Advice to employers: Hurricane Lorenzo

There are a lot of varying opinions on the effect that Hurricane Lorenzo will have on Ireland. So what do employers need to be mindful of, particularly if weather conditions become dangerous and disrupt public transport? 

Subject to any policy you might have in place to deal with adverse weather conditions, employers should: 

1. remember the health and safety of your staff is the number one priority, and should be balanced with the need for the business to continue running as efficiently as possible;
2. be mindful of employees getting to work later than normal, due to delays in public transport;
3. keep employees informed of weather disruptions, where it will affect the workplace;
4. if possible, let employees work remotely;
5. remind employees that if the weather does improve sufficiently, then employees will be required to attend work; and
6. make employee(s) aware that if they do not make a reasonable attempt to attend work or if they fail to keep their manager informed, then it may become a disciplinary matter (subject to the employer’s relevant policies).

Finally, while there is no legal obligation to pay an employee if they are unable to attend work due to adverse weather conditions, it is recommended that an employer is mindful of the long term working relationship, and that a stoppage of pay in unforeseen circumstances could give rise to an unnecessary industrial relations issues. 

For employment law advice, please contact blathnaid.evans@ogier.com 

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Disclaimer

This client briefing has been prepared for clients and professional associates of Ogier. The information and expressions of opinion which it contains are not intended to be a comprehensive study or to provide legal advice and should not be treated as a substitute for specific advice concerning individual situations.

Regulatory information can be found under Legal Notice