Employees previously shielding are advised to do so again

With new nationwide restrictions due to come into force from tomorrow, the Government has confirmed that individuals who were previously advised to shield because of their increased vulnerability to the coronavirus should do so again.

Employees who fall into this category are strongly advised to work from home and, if they cannot do so, should not attend work whilst the increased restrictions are in place.

The position remains that employees who live with shielding individuals (as with all employees) can still attend work if it is not “reasonably possible” for them to work from home.

Shielding employees may be eligible for Statutory Sick Pay, Employment Support Allowance or Universal Credit. The guidance suggests that their previous formal shielding notification should act as sufficient evidence of their shielding status. The Government has not yet indicated whether new rules on SSP for shielding employees will be published. Under the previous rules, employers started paying SSP from the first qualifying day a shielding employee was off work.

The Government has also confirmed that provided they were on the payroll before 30 October 2020, shielding employees may also be eligible for the extended Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

If you have any questions about the impact of the new restrictions on your business or about the extended Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, please contact Jack Harrington