To icy to go to work

[Groundrush]

It's the third day now where the weather in the UK has affected us so badly that most of us have chosen to stay at home. I on the other hand have gone in.

I'm now hearing stories of people having free days of work without having to book annual leave.

Does anyone now what our rights our in this situation?

I have a little boy now & have still been able to take him to nursery, if it was shut then I think I would have been entitled to take paid leave to look after him.

What about people that can't get there car out the drive, should they book a days leave or be intitled to a free holiday?

I can understand people that need vehicles for work like van drivers etc not being penalised but what about office workers?

Perhaps the answer is unpaid leave, if you stay off work then you will just not be paid.

 

[ColinEssex]

People should either take it as annual leave or lose a days pay.

These women that take time off to look after the kids because the school is closed should also lose a days pay. It's bad enough for employers with all this paid maternity leave without the additional skivers staying off expecting to be paid as well.

Schools close too easily anyway in frosty weather, it seems kids are never at school these days, and all these extra days off just add to the teachers 3 months annual leave they get anyway.

Our school never closed, even during the bad winter of '63, we still had to troop through it to get there.

Women with kids shouldn't go to work, their job is to bring up the children, that's what women are supposed to do. If money is tight, then don't have kids.

Col

 

[Groundrush]

I'm sick of everyone complaining about it so much, you would think it's the end of the world or something.

I must admit though that I have been lucky getting to & from work as the roads I travel on are more or less level so not too much skidding.

 

[ajetrumpet]

I'm sick of everyone complaining about it so much, you would think it's the end of the world or something.

I must admit though that I have been lucky getting to & from work as the roads I travel on are more or less level so not too much skidding.

are there still roads in the UK? WHAT happened to all the train rides?

 

[Groundrush]

are there still roads in the UK? WHAT happened to all the train rides?

There are some trains still running I believe but most of the bus services are effected

Not sure about the rest of the country, but Liverpool may not be as bad as other parts.

I love the snow, I even brought my snow boots into work so I can still take my lunch break walk rather than sitting in the office all day.

I honestly do not understand what all the fuss is about, you would think it has never snowed before, some people are even too scared to go out for a walk.

Fun for all the kids though

 

[GaryPanic]

I managed to get in - far too dangerous to do it again -

we work on the basis - that you make up the hours later
or remote access and work from home (those that can)

the main roads around me are compeltely iced up - and its snowing again

 

[PaulJR]

My company has been very flexible, we have the option of either taking holiday, working from home (if possible), or making the hours up later.

I think that if an organisation decides to close, then employees should rightly get the day off for free (as it's out of the employees control). But if an employee can't get to work, then I think they should take up one of the options my company is offering.

 

[rainman89]

I know over here if I don't get a call saying that every building is closed, I still have to come to work, even if the kiddies get the day off.

Sometimes they close because its too cold, what should a parent do if its too cold to send there kid to school WHERE ITS WARM IN THE BUILDING!!!????!!! Take a paid day off for that?

 

[PaulJR]

I know over here if I don't get a call saying that every building is closed, I still have to come to work, even if the kiddies get the day off.

Sometimes they close because its too cold, what should a parent do if its too cold to send there kid to school WHERE ITS WARM IN THE BUILDING!!!????!!! Take a paid day off for that?

The company is closed because it is too cold, so I doubt that the company would expect you to take your kids to school too. So yes, take a paid day off if you're entitled to it.

 

[Fifty2One]

If a responsible employer closes due to the weather then it should be a paid day off - it is the employer's decision. If you feel it is too much of a personal risk to go to work then take the day off for that reason. You can always try to negociate with your employer to let you have it as a paid sick day or off your holiday allotment or whatever.
People who feel they "are forced" to go to work or "can not afford the day off" if they are not paid for the day are just putting a price on their welfare. Not a generally intelligent decision but then it is their choice to make and take and NOT then employer forcing them to go to work. Afterall it is not the 1960s anymore.

 

[scott-atkinson]

Due to the nature of today's society and what parents need to do to make ends meet, often both parents have to work and rely on Schools and Pre-school/after-school clubs to look after their children so they can work.

I think the schools should only shut if the preportion of teaching staff to children is not conducive to effective learning..

And when a school has to shut, employers should be flexible for the affected mothers / fathers and try to wherever possible meet their needs.

My wife does not work and instead is a full time mother, but that is not through choice, as if she did have the opportunity to work and bring in a wage she would but she cannot becuase we do not have anyone to look after our children, pre-school/after-school and child minders are just too expensive and makes the effort of working for nothing..

 

[Brianwarnock]

2 important considerations are missing from this discussion, especially about schools closing.

1 Health and Safety laws

2 The compensation culture

Many schools close because they fear being sued if little Johnny falls and hurts himself, the fact that he may have been trying to create a slide in the playground as we used to would not absolve the school these days.

Brian

PS I'm glad i was a kid when we were allowed to get hurt.

 

[Thales750]

2 important considerations are missing from this discussion, especially about schools closing.

1 Health and Safety laws

2 The compensation culture

Many schools close because they fear being sued if little Johnny falls and hurts himself, the fact that he may have been trying to create a slide in the playground as we used to would not absolve the school these days.

Brian

PS I'm glad i was a kid when we were allowed to get hurt.

Ditto that, Sir.

 

[Fifty2One]

Yes - we were permitted to be kids and take peril face on. When I was littler after a BIG snow we would go to the Mr.Labrosse's farm with pieces of cardboard and slide down the snow covered roof of his barn for fun. We also discovered one year that plastic slid REALLY well so when we found some thick shipping wrapping from a matress we taped it to pieces of cardboard for sliding. We also borrowed shovels for sliding but you would need to find some floor wax and wax the back side of the shovel scoop so it would slide better on the snow.
Jeffery Houston broke his arm one time which earned him a ride in Mr.Labrosse's stake truck to the hospital... and a cuff on the back of the head by Mr.Houston (Jeffery's grandfather) for being so clumsy... hahaha

WATCH OUT FOR ROOF NAILS STICKING UP

2 important considerations are missing from this discussion, especially about schools closing.

1 Health and Safety laws

2 The compensation culture

Many schools close because they fear being sued if little Johnny falls and hurts himself, the fact that he may have been trying to create a slide in the playground as we used to would not absolve the school these days.

Brian

PS I'm glad i was a kid when we were allowed to get hurt.

 

[Rabbie]

PS I'm glad i was a kid when we were allowed to get hurt.

Yeah - those were the days I remember making slides on the ice in the frozen playground and funnily enough we never seemed to suffer serious injuries

 

[dcb]

Yeah - those were the days I remember making slides on the ice in the frozen playground and funnily enough we never seemed to suffer serious injuries

Was a broken arm ACTUALLY a serious injury? The school conversations used to go "Yes,,,, Again,,, I see ,,,, Will see you now,,,,, "

 

[statsman]

In most places in Canada, there are 2 or 3 days every winter where the snow or ice (or snow and ice) make vehicle traffic impossible.
Generally, if it is essential you get to work (emergency services worker for example) then you generally leave an hour earlier than normal.
Most folks just phone in and leave a message they won't be in. Remember, the boss is in the same position as the rest of us.
When I lived in Ottawa ON, if it had been snowing overnight I would get out to the highway then wait in the gas station lot. Generally within 15 minutes or so a snow plow would come by and I would just follow it into town.
Ottawa gets a lot of snow and a storm that would close down Toronto (where I live now) would be taken in stride in Ottawa.
You know it's a serious blizzard in Ottawa. They call in the police fire and ambulances and put chains on the tires.

 

[Pauldohert]

2 important considerations are missing from this discussion, especially about schools closing.

1 Health and Safety laws

2 The compensation culture

Many schools close because they fear being sued if little Johnny falls and hurts himself, the fact that he may have been trying to create a slide in the playground as we used to would not absolve the school these days.

Brian

PS I'm glad i was a kid when we were allowed to get hurt.

Throw in the fact that if a school opened and only 60% of pupils make it in - the absentee rate counts against the school. ***ing genius - Britain at its best!

 

[Fifty2One]

A broken arm was COOL and not an actual injury. Even more cool was if the person with their arm in a plaster cast would ask you to write on it...

Was a broken arm ACTUALLY a serious injury? The school conversations used to go "Yes,,,, Again,,, I see ,,,, Will see you now,,,,, "

 

[oumahexi]

Ah, but it was pretty! My fondest memory of Christmas 2009 is taking something from the freezer and finding my hand felt warmer on the inside of the appliance