The following National Joint Council employers advice has been issued for employers working to NJC terms and guidance e.g. WSCC, schools, academies. This is due to West Sussex moving into Tier 4 from Boxing Day.
As ever, if you need advice, please contact the branch office or your local rep.
NJC guidance from Boxing Day (West Sussex)
Everyone who can work from home must do so.
Government guidance has been updated to support the clinically extremely vulnerable in protecting themselves from exposure to COVID-19. It replaces previous guidance on shielding that was in place during the four-week period of national restrictions in November.
Clinically extremely vulnerable people should not go to the workplace if they live or work in Tier 4 areas. [This is true for all members regardless of your employer]
Anyone required to travel into an area in a different tier in order to go to work, should follow the guidance for whichever area is in the higher tier. For example, if they live in a Tier 1: Medium area but work in a Tier 2: High area, they should follow the work advice for Tier 2: High. If they live in a Tier 2: High area but work in a Tier 1: Medium area, they should continue to follow the advice for Tier 2: High areas.
Where people in Tiers 1, 2 or 3 cannot work at home, they should discuss this with their line manager in the first instance, with the view of agreeing arrangements for them to attend their workplace as long as it is COVID-Secure.
Contact between those who are classed as clinically vulnerable (including women who are pregnant) and others should be minimised. This should prioritise working at home. Employees who cannot work at home should only attend the workplace if it is COVID-secure. Potential redeployment opportunities could be considered but, again, only to a workplace that is COVID-secure.
If an employee expresses concerns about returning to the workplace it is important that their manager and / or HR ascertains and seeks to address the reason for the concerns and carries out an individual risk assessment. If the COVID secure requirements are not met, the employee should not return to work until the appropriate measures are in place and in the meantime should continue to remain at home on normal full pay.