EXTREME WEATHER AND EMERGENCY ABSENCE POLICY
1.
Introduction
1.1
From time to time there will be extreme or emergency circumstances that may potentially
prevent employees from attending work.
1.2
Extreme/emergency absence may potentially include:
 Extreme weather conditions (flood, snow, ice)
 Unacceptable working conditions at work sites (e.g. where there are health and safety
concerns).
1.3
It is crucial for any organisation to have business contingency and recovery plans in
place to ensure business continuity. The DBF, in having a range of criteria in place to
assess the need for emergency contingency planning will always, at the starting point for
any planning process, begin each with a thorough risk assessment.
2.
Absence arrangements
2.1
Any absence arrangements will be communicated to all members of employee via:
o their line manager (through team and department emergency contact details)
o through the diocesan website
2.2
Only the Diocesan Secretary or a nominated deputy can make the decision to close
down the College Green offices in extreme/emergency conditions and there is a separate
senior manager emergency action plan for following this through.
3.
Health and safety
3.1
The health and safety of all DBF employees is paramount and whilst every individual
should make every effort to attend work, each must take responsibility for their own
personal safety.
3.2
Under health and safety national guidelines, the DBF will not encourage employees to
travel into work in extreme weather conditions where it is unsafe to do so. Nor should
employee take unreasonable risks to reach work.
3.3
Under most circumstances it will be possible for the offices to remain open with skeleton
employee on duty (e.g. those who live most locally).
3.4
Unless they have been given permission by their line manager no member of
employee should be in the building(s) alone when a decision has been made by
the Diocesan Secretary to close the offices. Where an individual is working alone
they should be in regular contact with their line manager – this is to ensure that in
the event of any accident there is someone able to raise an alarm.
3.5
Any personal accident which happens in the course of work (e.g. slipping over on the
way to a meeting etc.), during an emergency/extreme set of circumstances should be
reported to the line manager and logged with the HR Manager.
4.
Alternatives
For parents and carers
4.1
Where an emergency alert has been emailed to all employees and/or uploaded on to the
diocesan website, managers must liaise with their employee to ensure alternative
arrangements for them attending work are in place.
4.2
Where children’s schools have been closed and children are of an age not to be left
alone, or where there are dependent caring responsibilities, a parent/carer should first try
to make arrangements for alternative care for their child(ren)/dependent (see also
Section 4 Family Friendly policies)
4.3
Where the extreme/emergency situation may continue for a length of time the Diocesan
Secretary and HR Manager will communicate alternatives guidelines to all managers.
For those able to work from home
4.4
For employees who are able to work from home on particular pieces of work/ projects,
they should ensure that they have taken home all necessary documents and paperwork
and that they have access to suitable IT arrangements.
4.5
For certain members of employee it may be appropriate for them to have access to all
work systems through a specific piece of software which the IT/Systems Manager can
install on their home computer, as long as there is a broadband connection. It is for
heads of department to liaise directly with the IT Systems Manager regarding the
propriety of each request as there are costs and employee time associated with each
installation.
4.6
Individuals should liaise with their line manager to discuss/agree the pieces of work they
will work on at home and discuss ongoing arrangements for them to remain working from
home until the emergency/extreme conditions have passed.
4.7
Where individuals are working from home, where possible they should also forward their
work phone to their mobile/home phone and recoup itemised costs through the normal
expenses process.