Snow, Strikes and the Small Print: Who Pays When Bad Weather Keeps You From Work

Winter roads, storms and blocked rail lines raise awkward questions for employees and employers alike — about punctuality, pay and refunds. Legal guidance circulating on 24 October 2026 sets out where the responsibilities lie.

The commute is your problem

Employment lawyers are clear on one point: the so-called "commuting risk" sits with the workforce. Staff are themselves responsible for arriving at their workplace on time. When snow, ice or other weather disruption has been forecast, employees are expected to make arrangements — leaving earlier, for instance, or switching to an alternative route.

Only in extreme cases that make turning up genuinely unreasonable can an employee no longer be expected to appear punctually. Even then, that protection does not shield anyone from the financial consequences of a late or missed shift.

Missed hours, missing pay

If staff reach the site late or not at all because of the weather, the employer is in principle entitled to dock pay for the hours lost. The practice rests on a simple principle of employment law: the right to wages is tied to work actually being performed.

Many companies take a more practical route, booking the absence as negative hours on a working-time account so it can be made up later.

Rail refunds — and the force majeure loophole

Commuters who rely on the railways are frequently hit hard when storms strike. The legal basis for compensation over delays and cancellations is set out in an EU regulation from 2023:

• A delay of 60 minutes or more entitles passengers to a refund of 25 % of the fare.
• From 120 minutes, the entitlement rises to 50 % of the fare.
• Holders of season tickets receive fixed flat-rate amounts: €1.50 for local transport, €5 for long-distance services and €10 for Bahncard 100 holders.
• Compensation is only paid out once the amount reaches at least €4.

The rulebook contains one significant carve-out for severe weather. Where an event qualifies as force majeure — a category that includes extreme weather conditions — the claim for compensation from the railway operator lapses entirely.

Open questions on coordinating roles

Beyond the weather's effect on the working day, the same specialist commentary also examines specific working-time rules for coordinating activities, such as those under discussion for air traffic coordinators in France. On that subject the current reports contain no substantiated findings, underscoring that specialised working-time models still leave room for clarification.