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Severe Winter Warnings Reignite Guidance on German Work Rules

Statutory rules leave delays unpaid unless employers close operations.

Overview

  • Employees bear the travel risk and generally must attempt the commute despite snow or ice, with no pay for time lost to weather-related delays.
  • Explicit dangerous‑weather alerts can support a justified inability to work, but employees must notify their employer early and typically have no claim to pay.
  • There is no automatic right to work from home, while full weather‑related shutdowns shift the risk to employers who must continue wages.
  • Statutory accident insurance usually covers accidents on the direct route to and from work, but incidents inside a private residence, such as a home stairwell, are typically excluded.
  • Parents may rely on Section 616 BGB for short paid absences during school or daycare closures if the clause is not waived by contract.