DWP Major Disruption to Travel Policy

pcsfylde News

DWP Policy revised for consistency with Civil Service Employee Policy

DWP policy revised from 21th March 2014

DWP Major Disruption to Travel (MDT) Policy has been revised with effect from 21st March 2014, following consultation but not agreement with the Departmental Trade Union side (DTUS). This Briefing outlines key points. A full copy is provided on the DWP Intranet from 21st March.

Major disruption to travel is disruption which severely affects public transport or roads to the extent that it prevents or seriously affects a significant number of employees’ efforts to travel to and from work.  This includes events such as severe weather, other natural disasters, travel strikes, or other major incidents.

Scope of policy

This policy applies when an employee’s ability to safely attend or remain at their usual place of work is affected by major disruption to travel.

The principles of this policy will also apply to business travel.  The policy covers all employees, including temporary appointments and employees on loan between Civil Service departments. 

The Policy does not cover disruption to caring arrangements, e.g. impact arising from school or day care centre closures. The Special Leave Policy may apply in such circumstances.

DWP policy principles

The following principles underpin the Major Disruption to Travel policy:

  • Employees who are affected by major disruption will be treated fairly and principles will be applied consistently.
  • Employees have a responsibility to attend work and should make every effort to do so but are not expected to take unnecessary risks.
  • Employees and managers will consider options to help manage absences that arise due to periods of major travel disruption.
  • Employees and their manager will discuss any potential health and safety risks and take account of, and make adjustments for, factors such as any disabilities, the nature of the disruption and the individual’s personal circumstances, when deciding on the most appropriate course of action.
  • Managers may consider awarding paid special leave to employees where they are satisfied that it was impossible for the individual to attend work and all options for the employee to carry out alternative useful work have been considered and ruled out.
  • If permitted as an alternative, remote or homeworking should conform to the ‘Remote/home working’ policy and procedures.

Employee Responsibilities

Employees have a responsibility to attend work as far as practicably possible.  Where major disruption affects employees’ ability to attend or leave their usual place of work they must immediately phone their manager or an alternative manager. If an employee is unable to contact a manager they must keep trying until they succeed. It is the responsibility of employees to familiarise themselves with their local arrangements and know who they should contact in such situations (MDT Procedure 3).

Manager Responsibilities

When the employee has made contact with the manager, the manager must discuss any potential obstacles preventing an employee travelling to and from their usual place of work. The manager should explore, with the employee, practical alternative ways of travelling to minimise loss of working time.

A number of factors should be considered when deciding on the most appropriate course of action. Managers must consider potential health and safety risks, the nature of the disruption and the individual’s personal circumstances. This must include individual employee needs such as disabilities that may make alternative means of travel more difficult. 

Alternative working arrangements

Managers should discuss options with the employee for alternative arrangements such as those listed under MDT Procedure 5:

  • Changing the timing of the journey to or from work  – Check local weather forecasts for improvements during the day to understand how the journey to and from work may be affected
  • Car-share or lifts from colleagues
  • Walking to work if less than one hour’s walking distance, where it is safe and practical to do so.
  • Working from alternative premises subject to manager’s approval, local security arrangements and business continuity arrangements. The guidance on working in another office under MDT Procedure 5.1 must be applied before taking this option.
  • Working from home. (Refer to the DWP Homeworking Policy for guidance.)
  • Employees requesting to use their own time i.e. flexi leave or annual leave, subject to business need.
  • Discussing longer term plans that may not have been possible at short notice where the disruption is expected to last for several days.

Whilst every effort should be made to reach a mutually acceptable agreement, it is ultimately an employee’s manager who should decide on the most appropriate course of action in any particular circumstances.

Working in another office

Employees must not, under any circumstances, report for work at a DWP site or an office which is part of another government department unless this has been approved/arranged by their manager. Working from an alternative office will only be approved where the criteria under Procedure 5.1 are met.

Deteriorating conditions during the day

The Department has a duty of care to its employees and will not expect them to risk their personal safety if conditions deteriorate during the day. Employees who are concerned about their personal safety on their journey home should speak to their manager. 

When considering a request to leave early managers will consider the employee’s concerns, any potential health and safety risks taking into account factors such as any disabilities, the nature of the disruption, the individual’s personal circumstances and business continuity requirements.  If it is agreed that the employee may leave early, a flexi credit should be given to take the employee up to their usual working hours for that day (MDT Procedure 6).

Leave and pay arrangements

Pre-booked annual leave or other leave should still be taken

Managers should consider awarding credits for delays in arriving at work due to major disruption (MDT Procedure 7).

Where alternative working arrangements are not possible and the employee cannot get to work, the manager should consider:

  • The award of flexi credits. This should be up to the employee’s normal working pattern/shift for that day.
  • Whether the employee wishes to take annual leave or flexi leave. Employees may take annual leave or flexi leave rather than keep trying to get into work when it is difficult to do so.

Managing absence

When an employee does not attend work and/or no contact has been made the manager must follow the procedure for unauthorised absence which could result in disciplinary action (MDT Procedure 8).

 Forward look

If an employee experiences difficulty getting to work, they should consider what, if anything, they can do to enable them to work if travel arrangements are disrupted again – especially if they live in a remote area or somewhere likely to experience disruption again (MDT Procedure 9).

PCS guidance on best practices

The revised Major Disruption to Transport Policy is being introduced following consultation but not agreement with PCS, but it does confirm that DWP accepts that Employees have a responsibility to attend work and should make every effort to do so but are not expected to take unnecessary risks. DWP also accepts that:

  • Managers may consider awarding paid special leave to employees where they are satisfied that it was impossible for the individual to attend work and all options for the employee to carry out alternative useful work have been considered and ruled out (MDT Policy).
  • Managers must consider potential health and safety risks, the nature of the disruption and the individual’s personal circumstances. This must include individual employee needs such as disabilities that may make alternative means of travel more difficult (MDT Procedure 4).
  • The Department has a duty of care to its employees and will not expect them to risk their personal safety if conditions deteriorate during the day. If it is agreed that the employee may leave early, a flexi credit should be given to take the employee up to their usual working hours for that day (MDT Procedure 6).
  • Where the employee cannot get to work and alternative working arrangements are not possible, the manager should consider the award of flexi credits. This should be up to the employee’s normal working pattern/shift for that day (MDT Procedure 7.3).