The coronavirus outbreak that originated in Wuhan, China, has spread to at least 65 countries – with almost 600 cases now confirmed in the UK.
Governments have shut borders and imposed quarantines, and now airlines have imposed travel bans in a bid to mitigate the impact of the fast-spreading illness.
Employers have also been told they’ll have to pay workers who have to self-isolate – which means most of those affected will be paid for any sickness leave.
In cases where employers do not offer sick pay, workers will be entitled to statutory sick pay (SSP) for up to 28 weeks, from day one.
This amounts to £94.25 per week – and will include those who have to quarantine due to even ‘mild’ coronavirus symptoms.
But what should employers be doing to safeguard workers – and should they be providing the resources for staff to work from home?
Firms must ensure that all workers are updated with potential symptoms of the virus and affected areas so that they can be vigilant.
They should seek guidance on what can be done to minimise the risk of spreading the virus – and provide staff with the resources to help manage it, ie. tissues and hand sanitisers.
This includes considering whether staff can work from home – and providing them with the resources and capabilities to do so.
We asked Mini Setty, a partner in employment law at Langleys Solicitors, for some advice on what workers can expect from their employer as the illness continues to spread globally.
We’ve also got a full guide on coronavirus sick pay rights, here. If you’ve had to take time off work for childcare, here’s what you need to know on coronavirus school closures.
Employers have a duty of care in the workplace under health and safety laws. This obligation means that they must ensure that the workplace is safe for employees to work in at all times.
In the current coronavirus pandemic, employers are being recommended to:
- Send guidance to staff on the best ways to stop the spread of the virus
- Provide tissues and hand sanitisers for staff to use
- Monitor whether work-trips to areas hit by the virus should proceed
- Ensure that anyone who comes back from an infected area does not come in to work if they are symptomatic
- Consider the safety issues of ‘high risk’ individuals such as the older people, those with underlying medical conditions and pregnant women