TEMPERATURES are plummeting and cold weather can often bring the country to a standstill.
But when is it too cold to go to work or school? These are your rights.
When is it too cold to go to work or school?
Temperatures plunged to below minus 10C in parts on the UK last night, with warnings of snow, ice and travel disruption.
A series of yellow weather warnings for snow and ice from the Met Office came in as a major incident was declared in Somerset due to the risk of flooding.
There may also be “further wintry showers bringing disruption from ice and snow” while an ice warning is also in place for the south west of England.
A level three cold weather alert has been issued by the UK Health Security Agency.
It is warning of conditions that “could increase the health risks to vulnerable patients and disrupt the delivery of services”.
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Your rights on having time off work if your child's school is closed due to snow
Can you take the day off work if it snows and will you be paid for it?
If it is safe and reasonable to travel to work, then you should do so.
But if it isn't safe, contact your employer and check the company handbook.
Employers are not required to pay employees if they cannot get to work in bad weather, according to government rights.
You could be asked to work from home, but if this isn't possible you may be asked to take unpaid or annual leave.
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In the workplace, the mercury shouldn't dip below 16C and employers should try to increase temperature in the office or workplace.
A minimum of 13C is suggested if employees re doing physical work.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) states that a workplace should provide "reasonable comfort".
Its Workplace Regulations 1999 state employers should "assess risks to health and safety and act where necessary (i.e. if the workplace temperature drops below the minimum guideline or if it is felt the temperature is too high)".
How cold does it have to get in order to be sent home?
There is no set temperature where employers have to send their employees home because it's too cold.
And since October 2012, there's no minimum temperatures in English schools, either.
The School Premises (England) Regulations 2012 don't specify a safe classroom temperature, although the National Education Union advises a minimum of 18C.
At work, it's the employer's responsibility to ensure that the workplace has additional heating if the temperatures do get too cold.
Employers are recommended to include flexible working hours or rotas to help reduce the effects of a cold snap – but they don't have to.
Kate Palmer, head of advisory at employment law consultancy Peninsula, told The Sun an employer has no obligation to pay an employee if they fail to turn up for work because:
- The weather is bad
- Public transport is not running
- They miss hours because they turned up late
Plus, employees do not have a legal right to be paid in the event they take an emergency day off with their children.
So it's better to err on the side of caution and make sure you do all you can to get into school or work in poor weather.
Drivers have been reminded to check their car batteries and make sure they're carrying these five essentials on wintry roads.
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