Ireland is set to be battered by Storm Dudley followed by Storm Eunice over the coming days as torrential rain, strong winds and snow are expected.
Met Eireann’s forecast at this point shows snow arriving on Thursday for the north and west of the country.
It’s due to move east and southwest then overnight with wintry spells arriving over the south of the country on Friday.
With employees returning to the office, many will be wondering what the laws around taking days off during a snowstorm means for them.
What is the law for taking time off due to bad weather?
The first thing to note is that for many companies, working from home over the few days of the storm won’t cause any major hiccups.
Covid-19 has allowed most businesses to put in place a solid remote structure, and so the need to take time off may not even arise.
However, for those in public-facing jobs, the need to get to work on time even in the midst of bad weather remains mandatory.
According to Irish law, even if the weather is preventing you from safely getting to your job, your employer has no legal obligation to pay you for the days you miss.
The only potential loophole in this instance would be to use a day of annual leave, or take unpaid leave until conditions ease - however, this is also up to your employer to grant.
There was a point in 2018 when legislation was brought before the Dail that would have allowed workers to remain at home, and be paid if Met Eireann issued a red warning.
It was ultimately denied, and so Irish employees currently have no legal backing to not show up to work when extreme weather events occur.
For those who take the law into their own hands and simply choose not to show up, this is known as an ‘unexcused absence’ and may be in breach of your contract.
However, according to the Irish forecaster, things are due to settle down by Sunday. Rain is due to hit most counties but there will be glimpses of sunshine and moderate to strong winds.
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