As advisers on employment law to the manufacturing sector Make UK is issuing updates tailored to the industry as new information becomes available.
This includes a statement on the announced changes to statutory sick pay
Here’s the latest, which can also be found with a raft of other useful information on the Make UK website
Chief Executive Update:
Make UK leadership team is closely monitoring the status of the outbreak of COVID-19 and its potential adverse impact on our members and the service we that we provide to you.
As the number of cases continues to rise, Make UK is taking practical preventive measures to ensure the health and safety of our employees. We are following government guidelines and are implementing measures to help reduce the potential spread of the disease within our office locations and amongst our staff. This includes additional hygiene and cleaning measures at our office locations, office entry restrictions and increased home working.
We are confident that we can continue to offer advisory support to HRL members via both the HR advice line and your dedicated legal adviser. We have contingency plans in place for our HRL staff to work from home as necessary, backed by appropriate technology. We are also considering the best way to continue to deliver other services, for example, we are reviewing digital learning platforms such as virtual classrooms so we will be able to continue to provide training. We will update you on the digital learning options available once they are in place. We do, however, acknowledge that on site consultancy delivery will be impacted, though remote delivery of consultancy work will continue.
Preparation for, and attendance at, Employment Tribunals is currently unaffected as the business of the courts and tribunals continues. If this situation changes we will inform those affected without delay.
We will continue to communicate regularly with you to keep you informed of any changes in our service delivery.Please continue to visit our COVID-19 (Coronavirus) information page on the website for updates and advice on the evolving situation.We want to thank you for your patience during this very challenging situation.
Kind regards,
Stephen Phipson OBE,
Chief Executive,
Make UK
Statutory sick pay update:
New regulations have come into force today (13 March 2020) which provide for statutory sick pay (SSP) to be payable to employees who self-isolate in accordance with government advice.
The regulations do this by amending the definition of ‘persons deemed incapable of work’ for the purposes of SSP entitlement. This definition now includes a person who is unable to work because they are isolating themselves from other people to prevent infection or contamination with coronavirus disease, in accordance with guidance published by Public Health England, NHS National Services Scotland or Public Health Wales. This could clearly cover a person who is self-isolating but is not ill.
However, these regulations do not make SSP payable for the first three qualifying days in any period of incapacity for work, which was one of the measures announced by government at the beginning of March. We will let you know when regulations implementing that change are published.
How we can help
We will be publishing updated and extended FAQs on issues affecting members which arise from the COVID-19 outbreak next week.Make UK continues to monitor developments and will keep you informed as the situation changes.
