Reading today’s Newsletter from Sage Ltd, the following article was of particular interest…..
“Four days in to the volcanic ash travel chaos, and many SMEs are suffering from depleted workforces as their employees are stuck abroad. Three Royal Navy ships will be drafted in to help rescue some of the 150,000 stranded Britons, but the majority will be left to find their own way home.
When these stranded employees do return to work, how do you deal with their absence fairly and legally?
What do you need to do?
This will depend on your own policies. Many employers will have put a policy in place to cover emergency events such as this following the adverse weather conditions earlier in the year. If you don’t have any procedures to cover this, then your existing absence policy will apply.
If your employees are abroad for personal reasons, on holiday, for example, then you are entitled to request that either:
- they take additional holiday allowance to cover the time off;
- they take unpaid leave for the days that they weren’t at work; or
- make up the time owing (if possible).
Wherever possible, you should try to communicate with any stranded employees to agree on the most suitable arrangements”.
Source: Sage Ltd
