A new fair work charter to protect the rights of Scottish workers affected by severe weather is to be drawn up.

It comes after a meeting between First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) to discuss concerns that staff were placed at "unnecessary risk" during last week's extreme conditions.

The Scottish Government said the snow storms caused by the so-called "beast from the east" had caused "unprecedented challenges for employers and workers".

In a joint statement, the First Minister and the STUC said they shared a "real concern" about reports of employees being made to travel to work amid the red warning of risk to life issued for last Wednesday and Thursday.

Sturgeon criticised hauliers during last week's First Minister's Questions due to the number of HGVs out overnight during the red weather alert, a number of which jackknifed and blocked the M80 motorway.

The STUC has said it was inundated with complaints from workers being forced to travel to work during the period of severe weather.

It launched a survey in response, which revealed a lack of clarity among workers on what constitutes an essential service in adverse weather conditions.

The research also highlighted a lack of knowledge about both employers' responsibilities and workers' rights in relation to time-off for childcare, being paid and having to take annual leave.

Just over 1400 people completed the STUC's self-selecting survey, which found almost two thirds were not satisfied with their employer's response to the weather conditions.

More than half were required to travel to work as normal during the snow storm period and just over 40% said they were compelled to travel during the red weather warning.

Sturgeon and STUC general secretary Grahame Smith said: "We are grateful to the people of Scotland who have coped tremendously well with the red weather warning and who heeded the advice not to travel.

"However, the Scottish Government and the STUC share a real concern that some workers were placed at unnecessary risk through being compelled to travel to work or placed under threat of lost pay if they did not make it into work.

"We are committed to doing everything within our current powers to encourage employers to be fair and flexible."

They continued: "That is why we have agreed to collaboratively develop a fair work charter focusing on the treatment of workers affected by severe weather or other emergencies."

The charter will include a recognition that workers need a voice through a trade union and will highlight examples of employers and unions working together constructively.

The statement concluded: "It is our view that legislation should be in place to protect the rights of workers during severe weather.

"As employment law is a reserved area, we will make this case to the UK Government.

"We will continue to press for the devolution of employment powers that would enable the Scottish Parliament to put the employment laws in place that are best suited to Scotland's needs."

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard commented: "This is a welcome and important move. We have seen far too many reports of workers mistreating staff or forcing them into work during unsafe conditions.

"Companies should not put profit before people at any time, and this is never truer than when lives could be at risk.

"Nor should workers, forced to stay at home because of the appalling weather conditions - as recommended by police for safety - be docked any wages or be made to use precious annual leave."

He added: "Labour will engage constructively with the development of this charter so we don't see a repeat of these scenes again."