[Jack Wallace]

Up to now my employees contract has always said that if it’s too wet/bad snow etc and we can’t work, they don’t get paid. So they have a day at home.

It’s always worked fine and they are ok with it as we don’t lose that much, however I have 2 good lads now who put in 100% so I feel I owe them a full week regardless of conditions.
My question is, what do you guys in a similar position do?
Do you just send them home and take the financial hit or perhaps find them some other kind of work?

[lyndy]

Our guy puts flyers out,more often we get new custys that covers he's wages

[gewindows]

Are these guys self-employed or on the cards?

[formb]

It's a toughie that one.

We do our best to find work for them to do. Generally it's flyers, but that's no use when there is 2 foot of snow outside.

If we get another winter like last year though we will need to think long and hard about what to do. We have 10 employees and cannot afford to pay them to be sat about doing nothing for 3 months, again.

We thought about clearing driveways etc, but it was a bit late in the day to get the advertising done and drum up some work. Should really be getting prepared for that eventuality now............

[simon w]

Just send them out working in the rain, I have always done this residential and commercial, never been a problem, I think I lost two days last year to bad weather snow and this was only because I didn't want the vans getting written off, we usually work in the snow as well.

Other windies may have issues about this, but all I can say is that in all the years I've employed and been in business working in bad weather has never been an issue

Hope this helps

[formb]

Just send them out working in the rain, I have always done this residential and commercial, never been a problem, I think I lost two days last year to bad weather snow and this was only because I didn't want the vans getting written off, we usually work in the snow as well.

Other windies may have issues about this, but all I can say is that in all the years I've employed and been in business working in bad weather has never been an issue

Hope this helps

Agreed.

I send my guys out in the rain too, very rarely a problem.

Sometimes though there are issues. Like last winter 2 foot of snow and minus 24 C. Not a chance of cleaning windows in that.

[Helen]

Up to now my employees contract has always said that if it’s too wet/bad snow etc and we can’t work, they don’t get paid. So they have a day at home.

It’s always worked fine and they are ok with it as we don’t lose that much, however I have 2 good lads now who put in 100% so I feel I owe them a full week regardless of conditions.
My question is, what do you guys in a similar position do?
Do you just send them home and take the financial hit or perhaps find them some other kind of work?

If they are "employed" (not S/E) you can look at their holiday entitlement situation and with their agreeance you could put it down as paid hols. If they humm and ha about this, offer them unpaid Hols.
Van and equipment maintenance is something else they could do, along with marketing.
As you want to keep these ones happy and you haven't paid them for rainy days before, why not sit them down and say that in future you will pay an average of say the last 14 days work, if the weather stops play for a full day, but you can only do this 4 times a month....only examples but you need to find a happ medium for all concerned.

[Jack Wallace]

Some very useful ideas, thanks everyone.
In answer to Rise 'n Shine's question, the guys are employed, paye.

I will have to give it some serious thought about how to handle this as I want to try and make everyone happy, I always try to look after my lads and in return they work damned hard for me.
Perhaps I should look at sending them out in the rain,  It never used to bother me but have backed off from that more and more latley as seem to get turned away by customers more now.
I like the idea of getting them to post flyers as hopefully it will have a knock on effect and more than cover their costs.

[formb]

Some very useful ideas, thanks everyone.
In answer to Rise 'n Shine's question, the guys are employed, paye.

I will have to give it some serious thought about how to handle this as I want to try and make everyone happy, I always try to look after my lads and in return they work damned hard for me.
Perhaps I should look at sending them out in the rain,  It never used to bother me but have backed off from that more and more latley as seem to get turned away by customers more now.
I like the idea of getting them to post flyers as hopefully it will have a knock on effect and more than cover their costs.

We explain that WFP works in the rain blah blah blah, but when the customer says they don't want done regardless we miss them out and politely tell them we will see them next month.

Never really too much of an issue