EMPLOYERS were told to show “basic common sense and understanding” by not forcing their staff to make dangerous journeys to work today.

Wintry weather will grip much of Britain over the weekend after Storm Goretti left thousands of people facing power cuts, school closures and travel chaos.

The storm brought winds of almost 100mph after forecasters issued a rare red warning for “dangerous, stormy” winds in south-west England.

The TUC called on bosses not to punish workers who cannot safely travel to work by withholding pay or making them use their holiday.  

General secretary Paul Nowak said: “This will be a stressful time for many people — especially with forecasters sounding the alarm. 

“Employers must show basic common sense and understanding.  

“No-one should be pressured into making dangerous journeys. And workers shouldn’t be punished with lost pay or forced to take holiday because the weather makes travel impossible. 

“Good bosses will already have bad weather policies in place so staff know where they stand. 

“They will also recognise that when schools are closed some parents will not be able to work as they have to care for their children.” 

More snow is possible tomorrow after a “largely dry” today away from north-eastern parts of Scotland and England, the Met Office said.

Employers should have clear weather policies setting out what staff should do when snow and ice, or lack of public transport, prevents them from getting to work, said the TUC.

These policies should also cover what parents should do if schools close and they have no alternative childcare, it said as it warned employers not to breach official health and safety laws for cold weather.

These say that the temperature should normally be at least 16°C (or 13°C if much of the work indoors involves severe physical effort) and that entrances to workplaces should be gritted and not slippery.  

Yellow weather warnings for snow and ice have been extended into today for large parts of Scotland, England and Northern Ireland.

A yellow warning covering large parts of Scotland, the East and West Midlands, north-east and north-west England will run from 2am until 3pm tomorrow.

At least 69 flights scheduled to operate to or from Heathrow airport were cancelled yesterday.