As air traffic control strikes are set to delay thousands of flights across Europe, People Management explores the implications for staff stuck overseas
Flight cancellations could cause headaches for HR, as employees may find themselves – or could already be – stranded abroad.
According to BBC reporting, easyJet has confirmed the cancellation of 1,700 flights across July, August and September as a result of air traffic control strikes – and this month is set to have the “highest number of UK flight departures” since before the pandemic.
While the airline assured that 95 per cent of passengers have now booked on to alternative flights, The Times has predicted that up to 12,600 flights per day across Europe could be impacted by the industrial action.
But where does this leave employers with workers stuck abroad on their holidays, and should the response differ if the staff member is travelling for business? People Management asks the legal experts.
Likely to be the first thing on any stranded employee's mind is their pay, and whether they will get any. But if an employee does find themselves stuck in another country, they could be declared as absent without leave (AWOL), says Tom Long, employment partner and industrial relations specialist at Shakespeare Martineau.
Being AWOL can result in a “loss of pay or even disciplinary action”, he explains, warning that this approach could be “heavy handed”, especially if the employee has made contact to explain the situation. He...
President Donald Trump made numerous false claims in his rambling Wednesday speech at the Republican midterm convention. Trump repeated long-debunked lies about elections and immigration. He deliv...