No. In adverse weather, all employees are expected to make every effort to report for work. This includes attempting to travel to work by other means or to make use of the Council's mobile and flexible working options where relevant to your role.

Where this is not possible, you must use annual leave, flexi leave or unpaid leave.

Alternatively, where work is available, your line manager may agree that you can work additional hours at a later date to make up lost time. This is the case no matter what has prevented you from being able to attend work because of bad weather, eg no public transport, inability to walk due to excess snow.

The only exception to this is where the Chief Executive has approved Special Leave on a Council wide basis.

Teachers and school based staff may report to their nearest Falkirk Council school if unable to report to their normal work location. If this is not possible, your Head Teacher may agree that you can work from home or plan additional work in the future which would allow you to make up the time. If none of this is possible, the only remaining option is to request unpaid leave.

The Council, along with other authorities, will try to keep schools open. If the school closure was unforeseen, consideration may be given to carer's leave in line with the Council's Family Leave Policy. Carer's leave is intended to deal with emergency and unforeseen situations and to allow time to make alternative arrangements. Managers will be required to assess each case individually in line with the Family Leave Policy.

If this is normally an option for your job then this should be considered.

Where this is not normally possible for your job, you must agree this with your line manager. Your line manager will determine whether the nature of your work allows for homeworking and whether there is sufficient work which can be allocated to allow you to work from home, either for part of or all of a day. If this is a possibility you should ensure that you take sufficient and appropriate work home with you in case you are prevented from attending work.

For employees on the Flexi-time scheme, actual attendance hours should be recorded. Managers can agree to allow employees to leave early if they are worried about transport home, but additional credited hours will not be given. If the Chief Executive has authorised a full closure and special leave is being applied then you will be credited for attendance until your normal finishing time.

In such circumstances, you will continue to be regarded as being on sick leave or annual leave as appropriate. If you are on sick leave, you should follow normal absence reporting procedures.