Boris Johnson says sick pay rules to be relaxed so coronavirus sufferers not left out of pocket
4 min read
Emergency laws will be introduced to ensure that any workers forced to take time off because of the coronavirus do not miss out on sick pay, Boris Johnson has announced.
The Prime Minister said emergency legislation being introduced to deal with the outbreak will ensure employeed will be paid "from the very first day" they are signed off.
Under current laws, workers are not entitled to statutory sick pay for the first three days of their absence from work. After that, they can claim £94 a week.
But there are concerns that this could leave those forced to self-isolate because of the coronavirus out of pocket.
Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, Boris Johnson said: "As yesterday's plan made clear, we are not at the point yet where we are asking large numbers of people to self-isolate, but that, of course, may come if large numbers of people have the symptoms of corona virus.
"And if they stay at home...they are helping to protect all of us by slowing the spread of the virus, and that is what the best scientific evidence tells us."
He added: "If they stay at home, and if we ask people to self-isolate, they may lose out financially, so I can today announce that the Health Secretary will bring forward as part of our emergency coronavirus legislation, measures to allow the payment of statutory sick pay from the very first day you are sick, instead of four days under the current rules.
"And I think that is the right way forward, and nobody should be penalised for doing the right thing."
Labour and the GMB union have already demanded that the Government overhauls legislation to allow it to respond to the crisis.
The opposition has also urged a focus on self-employed workers, who are not entitled to statutory sick pay.
Responding to the announcemnet, Jeremy Corbyn said: "Under this government there are two million workers on low pay.
"Many of them women in the care sector, who are not eligible for statutory sick pay at the present time.
"The Prime Minister's statement just now is not clear whether it covers them or not, and those on social security could face sanctions if they miss appointments and therefore they and their families will face terrible hardship."
'HEALTH AND HARDSHIP'
The Labour leader demanded to know whether the new law would cover those not currently eligible to statutory sick pay, in a bid to avoid them having to make "a terrible choice between health and hardship".
The Prime Minsiter said the Government was "aware of the issues faced by the self-employed and those on zero hours contracts".
And he said ministers were "urgently looking at the application process" for the Universal Credit welfare benefit "to reflect on the advice on self isolation".
Mr Johnson added: "I think that members of the public have appreciated the way, hitherto, that members have come together across the floor of this House to deal with this crisis.
"And I think it would be common ground between us all that we want to do everything we can to avoid penalising those who are doing the right thing."
Responding to the PM's vow, TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "This is an important step forward for working people. But it’s not enough.
"Two million workers still don’t earn enough to qualify for statutory sick pay. They can’t afford not to work. And statutory sick pay still isn’t enough to live on.
"Government must go further to ensure that no one is penalised for doing the right thing."
A government action plan on halting the spread of the virus, published on Tuesday, predicts that more than six million people in UK could be forced to take time off work if a major outbreak occurs.
The document says: “In a stretching scenario, it is possible that up to one fifth of employees may be absent from work during peak weeks.”
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