…but your boss could insist that you use public transport
However, your employer could insist that you use public transport , although some workers might want to avoid this because of Covid concerns, particularly if they’re vulnerable.
Rebecca Thornley-Gibson, partner at law firm DMH Stallard, said: “It will be potentially unreasonable to insist that an employee uses public transport to get to work where they have raised genuine health and safety concerns, but that does not mean an employer will have to pay an employee who does not attend work due to the transport difficulties.”
You could also ask to change your start and finish time so you’re travelling when the roads and petrol stations are hopefully less busy or when public transport is less crowded. Alternatively, your boss could also ask you to travel to a different office location if there is one that is more accessible.
You may be able to negotiate working from home if you have a job that can be done remotely. If you’ve worked remotely through the pandemic then you should have a strong case for requesting this.
Thornley Gibson said: “”Employers who have a hybrid working model will see its advantages when employees are prevented from getting to work due to circumstances outside their control. The current [fuel] crisis can be added to the business continuity plans of bad weather, terrorist attacks and public transport strikes.”
