By Jess Moss
The Icelandic volcano has a lot to answer for. It has scuppered holiday plans and left thousands of British people stranded across the world. It has caused economic problems and dominated the news. But what about its implications regarding employment law?
Employment law probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when discussing the knock on effects of the volcanic ash, but there are thousands of employees stranded abroad and many others in the UK who had booked holiday time this week but are now unable to travel. So what does UK employment law state about circumstances like this?
With an estimated 150,000 Brits stranded abroad, it’s no small number of companies who will have found themselves short staffed following the Easter break. Employers are therefore reminded that they are not alone in being short staffed and inconvenienced and that they should therefore try and maintain good relations with employees. Disciplinary action against employees unable to return to work would be seen as contrived to employers should offer the chance to take holiday or unpaid leave.
However, employees who are away on business trips have the right to expect their employer to carry on paying them in full as long as they remain stranded, whilst trying to find them work that can be performed via the internet for example.
Employees who have booked holidays and cannot go may ask to return to work instead. Allowing them to rearrange holiday is not an obligation of the employer but can be done at their discretion. Where possible it is a good idea because it will help to maintain good employer-staff relations.
The question of what airline staff are doing with their time this week is an interesting one. Airlines are obliged to find work for them to do, unless they have a lay-off or short time working clause in their employment contracts. If they do, they may wish to implement it to prevent employees coming to work.
Employment law probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when discussing the knock on effects of the volcanic ash, but there are thousands of employees stranded abroad and many others in the UK who had booked holiday time this week but are now unable to travel. So what does UK employment law state about circumstances like this?
With an estimated 150,000 Brits stranded abroad, it’s no small number of companies who will have found themselves short staffed following the Easter break. Employers are therefore reminded that they are not alone in being short staffed and inconvenienced and that they should therefore try and maintain good relations with employees. Disciplinary action against employees unable to return to work would be seen as contrived to employers should offer the chance to take holiday or unpaid leave.
However, employees who are away on business trips have the right to expect their employer to carry on paying them in full as long as they remain stranded, whilst trying to find them work that can be performed via the internet for example.
Employees who have booked holidays and cannot go may ask to return to work instead. Allowing them to rearrange holiday is not an obligation of the employer but can be done at their discretion. Where possible it is a good idea because it will help to maintain good employer-staff relations.
The question of what airline staff are doing with their time this week is an interesting one. Airlines are obliged to find work for them to do, unless they have a lay-off or short time working clause in their employment contracts. If they do, they may wish to implement it to prevent employees coming to work.
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