Can Employees Take Time Off Work for Snow Days?
- kate@thehrhero.co.uk
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
Snow Day Disruption? Here’s Your HR Hero Guide
Snow is falling… and so are the questions in your inbox.
Whenever severe weather hits, the same HR questions pop up like clockwork:
“Do we have to pay them if they don’t come in?”
“Can we dock wages for lateness?”
“What if the school or nursery is closed?”
“What if we shut the building?”
So, let’s cut through the panic and give you the HR Hero approach, clear, calm and compliant.
Do You Have to Pay Employees Who Can’t Get to Work Because of Snow?
Short answer: Not automatically.
In most cases, it’s the employee’s responsibility to attend work, even in bad weather. If they choose not to come in, there’s usually no legal obligation to pay them (unless their contract or policy says otherwise).
HR Hero approach:Start with the most practical question first:
Can they work from home?
If yes → they work, and they get paid as normal.
If no → you normally have three options:
Pay them anyway (goodwill option)
Unpaid leave
Annual leave (if agreed)
Top tip: Whatever route you take, make sure you apply it fairly and consistently across your team.
Do You Have to Pay Employees Who Arrive Late Because of Snow?
Short answer: You don’t have to, but be pragmatic.
Legally, you’re not obliged to pay employees for time they haven’t worked. So, if someone arrives late due to snow or public transport disruption, you can deduct pay for the hours missed.
HR Hero approach:Encourage employees to explore alternatives first:
public transport (different routes or times)
walking or cycling (if safe)
car sharing
alternative travel options
If someone has made a genuine effort to get in, you might decide to:
pay them anyway
allow them to make up the time later
offer flexibility on start/finish times
Top tip: Consistency matters. The quickest way to create employee frustration is to make snow-day decisions based on who’s shouting loudest.
Can employees take time off if their child’s school or nursery closes unexpectedly?
Short answer: Yes, employees have a legal right to unpaid emergency time off.
Under s.57A of the Employment Rights Act 1996, employees are entitled to a reasonable period of unpaid time off to deal with unexpected disruption to childcare arrangements.
That includes closures caused by snow, severe weather or transport disruption.
HR Hero approach:This time off is intended to:
deal with the immediate emergency
arrange alternative childcare if needed
Employers should not unreasonably refuse a request for dependants leave in these circumstances.
Top tip: The key word is reasonable. Time off is for short-term arrangements, not indefinite absence or childcare
4. What Happens If You Have to Close the Workplace Because of Snow?
Short answer: If you close, pay usually applies.
If the business decides to close the workplace, or sends staff home, this is generally treated as the employer preventing work, meaning employees are typically entitled to pay.
HR Hero approach:
First question:
Can employees work remotely?
If yes → they work and get paid as normal
If no → and the closure is your decision → pay is usually still due
Top tip: This is why having a clear severe weather policy is worth its weight in grit salt.
HR Scenario: Two Employees Live in the Same Area, one makes it in to work, the other says they can’t get to work because of the snow. What do we do?
Short answer: This is one of those tricky “it feels unfair” situations, but it’s all about facts, fairness, and consistency. Just because one person managed to get in doesn’t automatically mean the other employee is being dishonest. Don’t jump to conclusions, use facts, not assumptions.
Even from the same area, employees may have:
✅ different transport options
✅ caring responsibilities
✅ mobility or health issues
✅ different routes or connections
✅ safety concerns (especially early morning travel)
HR Hero approach:
Ask what steps the employee took to try to get in
Check whether remote working is possible
If they can’t work, agree the outcome clearly:
unpaid leave
annual leave
pay as goodwill (if your policy supports it)
Key reminder: you must apply decisions consistently, but not rigidly. Treating everyone “the same” isn’t always fair, treating everyone reasonably based on circumstances is the goal.
Do You Need a Severe Weather Policy?
Short answer: Yes, it prevents chaos, confusion and inconsistency.
Snow disruption becomes stressful when everyone is left guessing.
A simple severe weather policy (or even a flow chart!) can cover:
✅ attendance expectations
✅ pay and deductions
✅ working from home arrangements
✅ childcare disruptions
✅ workplace closures
✅ communication steps
✅ who makes final decisions
Top tip: Without a policy, managers are forced into decisions at 7am with no guidance, and that’s where inconsistency creeps in fast.
HR Hero Top Tips for Snow Disruption
Before you make any decisions, always:
Check what the employment contract says
Review your HR policies / employee handbook
Be clear about expectations and options
Keep communication quick and consistent
❄️ Remember: In snow disruption, employees remember how you handled it, fairness and clarity win every time ❄️
If you need advice or support, or have a tricky issue in the team and need an expert help then contact us today, by clicking this link:
Disclaimer: Every reasonable effort is made to make the information accurate and up to date, but no responsibility for its accuracy and correctness, or for any consequences of relying on it, is assumed by the author or publisher. If you are unsure about how this information applies to your specific situation, please seek legal advice.
