Elliot Hawker
Mar 12, 20203 min
Reports
on COVID-19, a virus which has become a global health emergency and has the
potential to spread extensively throughout the UK has been reported throughout
the media now since November 2019. The
impact of the virus is wide reaching, none more so to businesses.
We know
the virus is highly contagious and difficult to contain. Symptoms include
fever, coughing and shortness of breath requiring an incubation period of 2 –
14 days.
What does an Employer need to know?
Operational
concerns will vary from employer to employer depending on their business model,
however staffing issues will remain consistent.
Toni
Robinson, Managing Director of NucleusHR has taken time to provide some helpful hints and
tips for employers to assist and support them in handling all things Corona:
• Firstly, keep up to date with
government and public health advice through https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/public-health-england. If in doubt,
advice is available through the helpline and has been able to assist many of
NucleusHR clients that have been unsure on how best to address situations.
• Remember that as employers that you
have a statutory duty of care in that you are required to provide a safe space
to work and therefore should remain proactive and minimise the risk of the
virus spreading by ensure that your workplace is clean, promote regular
handwashing and where possible provide alcohol hand-rub, encourage the use of
tissues and the bin!
• Try and provide reassurance
wherever possible, employees will naturally be concerned about them and their
family, communicate clearly with employees and promote the basic hygiene
standards and any Employee Assistance Programs available for those with any
anxiety.
• Where employees have been medically
advised to self-isolate, employers have a duty to pay SSP or contractual sick
pay where entitled (whichever is the greater).
The 2020 budget announced that businesses with less than 250 employees
will be given an SSP refund for any employees that have to self-isolate due to
Corona for a maximum of 14 days. In
addition, the SSP will be paid from day 1 rather than the current 3 day waiting
period.
• If as an employer you wish to send
an employee home as a precaution, remember that you are obliged to pay the
employee their normal pay.
• If employees have chosen to
self-isolate but have not been medically advised and experience no symptoms, as
an employer, you could require them to attend work. Although, please be mindful as to their
reasons to wish to remain isolated, such as underlying health conditions.
• If children are sent home, for
school closures etc … then employers are encouraged to think flexibly and
consider permitting employees to work from home where possible, permitting a
short term flexible hours pattern, permitting a split shift pattern (if
possible) if none of those are possible, consider approving holidays, parental
leave or emergency time off for dependants – both of which are typically
unpaid.
• We would encourage employers to
develop a contingency plan assess your own level of exposure;
o Assess the risk of staff shortages,
understand which areas have skills shortages and would be further impacted if
employees are affected and look to train staff to cover those areas if
possible;
o Look at possible having a pool of
employees that are willing to work additional hours should the needs arise
(taking into account the Working Time Directive), offering incentives, time off
in lieu to encourage their commitment throughout the difficult time;
o Review how flexible working
arrangements could assist you throughout the period of difficulty, work with a
contingency team, supported by your HR team, to understand how you could
implement differing ways of working to protect your business;
o Review how technology could assist
your business, limiting the amount of contact and travel by utilising video
conferencing if possible.
• If your business is impacted
adversely through supply chain issues or a downturn in business and have an
oversupply of employees, work with your employees to encourage annual leave,
asking employees to volunteer to reduce their hours, take unpaid leave or in
the event that none of these are possible, implementing a statutory lay off
period (where contractually possible).
• Remain up to date with the
countries and areas where there is a higher risk of coming into contact with
COVID-19. Stay up to date with NHS
travel advice through their website https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/advice-for-travellers/
Above
all, remain in contact with your HR team or provider to assist you
throughout. If you wish to take further
advice on how best to handle COVID-19 in your business, please contact
NucleusHR on 07960 418494 or toni@nucleushr.com