If it is better for the employee not to participate in the work, but the employee cannot work from home, the next question is how to get him to pay. If they are not sick but isolate themselves, they are entitled to PFS. The Department for Work and Pensions has clarified that if an employee isolates themselves on NHS Test and Trace instructions or because they have been pinged by the COVID-19 app, SSP will be paid, even for the first three days known as “waiting days” when SSP is generally not payable. If the employee has COVID-19, the waiting period will also be lifted. When sick, but not with COVID-19, “waiting days” still apply. However, the employee may be concerned about his absence due to illness and does not want the isolation period to be credited to him. The employer must determine how it reacts. It seems reasonable that if the employee is not sick, although he is eligible for the SSP, his sick leave record will not be affected if he isolates himself after “pinging”. You are breaking the law if you do not self-isolate when you test positive for the coronavirus. What if NHS Test and Trace or the NHS COVID-19 app asks you to stay home (self-isolate) because you have been in contact with someone with coronavirus (COVID-19)? People aged 65 and over are the most likely to think that teaching the NHS app is a legal requirement (70%) compared to 48% of 18-24 year olds. If you have been told that you do not need to self-isolate, but are developing symptoms of COVID-19, get a PCR test as soon as possible and stay home until you get the result. The current NHS guidelines do not distinguish between the app and Test and Trace and state that people must immediately self-isolate in both scenarios.
The rules surrounding the app contrast with those of the NHS Test and Trace Contract Tracing system, where a person is required by law to self-isolate when contacted. Nearly eight in ten people (79%) have correctly chosen this situation as a legal requirement, but 7% of people think this is not the case. You should check the NHS website to see when to self-isolate and what to do. If you are identified as someone who has recently had close contact with a person or who lives in the same household as someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, and you are not exempt from self-isolation as a contact, we will inform you that you must self-isolate in accordance with medical advice and the law. Self-isolation means staying at home and not leaving the house at all times. Read the additional instructions for a free PCR test. If you decide to take a test, you will still need to self-isolate, even if your result is negative. This is because you could still become infectious. If you develop symptoms, you should report your symptoms and have a PCR test. You can leave self-isolation to take a COVID-19 test at a test site or take a home test in a priority mailbox. Anyone you live with, unless they are fully vaccinated or under 18 and 6 months of age, should also self-isolate while waiting for your test result. If you were fully vaccinated at the time you had close contact with a positive case, you do not need to self-isolate, but you should follow the instructions above on daily testing.
A spokesman for number 10 said: “It is important that people self-isolate when asked to do so, either through NHS tests and traces or through the NHS Covid app. NHS Test and Trace will inform people with whom you have had close contact, advise them to take the appropriate test and, if they are not exempt, ask them to self-isolate. When NHS Test and Trace notifies contacts, it does not tell them the identity of the person who tested positive. If an employer requires an employee who has been pinged to come to work, they should ensure that they conduct a risk assessment in accordance with their health and safety obligations to assess whether they can mitigate the risk of increased risk of transmission. For example, can the employee be isolated from his colleagues, especially vulnerable employees, or can he increase the use of PPE, etc.? It is important to consider colleagues` views, their views, and their impact on their health and well-being, such as increased anxiety. First and foremost, this can still be seen as a useful step in preventing diseases in the workplace, especially given the high rates of infection we are currently seeing. In some situations, not encouraging employees to activate the app – or actively asking them to disable it – may result in a breach of your obligations under health and safety laws, whether or not there is no explicit legal obligation to isolate you. Daily testing for COVID-19 contacts (DTCC) is for people who have been fully vaccinated and identified as close contacts and who are not required by law to self-isolate. Check if the people you live with should also self-isolate To see if your employer or agency has a policy that says you should tell them if you receive a ping. They won`t break the law if you don`t tell them, but they may take disciplinary action against you.
A Whitehall source also confirmed that Investment Minister Gerry Grimstone had written to at least one major production employer, first reported by the Times, telling them that the app`s instructions on isolation were only advisory. The process is exceptional for these specific circumstances.