it in? Do they live in the back of beyond? You might want to question them as to why exactly only they aren’t able to be in the office.
One of my clients had the situation of not snow, but an employee’s broken car “which I can’t afford to get fixed”. So the employee wanted to work for the next two weeks from home, when most of her work activities required her to be in the office. As she was leaving anyway, we then agreed with her that she would finish her employment early and move on to her next job. Employees often find a way to return to work very quickly once they realise they aren’t being paid.
To recap, employees only get paid (i.e. have a legal right to be paid) for absence if
- it is approved holiday absence,
- sickness absence (SSP minimum),
- maternity leave, or
- paternity leave.
If your employees come up with another reason as to why they feel they should be paid for not working - please let me know!
