Stranded workers - Time for a compromise?

IT is unfortunate that workers who were unable to return to work after holidays because their flights were grounded may have to forgo further holidays to cover the lost days.

After all, these people were absent from work through no fault of their own.

Equally, especially in these difficult times, it is probably asking too much of employers to pick up the tab for a problem they did not create.

The National Employment Rights Authority tell us the situation is clear: “With regard to an employee being unable to present for work, regardless of the circumstances, there is no legal entitlement for that employee to be paid.” That may well be the case, but in these exceptional circumstances it seems that the fairest thing to do would be to reach some sort of a half-way compromise where each party shares the pain.