Coronavirus (COVID-19) for employers and employees
The UK has significantly stepped up its response to Coronavirus.
This had a significant impact on the operations of employers and the lives of individual employees.
To help you navigate the challenges posed by Coronavirus, whether you are an employer or employee, we have put together this short guide.
Follow Government advice
The Government’s official advice has the potential to change quickly, so to ensure that you are acting according to the latest advice from the Government, it is a good idea to visit the official guidance pages on gov.uk regularly.
Guidance for employers and businesses
Sick pay for individuals in self-isolation
With the increased range of circumstances in which the Government advises that people should self-isolate, there is a greater chance that you will have to deal with self-isolation.
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)
The legal provisions for those who self-isolate in accordance with public health guidance on Coronavirus to be considered incapable of work, for the purpose of claiming statutory sick pay came into effect on 13 March 2020.
This definition is a person who is “isolating himself [or herself] from other people in such a manner as to prevent infection or contamination with Coronavirus disease, in accordance with guidance published by Public Health England, NHS National Services Scotland or Public Health Wales …. and [who] by reason of that isolation is unable to work”.
An employee will need a notice to self-isolate or a fit note from their GP or NHS 111 if they are following Public Health England advice to self-isolate.
The Government has also confirmed that SSP will payable from the first day that an employee is absent from work to self-isolate.
The Government has also committed to reimbursing businesses with less than 250 employees for the cost of SSP for the first 14 days of self-isolation.
Contractual Sick Pay
It may be necessary to pay additional sick pay in circumstances where this is provided for in a contract of employment, in the employee handbook, or even where it is usual practice to do so.
If you are unsure as to what to do in specific circumstances, please contact a member of our team.
Pay for individuals you have required to self-isolate
There may be circumstances in which you consider that an employee should self-isolate, even where this is not in accordance with Government advice. In these circumstances, you would have to continue to pay them their basic salary as usual.
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
The Chancellor has announced a scheme to reimburse up to 80 per cent of the cost of the wages of ‘furloughed workers’ up to £2,500 per employee per month.
This scheme will initially run for three months from 1 March 2020 and will be backdated. The Scheme will be administered by HMRC and all UK businesses and charities will be eligible.
We have provided more details of this scheme on our COVID-19 Portal by clicking here.
Lay-offs owing to reduced work
It is possible that businesses, especially those in certain sectors, will see a reduced workload as a consequence of Coronavirus.
In these circumstances, and where allowed for in the contract of employment, employees can be laid off temporarily.
Employees who are laid off must be paid a guarantee payment of up to £29 a day, for five days, in a three-month period up to a maximum of £145.
After four weeks, employees may be able to request that they are made redundant.
Use of holiday
Another option that employers might wish to use is to require employees to take annual leave.
Where an employer wishes to do this, they must provide notice of at least twice the length of leave they require the employee to take. A requirement for an employee to take a week’s leave would require two weeks’ notice.
IR35
Please note that the Government has, as part of its Coronavirus response, delayed the introduction of the off-payroll working rules (IR35) until April 2021 and so the responsibility will remain with individual contractors to determine their own tax status.
Additional steps
For further specific advice on dealing with Coronavirus in your workplace, please contact us today.
