Do you have to pay café staff during a weather warning in Ireland?

Generally, no. The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) says: "In general, there is no statutory entitlement for an employee to be paid if they cannot attend work because of extreme weather." It adds: "Any more beneficial arrangement is a matter for agreement between the employer and the employee." The WRC says an employer may let staff use annual leave for the day, in which case they are paid. If the café cannot open for a few weeks, for example after a flood, the employer may lay staff off, and the WRC says the employer is then not obliged to pay them.

Do I have to pay café staff if they cannot come in because of a weather warning?

Not by law, in general. The WRC page on absence during extreme weather events says: "In general, there is no statutory entitlement for an employee to be paid if they cannot attend work because of extreme weather." It goes on: "Any more beneficial arrangement is a matter for agreement between the employer and the employee."

The WRC says its information may be of assistance where the contract of employment or the statement of terms of employment does not specifically deal with the issue. So if your contract does cover bad weather, start there. The WRC also encourages employers to take a long-term view of the working relationship. It says showing concern for staff welfare and treating them fairly makes for a better working environment, to the benefit of both staff and employer.

What do Status Yellow, Orange and Red mean?

They are Met Éireann's three warning levels, and each has a short description. Met Éireann says Yellow is "Not unusual weather. Localised danger." Orange is "Infrequent. Dangerous / disruptive." Red is "Rare. Extremely dangerous / destructive."

Met Éireann gives an action line for the two higher levels. For Orange: "Prepare yourself in an appropriate way depending on location and activity. All people and property in the affected areas can be significantly impacted." It also says: "Check your activity/event and delay or cancel as appropriate." For Red: "Take action to protect yourself and your property." Red also says: "Follow instructions and advice given by the authorities under all circumstances and be prepared for exceptional measures." Met Éireann says its main warnings are issued by the duty forecaster between 10am and midday and updated as needed, and that in general warnings are not issued more than 60 hours ahead. The sources I read do not tie pay, or closing a café, to any colour. The WRC page talks about extreme weather events, not warning levels.

Can staff use annual leave for a weather day?

Yes, if the employer allows it. The WRC says: "Employers may allow employees take annual leave for the day or days covered by the event in which case they would be paid." Unpaid leave is a different matter. The WRC says that arrangement "is a matter for agreement between the employer and the employee". For how annual leave is worked out and paid, see our article on annual leave for café staff.

Can I change the roster at short notice?

The WRC says the usual 24 hours' notice does not apply in exceptional circumstances such as extreme weather. In its words: "Normally, employees are entitled to notice of at least 24 hours of a roster change. However, this does not apply in exceptional circumstances as with extreme weather events."

What if the café cannot open for a few weeks, for example after a flood?

The employer may lay staff off, and does not have to pay them while laid off. The WRC says that where the employer cannot open the premises for a few weeks, or there is no work, for example in a flood, the employer may put employees on a period of lay-off. It says: "If employees are laid-off then the employer is not obliged to pay employees." Laid-off employees may be entitled to Jobseeker's Benefit or Jobseeker's Allowance from the Department of Social Protection for the days they are not working.

Citizens Information (page edited 16 May 2025) sets out the rules around a lay-off. It must be a temporary situation, and the employer must give notice before it starts. The employer can lay staff off if it is in the contract of employment or is custom and practice in the workplace. Otherwise the employer needs the employee's agreement. Laid-off staff are still employees. Citizens Information says: "You do not build up annual leave during lay-off, but you are entitled to take annual leave that you built up before being laid off." It also has a section on redundancy for longer lay-offs, which I have not covered here.

What can I put in the contract for bad weather?

The WRC says employers may include policies and procedures for severe weather events in their contracts of employment. It lists these examples:

• The taking of annual leave for the days absent, to avoid employee loss of earnings.
• Agreement to work back the hours or days lost.
• Alternative opening days, on a day where the business is normally closed.
• Working from home where feasible and practical.
• Working from an alternative location where feasible and practical.
• Other beneficial arrangements.

We cover what the written statement has to contain in our article on written terms of employment.

What if we cannot agree?

Try to settle it in the café first. The WRC says: "We would encourage employers and employees to seek to resolve any issue at the level of the employment." If that fails, the employee may make a complaint to the WRC under the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997, the Payment of Wages Act 1991 or another relevant enactment.

The WRC says that where both sides agree, it may try to resolve the matter by mediation. Otherwise an Adjudication Officer investigates the complaint. The WRC says: "Every case is fact-specific." Employers and employees can both speak to a WRC Information Officer on +353 59 917 8990, Monday to Friday. If the café has to shut, tell customers on Google too: see our article on marking a café temporarily closed.

Sources

• Workplace Relations Commission, Absence during extreme weather events, no date printed, read 15 October 2026.
• Met Éireann, Weather warnings explanation, no date printed, read 15 October 2026.
• Citizens Information, Lay-off, short-time working and redundancy, page edited 16 May 2025, read 15 October 2026.

This is a summary of Workplace Relations Commission, Met Éireann and Citizens Information guidance read 15 October 2026, not legal advice. Cupán Studio builds websites for cafés in Ireland.