TEMPERATURES have plummeted and parents might be concerned about childcare if schools are closed.
So what does wintry weather mean for children in the classroom and for you at work?
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If childcare is tricky for you then try now to worry because there are some scenarios where you can get time off work to care for your kids.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Can you take time off work if your child’s school is closed due to snow?
Schools sometimes shut their doors during snowy weather if it means there’s not enough staff in, the site is unsafe or kids can’t travel in safely.
But if you’ve been left wondering whether your child’s school closing means you can take time off, luckily you can.
Parents are entitled to take reasonable time off work to deal with an unexpected problem or emergency.
This is often known as “dependant leave”, according to Citizens Advice.
Your employer can’t refuse dependant leave if you have no other option.
You also won’t face disciplinary action or lose your job.
Many employers are flexible with staff who have to care for their children due to unexpected circumstances, such as adverse weather conditions.
If your child is under the age of 18, then you also have other rights to time off.
This is known as “parental leave” – but you must have worked for your employer for at least a year before you can take this leave.
You can take up to 18 weeks off for parental leave before your child turns 18, but your employer can limit this to four weeks off per year.
How do you find out if your child’s school is closed?
THE main reason a school will close in bad weather is because the teachers may struggle to get in.
That means staff may not be there to pick up the phone to tell you if a school is closed.
You can visit Gov.uk to find out if a school is closed in England and Wales.
If you live in Scotland than you can visit Mygov.scot.
For Northern Ireland, see NIDirect.gov.uk for a full list of closed schools.
Will you get paid for this time off?
Unless your contract of employment states it, you won’t be paid for dependant or parental time off.
You may be able to negotiate taking holiday with your employer if you’d still like to get paid and are entitled to paid holiday but this will be at their discretion.
But crucially, you don’t have to make up the missed time later on.
Can you get a day off work due to the snow if you don’t have a child?
Unfortunately, there is no automatic legal right to be paid if you miss work due to snow.
Employers are entitled to regard your absence as unauthorised, even if it is due to weather circumstances way out of your control.
Some employers may ask you to work from home if you’re genuinely unable to get in.
If you can’t make it into work then your boss may ask you to take unpaid leave or use up some of your holiday allowance.
If your workplace is closed because of disruption and you don’t usually work from home, employers can’t usually deduct your pay.
Check your employment contract and know your rights before speaking to your employer.
A reasonable boss will be flexible, particularly if you’ve given them plenty of notice and made every effort to get there.
For more advice visit the Citizens Advice website.
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