Many across Britain will breathe a sigh of relief that Storm Éowyn has subsided. Described as the strongest storm in a decade, Storm Éowyn brought up to 100 mph winds across Britain and the storm’s effects impacted over 285,000 homes and businesses.
As the Met Office predicts that climate change will bring increased extreme weather events – whether heavy rain, snow or floods – it is increasingly important to revisit your policies and contracts to stay on top of the rights and duties of your business during disruptive weather events and to ensure you are prepared for any challenge.
Weatherproof your contracts and policies
Employers have a legal duty of care to ensure that staff members are not put in danger while commuting. If travel conditions are hazardous, businesses should avoid pressuring employees to travel. Flexible working, adjusted hours or alternative work locations may help maintain productivity while ensuring staff safety. Our tips below will help you to consider whether your business policies are in good shape.
1. Employment contracts
Consider whether your employment contracts are stormproof by having clear terms dealing with flexible work and working from home. Remember, if working from home is not a part of their contract, you may not ask your staff members to work from home. See our Q&A here for more guidance on what to consider in relation to flexible working arrangements.
You may want to revisit your working hours agreement to ensure that your staff members can respond with flexibility to changes in work patterns demanded by periods of bad weather. See our Q&A here for more on changes to working hours.
Remember, changing the contracts of existing staff members can be a delicate process that requires preparation. See our Q&A here for more guidance on what you will need to consider when changing terms in employment contracts.
2. Company policies
If your workplace has a bad weather policy, it should outline whether employees are paid if they cannot attend work. You may want to link your flexible work policy or working from home policy to the Met Office’s weather warning system to ensure clarity and predictability for your staff – for example, if a red warning is in place, your staff will know that they should not attend the workplace and will be paid.
See our Staff handbook and policies toolkit for an array of policies, including those covering flexible working, working from home and annual leave. These can be personalised to your needs and produced either as standalone policies or as part of a staff handbook.
3. Work from home arrangements
If remote work is possible, staff members should be encouraged to continue working from home during bad weather. Consider whether your workers have the equipment and IT support to allow them to do so at short notice. For more information on what to consider when equipping your staff to work from home, see our Q&A here.
You may also choose to use our Flexible working policy or Working from home policy.
Can I require my staff to take annual leave?
When there has been advance warning of bad weather, you can ask staff members to take annual leave to cover unexpected absences, as long as notice is given. Generally, employers should provide at least twice the amount of notice as the leave period (eg two days’ notice for one day of leave).
See our Q&A here and following for more information on when employees can take time off during bad weather.
Is the workplace safe?
You should also consider whether the workplace is safe and comfortable for your staff. You are responsible if staff members are injured by accidents at the workplace, potentially including those caused by heavy wind or snow. You should take steps appropriate to minimise risks caused by weather, such as using salt or grit on pathways and ensuring that equipment and goods are secured against the wind.
The workplace place should be kept at a comfortable temperature during hot or cold snaps. The Health and Safety Executive recommend a minimum of 16C for office environments and 13C for physical workers. See Q&A here for more.
You can use our Annual action plan (health and safety) to ensure that your emergency processes and equipment are in good working order. We have a range of risk assessments available for you to use depending on the type of workplace: see our General risk assessment for a shop or other business open to customers, General risk assessment for an office and General risk assessment for remote workers.
What if I close the workplace?
If you decide to close the workplace due to extreme weather, staff members who were otherwise available to work are usually entitled to full pay unless their contract states otherwise. Failure to pay them in full might amount to unlawful deduction from wages.
See our Q&A here for more on paying your employees when the workplace is closed due to bad weather.
Practical steps for employers
- Implement a clear adverse weather policy – Having a clear and well-documented policy prevents confusion and helps to ensure fairness.
- Encourage remote work where possible – If roles allow, remote work should be the default option during severe weather events.
- Communicate early and clearly any changes to hours – Keep staff members informed about expectations regarding their working hours.
- Consider employee wellbeing – Forcing attendance in unsafe conditions can lead to low morale and potential legal risks.
Following these steps and having the right legal documentation ready in advance of bad weather can help your business navigate these challenges smoothly. Our Staff handbook and policies toolkit can help you create the documents you need to stay ahead of stormy weather.
The content in this article is up to date at the date of publishing. The information provided is intended only for information purposes, and is not for the purpose of providing legal advice. Sparqa Legal’s Terms of Use apply.
Rahul joined Sparqa in 2025 from the Commercial Court, where he served as a Judicial Assistant. He has active interests in commercial, corporate and employment developments which he pursues alongside teaching undergraduate law.