Volcanic Eruption – Staff Stranded Aborad

We have had a number of enquires regarding what action to take with staff who are stranded abroad due to the volcanic eruption. Most Scottish schools were due back from the Easter break on Monday, and a high proportion of people took advantage of the break to head overseas.

What action should I take?

The best advice we can give is to be reasonable and look at each case individually. You might have key staff who could work remotely from their destination using a laptop or other mobile device, or if you are a global organisation you could have offices near where they are based. We appreciate this only affects a small proportion of businesses and this is why you need to adopt a degree of flexibility and be reasonable.

You could offer employees unpaid leave, however if people have already lost out financially due to being stranded this could affect them greater. You could decide to cover the extra leave from their annual holiday entitlement or if you operate a flexi-system staff could work the hours missed at a time that suits you as the employer.

Remember, look at each case on its merits and if you are unsure why not call us for some advice? If you would like support on any other HR topic or employment law matter, please contact us on 0800 612 4772 or get a Free Quote for HR Services via our website.