An employment specialist at Coodes Solicitors in Truro is advising businesses about the impact the extreme weather conditions on staff.
Emma Bramley, newly-appointed as head of employment, points out that heavy snow and ice has a significant impact on small businesses in the south west.
She said: “Employers are counting the costs with many employees unable or in some cases unwilling to make it into work.
“What the employees may not realise is that they do not have the right to be paid on snow days.
“Many employers will make discretionary payments in circumstances where staff struggle to attend work, whilst some will require their staff to take annual or unpaid leave.”
Bramley added: “My advice would be that as a region we very rarely get prolonged severe weather. Payment of an odd day may have been customary in the past, but for a period of several days would prove unsustainable for smaller employers.”
Coodes has issued a page of advice on its newly launched website on the legal impacts of extreme snow and ice for employers.
