Adverse Conditions
Guiding Principles
It is expected, and indeed the responsibility, of all staff to make every reasonable effort to attend work during adverse weather and other conditions without putting their personal safety at risk. Where normal travel arrangements have broken down, all possible alternatives should be explored. In instances where normal carer arrangements have been disrupted or schools/nurseries closed, reasonable alternative carer/child care arrangements should be explored where possible. The University’s Time off for Dependents policy should also be referred to at : www.sheffield.ac.uk/hr/guidance/worklifebalance/dependants
The University recognises that health and safety considerations of its staff are of paramount importance. Staff also have a responsibility for the health and safety of themselves and others and should not take unnecessary risks in relation to themselves or for those for whom they have a responsibility as a carer.
The line manager should ensure that reporting arrangements for adverse weather and other conditions are clearly communicated to all staff.
Where an individual member of staff is unable to get into work, or is likely to be significantly delayed, they must contact their line manager at the earliest opportunity, and if appropriate, give an indication of expected arrival time. Failure to comply with normal reporting arrangements may amount to unauthorised absence and result in pay being deducted for the period of unauthorised absence.
Where a member of staff arrives at work late due to severe weather or other adverse conditions covered by these guidelines and has made every reasonable effort to keep in contact with their manager, they will not be required to make up the lost time and will not suffer any loss of pay.
Where attendance at the normal workplace is not possible at all there is no entitlement to payment for the absence. Staff will be required to work, where possible and when agreed by the line manager, from an alternative location which may include working remotely from home.
Where attendance at work is not possible and work cannot be undertaken elsewhere, the individual should agree with their line manager how to treat the absence for payment purposes. The following options should be considered:
- Annual Leave
In most instances it will be acceptable for a day’s annual leave to be used and, if the full years leave entitlement has already been exhausted, it may be considered to allow the member of staff to use a day’s leave from the next leave year.
- Work in lieu of time taken
The member of staff may elect to make up the lost time on a date to be agreed with the line manager.
- Authorised Unpaid Leave
Subject to the agreement of the line manager, the individual may elect to take the day as unpaid leave. The manager will notify their appropriate myTeam administrator to ensure that this is recorded on the system for payroll to make an appropriate deduction from their normal salary.
- A combination of the above
In agreeing solutions with staff, managers should treat each individual case on their own merits, bearing in mind the overriding objective of continuing to provide services and of having the workforce capacity to do so.
The manager in deciding with the individual which course of action should be adopted must give appropriate consideration to members of staff with disabilities or medical conditions where it can reasonably be assumed that the disability/medical condition will impact on the individual’s ability to cope with the adverse condition.
The manager retains the right to challenge any absence or late attendance at work where they reasonably believe that there has been an abuse of these principles or a failure to make appropriate efforts to attend work. In such instances the manager may wish to seek advice from their HR Adviser.
Where severe weather conditions or other adverse conditions covered by these guidelines develops during the course of the working day, it will be for line managers to decide upon any individual request to leave work early taking into account these guidelines, the particular concerns and needs of the member of staff and difficulties in travelling home which may be experienced by the member of staff. The University has a duty of care towards staff and their health and safety. Where a decision is made by the line manager to authorise the member of staff to leave work before the end of the normal working day no deduction from pay will be made.
Where the severe weather conditions/adverse condition persist into the following working day and there is the possibility that staff may not be able to attend work or will be late for work, the communication and approval steps outlined above will need to be repeated.
Should a member of staff not be able to attend work due to the closure of a school or nursery (attended by the children of staff) for a second consecutive day, they should request to take annual or unpaid leave.
Where there are significant numbers of staff or students absent from a School such that it is not possible to continue with the normal teaching and learning timetable this should be reported as soon as possible to the Pro Vice Chancellor so that consideration can be given to further action.
Managers and staff should regularly consult the internal communications website for updates on any further University guidance in relation to the adverse condition.