Adverse weather policy

1) Do you have an adverse weather policy, when was it instated and how regularly is your policy reviewed?



2) Does your adverse weather policy include the commitment to undertake risk assessments for the specific adverse weather even



3) Does your adverse weather policy include the commitment to undertake an equality impact assessment for specific adverse weather events?



4) Does your adverse weather policy refer to your health & safety policy? And if so, what link does the policy make to health & safety provisions?



5) What specific provisions does the adverse weather policy make for agency, zero hours, temporary and casual workers?



6) What is the procedure within your adverse weather policy for staff who are struggling to get to work and/or concerned about returning home?



7) Under your adverse weather policy how staff are notified about office closures?



8) Within your adverse weather policy, what options are provided to staff in terms of adjustments staff can request from there line manager such as flexible working, shift swapping, home working, alternative duties etc?



9) Does your adverse weather policy require employees to take mandatory annual leave or unpaid leave if they can't undertake their regular duties due to adverse weather?



10) Can you confirm your adverse weather policy makes provisions for staff to be paid as normal even if they are unable to work from home during extreme or adverse weather?



11) What does your adverse weather policy say about the role of trade unions in the development and review of your adverse weather policy?



To note, your council may call your adverse weather policy by a different name, other examples may include extreme weather policy or severe weather, or your council may have separate policies specific to the type of severe weather. When we refer to adverse weather policy, we are referring to the internal corporate policy which gives guidance to staff when severe or extreme weather occur. Similarly, by severe/adverse/extreme weather we mean specific weather events such as heatwaves, storms, floods, snow, storms which may disrupt normal operations of your council. 

1. Do you have an adverse weather policy, when was it instated and how regularly is your policy reviewed? Yes. This can be found under LCC’s Leave and Time Off Policy which was instated in 2021 and is reviewed periodically if there are legislative or guidance changes

2. Does your adverse weather policy include the commitment to undertake risk assessments for the specific adverse weather even 

No.

3. Does your adverse weather policy include the commitment to undertake an equality impact assessment for specific adverse weather events?

No.

4. Does your adverse weather policy refer to your health & safety policy? And if so, what link does the policy make to health & safety provisions?

No.

5. What specific provisions does the adverse weather policy make for agency, zero hours, temporary and casual workers?

No specific provisions but the policy would apply to all workers, including workers temporarily engaged within Lincolnshire County Council.

6. What is the procedure within your adverse weather policy for staff who are struggling to get to work and/or concerned about returning home?

If employees cannot get to work due to adverse weather conditions and they are not working from home, they should book:

• annual leave

• time off in lieu (toil)

• flexitime

Employees may request paid dependents' leave if they are not able to get to work due to:

• school closures, if they must remain at home for childcare reasons

• they have a dependent relative whose care is cancelled because of the weather

This applies to occasional situations that result in an employee being unable to get to work. The business continuity people plan would apply in more serious events. This would include any severe disruption to the county, and to the services we provide.

7. Under your adverse weather policy how staff are notified about office closures?

Service Areas business continuity plans will be activated to contact employees to notify them of office closures

8. Within your adverse weather policy, what options are provided to staff in terms of adjustments staff can request from there line manager such as flexible working, shift swapping, home working, alternative duties etc?

If it is not possible to get to work, employees must contact their manager. They should do this at the beginning of the working day or shift. They should:

• report that they are unable to get to work

• discuss options to work from a different location

• if appropriate, agree to work from home if there is access to suitable and appropriate systems of work

9. Does your adverse weather policy require employees to take mandatory annual leave or unpaid leave if they can't undertake their regular duties due to adverse weather?

Please refer to Q6.

10. Can you confirm your adverse weather policy makes provisions for staff to be paid as normal even if they are unable to work from home during extreme or adverse weather?

Please refer to Q6.

11. What does your adverse weather policy say about the role of trade unions in the development and review of your adverse weather policy?

All employment policies are subject to consultation with recognised trade unions for comment and feedback and are reviewed periodically.