COVID Response
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SYLO | Beyond HR’s advice for employers to manage Coronavirus (Covid-19)
The new coronavirus disease, officially named COVID-19, has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. As the virus continues to spread extensively, it’s likely to pose a significant challenge to many organisations.
Latest news
The Government has announced that the UK has now moved to the next phase of its response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Anyone experiencing fever or continuous coughing are now advised to self-isolate for 14 days. Employees self-isolating will normally be eligible for contractual sick pay or Statutory Sick Pay (SSP).
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak announced in his Budget 2020 speech that in addition to making Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) available from the first day of sickness absence rather than the fourth, SSP will be extended temporarily to cover:
Employees and workers must receive any Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) due to them if they need to self-isolate because:
Government refund up to 2 weeks’ SSP
The government will refund Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) costs related to coronavirus for businesses employing up to 250 staff. The refund is limited to two weeks per employee.
To see more news about the budget and coronavirus updates go to:
https://www.sylobeyondhr.com/coronavirus-the-latest-updates/
Managing Coronavirus (Covid-19) Checklist
We have a useful checklist to help manage coronavirus at work, contact us if you would like more details.
Letter setting out position on absence and pay
We have a template letter to support businesses in advising their staff about absence and pay. This can be provided on request and if needed we can support customisation to reflect your policies.
Contingency planning – flexible resourcing materials and guidance
We have produced some further support and resources for employers having to implement contingency plans.
Working from home – questionnaire for employees
As measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) escalate, urgent focus is being placed on organisations to enable their employees to work from home or otherwise work more flexibly.
If you would like a set of questions and responses which you can tailor to your organisation, to gauge what preparations and next steps are needed, please email us. We recommend that the questions and responses be adapted to fit your organisation’s usual internal surveying method or system, to best capture and process responses.
HSE Guide for Homeworkers
We also have available a guide for employers regarding the health and safety of homeworkers, there are links to Display Screen Equipment assessments etc. to facilitate having a safe home working environment.
Contract of employment
You may want to check your contract to see if you have the following or a similar Short-Time Working or Lay Off policy in case your resourcing needs change; however it would be worth considering the use of agency or temporary workers, and flexible working and voluntary leave options before taking more significant measures such as short-time working or lay-offs.
The example below is from SYLO’s standard contract of employment.
Short-Time Working and Lay Off
The Company reserves the right to introduce short-time working or a period of temporary lay-off without pay (apart from any statutory entitlement) where this is necessary to avoid redundancies or where there is a shortage of work.
Historically, these policies are rarely used and there may be a risk of legal claims associated with enforcing this clause if not managed correctly. Circumstances are different now, so we suggest you if you need support with the above resourcing & employment decisions including the withdrawal of job offers if this proves necessary.
However, if you do not have an STW provision in your Contract of Employment please do get in touch as it’s highly likely we can do something to support you.
Employee Well Being
Mind has produced a helpful guide aimed at people with concerns about their mental health, but it includes practical advice about self-isolating and checklist to help people prepare to self-isolate.
https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus-and-your-wellbeing/
There is also a government guide to self-isolating: –
Other useful contact information to keep to date
NHS 111 online coronavirus service
UK Government – Coronavirus (COVID-19): UK government response
UK Government – COVID-19: guidance for employers and businesses
UK Government – Foreign travel advice
National Health Service – Coronavirus (COVID-19)
ACAS – Coronavirus advice for employers and employees
World Health Organization – Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak
World Health Organization – Getting your workplace ready for COVID-19
If you need support or have any questions, please contact us here.
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