Work disrupted by weather

[Thunderace]

Last week the wifebeast's employer decided to close her site at 10:30 quoting travel/H&S risk.

Anyone who'd made it in was sent home, people still on route were told not to bother. Some, including the wifebeast were expected to work from home but not everyone has that ability.

This week they've been told to make up time or take it as holiday.

I understand that usually the company doesn't have to pay as it's the employee's responsibility to get to the workplace, but how's this affected by the employer deciding to close the site?

[anonymous-user]

The employer may be in breach of contract, but obtaining a remedy for this may be tricky, in practice. The employer contracts to pay the employee who is ready, willing, and able to work, and should not, absent clear provision for this in the contract, seek to impose on the employee the cost of its own decision to suspend business.

[Jasandjules]

If the employer advises a worker not to attend then the employee has fulfilled their obligation to be available to work for that employer and so the employer needs to pay the wages for that time.