Monday was an exceptional day for the whole country (and part of those next door) due to the great blackout experienced in the south of Europe. The airs of pandemic returned and many Barcelonians, unable to work, took to the streets to enjoy their city as if it were a Sunday.
But on Tuesday the worries return and one wonders to what extent it is legal not to work on days like this and what can happen to our salary if we have not been able, literally, to go to work.
The answer was quickly disseminated yesterday by the Ministry of Labor and Social Economy through its social networks, where it explained why your labor rights are protected even in emergency situations like this.
What does the law say about your work on days like the blackout?
The Workers’ Statute contemplates exception situations such as the one experienced during the blackout and establishes that, if you have not been able to perform your job for reasons beyond your control, neither can you be penalized nor can your salary be deducted.
This includes cases such as:
- Not having been able to reach your post due to the collapse of public transportation or recommendations from the authorities.
- Not being able to physically access the workplace.
- Having arrived, but not being able to work due to power or internet failures.
In other words, if you were stuck in a subway car standing between stations, walking for an hour to get home or simply did not have internet to telework, relax, because the responsibility does not fall on you and, therefore, on your salary.