WITH many workplaces sweltering as the temperature nudges into the 30s Celsius, can it ever be so hot at work that you are allowed to go home? The law does not set any maximum temperature in the workplace, but says temperatures in indoor workplaces must be “reasonable”. But an employer which believes happy staff are productive might want to go further than the law requires. Claire Merrit, partner at Southampton law firm Paris Smith, said: “Employers have an obligation to keep employees safe in the workplace, however health and safety rules set no maximum temperature for the workplace. It is therefore for an employer to take steps to understand what is reasonable and reduce risk to staff.