However, there are solutions which could help ensure your business can continue whatever the weather. John Mehtam is the employment law specialist at Martin Kaye Solicitors, and he said employers must consider how their staff would cope should bad weather strike.
“In snow and ice, employees who drive off-road vehicles may not be concerned, but for drivers of smaller vehicles, you may need to look at alternative travel arrangements”
“So instead you might like to consider a more cost-effective car-sharing arrangement over the winter where the more confident drivers pick up their colleagues and bring them into work. You can offer the drivers an allowance as an incentive, but set this at a level that will cost you less than a taxi. The payment will be treated as extra wages and subject to tax and National Insurance as normal, but the drivers will still be better off.”
John said if for some reason, the employee driving the shared car can’t offer their colleagues a lift on any particular day, they will have to make their own way into work. “If this happens, and you pay for the employees who would usually share the car to travel home by taxi, in these circumstances it won’t be counted as taxable income.
John’s key message to employers is that “in such difficult economic times, it’s vital that company bosses consider all the options in order to keep their business operating in order to meet urgent deadlines and delivery dates. By developing a transport policy now, before the really bad weather strikes, your company will be better prepared and ahead of the competition when it really matters.”
To read more about Martin Kaye’s Employment Law services, click on the following link: http://www.martinkaye.co.uk/
# # #
Martin-Kaye LLP is one of the West Midlands fastest growing legal practices. Based in Telford, the firm boasts a number of specialist departments with a particular focus on commercial and business law.
