Volcano update: seven things employers should be doing

The cloud of volcanic ash covering the UK for the last week has caused unprecedented, and often dramatic, problems. While news bulletins are full of tales of stranded holidaymakers, the impact on the workplace, while less glamorous, has been no less significant.

Here's what employers need to consider:

  1. Make sure you have a policy in place dealing with disruptions to transport, but make it open ended enough to include disruptions caused by anything from natural disasters and severe weather, to public transport strikes and terrorist attacks.

    This should cover issues such as the steps your employees are required to take to try to get to work, that they must contact their employer as soon as possible if they are unable to get to work, and the consequences of their not being able to make it to work. This should reduce the scope for confusion and disagreement.

  2. Require employees to make reasonable efforts to get to work, for example by finding ways other than flying for getting back from holiday. But take into account employees' individual circumstances (for example, where they are on holiday).

    Bear in mind there will be extra strain on alternative modes of transport during disruptions caused by the volcanic ash cloud and that employees may struggle to get to work even if they do not have to travel a great distance.

  3. Consider how you will treat absence due to transport disruptions. As a general rule, employees must be ready and willing to perform their duties, so if they are absent from work without authorisation they are not automatically entitled to be paid.

    Having said this, if an employee is unable to get to work because his or her flight has been cancelled - something caused by a natural disaster beyond the employee's control - you may wish to be more lenient. But remember to be consistent in your approach to avoid discrimination claims. You could discuss the options with the employee on his or her return.

  4. Where employees are unable to get to work because they have been on holiday and have become stranded due to transport disruptions, taking additional paid annual leave may be an option. There is nothing to stop you asking if employees would like to take extra holiday if they are unable to get to work. Many employees will find taking paid holiday preferable to losing a day's pay.
  5. Think of other practical alternatives to requiring employees to take time missed as annual leave. For example, some employees may agree to make the time up at a later date or employers could allow employees to swap shifts.
  6. Do not place unreasonable burdens on employees who have not been away on holiday and have been able to make it to work. Employers have a duty of care to all their employees and should also bear in mind the maximum periods that they can require employees to work under the Working Time Regulations 1998.
  7. Remember that other organisations' employees may also be having difficulty getting to work, which may have a knock-on effect on your staff.

    Where, for example, nurseries are closed due to key staff being unable to get to work, your employees may have no option but to take time off to provide childcare. This is likely to fall under the right to take reasonable time off in relation to dependants.

    Time off in these circumstances is unpaid (unless you choose to pay employees or the contract provides for paid leave), and should last only for as long as is necessary to deal with the immediate situation.

Volcanic ash: its impact on employers this week

Mark Avery, travel manager, PricewaterhouseCoopers

"About 500 of our people are currently affected, in locations in Europe and further afield in the Middle East, Asia and the US. We've contacted them directly to extend their hotel stays, or make alternative travel arrangements with trains, hire cars and ferries where possible.

Any employees on business travel have their laptop and mobiles with them, and would be working out of local PwC or client offices while away, so the business impact is minimal because they can continue working where they are. But it's unsettling for people to be away from their families and friends, so we're updating them regularly via our travel support line and email and where possible organising alternative travel arrangements.

Some employees have taken the challenge on themselves: board partner Kevin Ellis drove 700km from the Alps to Paris and then took the Eurostar to London after getting stranded last week."

Tim Sinclair, chief human capital officer, Booz & Co

"The volcanic ash issue has significantly affected organisations like Booz, where a key part of our value proposition is bringing the best of our firm globally to the client. We do a significant amount of travel - and have a number of people (myself included) 'stranded'. We've put several key actions in place:

  • We're thinking creatively about travel alternatives, chartering a plane to Barcelona for key European partners stranded in the US.
  • We've block booked videoconference facilities in major geographies, enabling us to conduct a higher proportion of client meetings virtually.
  • Teams of people are travelling together, sharing long driving distances.
  • We're communicating as much as possible, asking people in each region to get in touch every three hours with status reports and options for travel.
  • We have a dedicated group working on long-term contingency planning - answering the question 'what if things don't improve in a week, or a month… or longer?'.
  • The potential impact is significant. Delaying client assignments means delayed revenues, and the risk of mismanaging client expectations."