Guidance for Employers on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Following the recent UK government and WHO published guidelines, all employers should consider some element of contingency planning to help protect the health and safety of their employees and workforce. We have pulled together some best practice guidance for you that you should consider putting into practice:
It's good practice for employers to ensure all contact details are up-to-date and current (including next of kin details - whilst ensuring the relevant GDPR opt in and opt out authorisations have been obtained)
Provide easily accessible clean places for employees to wash their hands with hot water and soap. Encourage everyone to wash their hands regularly and to clean their keyboards and desk fixed phones and headsets at the end of their working day
Give out hand sanitisers and tissues to staff, and encourage employees to use them (remember to check with any employee who may be sensitive to any of the ingredients as some chemicals contained in sanitisers do have contraindications)
In areas of high footfall, ensure items of constant contact such as light switches, photocopier panels, till-points, point of sale areas, remote controls, fixed telephones, kettle and fridge handles etc. are sanitized regularly throughout the working day
Consider whether protective face masks might help people working in particularly vulnerable situations. For those with pre-existing health issues, poor immune systems particularly those with a PEEP or under Occupational Health monitoring.
Consider if any travel planned to affected areas is essential – and recommend alternative solutions eg. video conferencing as necessary
Consider if protective face masks might help for people working in particularly vulnerable situations – kitchens/reception areas
Remember: As an employer, you must not single anyone out. For example, you must not treat an employee differently because of their race or ethnicity or any other protected characteristic.
Sick pay
The workplace's usual sick leave and pay entitlements will apply if someone has coronavirus.
Employees should let their employer know as soon as possible if they're not able to go to work, managers may wish to send out a communication to refresh knowledge of this policy.
The organisation may need to make allowances if the workplace sickness policy requires evidence from the employee. For example, the employee might not be able to get a sick note (‘fit note’) from their family doctor if they’ve been told to self-isolate for 14 days – whereas a text/emailed photograph of the document may be accepted in the interim.
If someone is not sick but cannot work because they're in self-isolation or quarantine – please refer to the following guidance Find out more about self-isolating on GOV.UK.
The employee must tell their employer as soon as possible if they cannot work. It’s helpful to let the employer know the reason and how long they are likely to be off for.
There's no legal ('statutory') right to pay if someone is not sick but cannot work because they:
Have been told by a medical expert to self-isolate
Have had to go into quarantine
Are abroad in an affected area and are not allowed to travel back to the UK
It is however, good practice for an employer to treat any period of absence as sick leave and follow the usual sick pay policy or agree for the time to be taken as holiday. Otherwise there's a risk the employee will come to work because they want to be paid. They could then spread the virus, if they have it.
What if my employee is not sick but we have told them not to come to work?
If an employee is not sick but their employer tells them not to come to work, they should get their usual pay. For example, if someone has returned from the far East or another affected area and their employer asks them not to come in.
What if an employee needs time off work to look after someone who has the virus?
Employees are entitled to time off work to help someone who depends on them (a ‘dependant’) in an unexpected event or emergency. This would apply to situations to do with coronavirus. For example:
If they have children they need to look after or arrange childcare for because their school has closed
To help their child or another dependant if they're sick, or need to go into isolation or hospital
There's no statutory right to pay for this time off, but some employers might offer pay depending on the contract or workplace policy.
The amount of time off an employee takes to look after someone must be reasonable for the situation. For example, they might take 2 days off to start with, and if more time is needed, they can book holiday.
Find out more about:
What if employees do not want to go to work?
Some people might feel they do not want to go to work if they're afraid of catching coronavirus. As an employer, you should listen to any concerns staff may have. If there are genuine concerns, the employer must try to resolve them to protect the health and safety of their staff. For example, if possible, the employer could offer flexible working.
If an employee still does not want to come to work, you may wish to arrange that they take the time off as holiday or unpaid leave, although you do not have to agree to this. If an employee refuses to attend work, it could result in disciplinary action.
Find out more about absence from work.
What if someone becomes unwell at work?
If someone becomes unwell in the workplace and has recently come back from an area affected by coronavirus, they should:
Keep a distance of at least 2 metres (7 feet) away from other people
To a room or area behind a closed door, such as a sick bay or staff office
Avoid touching anything
Cough or sneeze into a tissue and put it in a bin, or if they do not have tissues, cough and sneeze into the crook of their elbow
Use a separate bathroom from others, if possible
The unwell person should use their own mobile phone to call either:
For NHS advice: 111
For an ambulance, if they’re seriously ill or injured or their life is at risk: 999
They should tell the operator:
Their symptoms
Which country they’ve returned from in the last14 days
What if someone with coronavirus comes to work?
If someone with coronavirus comes to work, the workplace does not necessarily have to close. In the UK the local Public Health England (PHE) health protection team will get in contact with the employer to:
Discuss the case
Identify people who have been in contact with the affected person
Carry out a risk assessment
Advise on any actions or precautions to take
If located in the UK: Find your local PHE health protection team on GOV.UK.
What if we need to close the workplace?
Currently it's very unlikely that any employer will need to close their workplace, however every organisation should still plan in case they need to close temporarily. For example, making sure staff have a way to communicate with their line manager and other people they work with.
Working from home?
If home working is an option, you could:
Ask staff who have work laptops or mobile phones to take them home so they can carry on working
Arrange paperwork tasks that can be done at home for staff who do not work on computers
Should you need to close down your business for a short time, unless it says in the contract or is agreed otherwise, you will still need to pay your employees for this time. If you think you will need to do this, it is important to talk with staff as early as possible and throughout the closure of the office/organisation.