Inclement/Adverse Weather - Policy

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1. General principles

1.1        The University recognises that severe weather and public transport disruptions may affect colleagues’ ability to travel to and from the workplace. While all colleagues are expected to make all reasonable efforts to attend work, alternative safe travel options should be explored if usual transport methods are unavailable.  These may include private or public transport, or walking, depending on circumstances and location. Hybrid working also enhances resilience in adverse conditions for many roles.

1.2      Colleagues should not put themselves at unnecessary risk, but the University must also minimise disruption. The key issue is to assess the situation as it arises, balancing the need for on-campus work with safety and travel conditions. In extreme weather events that lead to site closures, some additional considerations may apply (see Site Closures).

1.3      Colleagues should discuss contingency plans with their line manager where necessary if required on campus but unable to attend due to adverse weather or transport disruption, colleagues must inform their manager as soon as practicable, but no later than half an hour after their normal starting time.

1.4      If colleagues are unable to attend campus and cannot work remotely due to the nature of their role requiring on campus duties – where adverse weather or transport disruptions occur, and no official site closures or university management updates are otherwise in place – they may be required to make up any missed working hours once normal conditions resume, subject to local management approval.

2. Possible Action when Severe Adverse weather is predicted

2.1  For colleagues who can work at home, if severe conditions are predicted, this should be discussed with the relevant line manager in advance.

2.2  Colleagues planning to travel should ensure they are as prepared as they reasonably can be for such conditions, e.g. plan their route, ensure equipment in the car/vehicle is ready for a journey in poor weather, appropriate footwear, ensuring they have adequate medication for chronic conditions etc.

2.3  It is recognised that not all types of work can be done at home, and that for some roles, it is essential that staff make every effort to get to work.

 

 

3. Possible Action when Severe adverse weather has occurred

3.1  Unless the University issues instructions that it (or specific sites) will be closed, colleagues required on campus are expected to make all reasonable efforts to get to work, establish alternative working arrangements (e.g. working remotely) or take leave.

3.2  It is expected that colleagues who get to the site will work as normal as far as practicable and for as long as is practicable in the circumstances. If so, they will be paid as normal.

3.3  Colleagues who are able to set up alternative working arrangements to ensure that a high proportion of their normal workload can be delivered will be paid as normal.

3.4  If colleagues are unable to get to work and are unable to work from home, they will be expected to take leave. If colleagues wish to take paid leave, it can be taken from the current year’s allocation. If this year’s leave has been exhausted, colleagues can opt to draw down from next year’s allocation. Alternatively colleagues may opt for unpaid leave.

3.5  If schools/nurseries/day-care centres are closed, the University’s policy on emergency time off to care for dependents may apply to relevant colleagues – Other Leave/ Time Off

3.6  The University’s Emergency Time off to Care for Dependents policy normally allows for up to 3 days paid leave (plus a reasonable amount of unpaid time off). It requires colleagues to notify their manager as soon as practicable. If the schools’/day-care centre’s closure is prolonged, colleagues may be able to make alternative care arrangements and return to work. Any other days of absence will be unpaid or must be taken from annual leave.

3.7  The care for dependents policy also covers colleagues who are the primary carers of other dependents such as grandparents etc.

3.8  In some cases colleagues may be able to make up the working hours lost due to adverse weather by working longer as soon as practicable on resumption of normal conditions. This will be a matter for local management to agree and organise.

4. Site closures

4.1  In extreme weather conditions (e.g. red weather warnings), the University may temporarily close some or all sites. If closure is necessary, updates will be communicated as soon as possible.

4.2  Decisions regarding full or partial site closures will be based on local conditions and, where appropriate, external advice. Security measures and snow clearance requirements will be determined at the time.

4.3  Whenever possible, closure decisions will be coordinated across a site. However, in exceptional cases, a Vice Principal (VP),  Head of College, College Secretary, or Head of University Service may act earlier if deemed necessary.

  • Gilmorehill Site: The Principal, Senior Vice Principal, and Chief Operating Officer will make the decision, in consultation with the most senior available Estates and Buildings Manager and Security/Janitorial Services Manager.
  • Garscube and Dumfries Sites: The most senior available manager, typically a Head of School or above, will make the decision based on local conditions and advice.

4.4   Where remote work is possible, colleagues will be expected to work from home during the closure. Where a site or office is closed, with no other possible alternative arrangements for work to be carried out, colleagues should suffer no detriment to pay and will not be required to utilise annual leave to cover the day(s) lost due to the closure or to work time back.

4.5   Departments which operate essential on-site services may have more detailed local arrangements in place to maintain these services during adverse weather and this policy should be read in conjunction with those arrangements. This may involve (but is not limited to) exploring emergency minimum staffing levels or discussing voluntary arrangements based on proximity to/ability to safely attend campus, at all times considering colleague safety and adopting an overarching principle that colleagues should typically suffer no detriment to pay and should not be required to utilise annual leave to cover any day(s) lost due to an extreme weather event where the campus is otherwise closed.

Information Sources

The met office: www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/uk_forecast_weather.html provides a range of adverse weather warnings, regional forecasts and forecasts for some specific locations and postcodes.

 

BBC weather:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather is also a useful source, and can give forecasts for specific locations and postcodes.

 

Traffic Scotland:
http://trafficscotland.org/currentincidents/index.aspx provides updates on road conditions

 

Train service changes can be found at: 
www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/indicator.html

 

First Bus provides timetable and route maps across the Greater Glasgow area: https://www.firstbus.co.uk/greater-glasgow 

 

Local authorities and some individual organisations provide schools’ closures information and day-care facilities’ information for other persons etc.

Document Control

Policy Name Inclement/Adverse Weather 
Last Reviewed                        April 2025
Owner P&OD - Policy & Employee Relations