I’m shielding my child – am I entitled to paid time off work? Those categorised as vulnerable because of an underlying health condition should have received written communication from their GP practice or specialist on how best to protect themselves in March. From 18 June, if the infection rate is low enough, people shielding will be able to go outside for exercise. Shielding will soon be coming to an end across the UK, after which those who have been shielding will be able to return to work provided their place of work is ‘COVID-19 safe.’ Doctors who have been shielding are feeling concerned about returning to work,1particularly given that working in healthcare carries an increased infection risk. Changes to shielding advice in Scotland. Those who are shielding also get a phone number to ring if they need support accessing food or medicine. Up to 2 million extremely vulnerable people shielding in England must not be forced to return to their workplaces, trade unions have declared, … Matters to consider may involve adjusted duties or redeployment, provided staff agree. If they can continue to work from home, the employer should support this. Coronavirus in Scotland LIVE as 14 people die and 499 confirmed cases What is 'shielding'? Ideally, this should be the same person each time. The new guidelines say that you can: 1. go outside once a day with members of your household 2. or, if you’re living alone, with one other person from a different household. These should be undertaken well in advance. Any data collected is anonymised. We recognise this continues to be a testing time for business in Scotland. COVID protection levels are subject to regular review. They don't even want a copy of my letter. In Scotland, the advice around shielding has not changed. Advice for people who are shielding is to change in the coming month. In Levels 3 and 4 restrictions and closures apply. Employees and workers who are no longer shielding may be able to return to the workplace if it's safe. If you work for yourself, you need to follow government guidance on working safely while maintaining a COVID-secure environment. Update to Businesses and premises that must remain closed section. ©JPIMedia Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved. Scotland has 5 levels of restrictions, called ‘COVID protection levels’. Adding links to new guidance on employers page. On Monday, July 6, those shielding can gather with up to six people outdoors, and form a support bubble with another household. When a return to work is possible employers must carry out individual risk assessments Employers will need to undertake individual risk assessments to support previously shielding staff to return. The objective of Scotland's Strategic Framework is to set out a sustainable response to the pandemic to be implemented until either a vaccine or highly effective treatments to the virus are developed. If you work in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland please refer to your own country’s advice pages. out more about cookies, successful measures to suppress the virus, guidance that promotes Fair and Safe workplaces and sectors, the right structures for workplace regulation, supporting working from home and flexible working where possible. A ‘phased return to work’ is when someone who’s been absent might need to … Those affected were advised to stay at home at all times and avoid any face-to-face contact for a period of at least 12 weeks from the day they received their letter. Since shielding is more for your own good than that of the others around you, the advice on it has always been “advisory”. The government has set out a series of steps for relaxing shielding guidance which comes into place from 6 th July and 1 st August. Shielding is being paused in England, … The Scottish Government has information to enable you to make informed choices about balancing risk with your health and daily activities including guidance about the conditions for the main shielding categories. Guidelines for staying safe during COVID-19 are changing all the time. For more information on shielding in Scotland, head to the Scottish government's website. Please look after yourself and stay home. From 10 July those shielding will no longer need to physically distance from people they live with. Elsewhere, subject to advice from the Chief Medical Officer, high-risk employees in Wales can potentially return to the workplace from 16 August, while Scotland has extended its advice to shield until at least 31 July, with no indication yet as to what will happen after this date. Staff retuning to work after shielding may have specific needs and concerns about their return to the workplace. For each level, there’s extra advice if you’re considered clinically extremely vulnerable. Gov.scot uses cookies which are essential for the site to work. Further information on workplaces that must close and workplaces that can remain open with working from home the default position can be found at COVID-19 Level 4; this includes information on those workplaces supporting Critical National Infrastructure. This is built around three pillars: The objective of Scotland's Strategic Framework is to set out a sustainable response to the pandemic to be implemented until either a vaccine or highly effective treatments to the virus are developed. As for the general population, remote working should remain the default position for those who can do so. Going to work. From August 1 in England, they will no longer be required to stay at home and may be asked to return to work. Work colleagues and managers to understand what it may have been like for people who have shielded and how to compassionately welcome them back into the workplace. The thought of returning to work after shielding is likely to affect each of us in different ways. For people shielding in Scotland, the guidance has not yet changed. Date construction workers and other industries can return as country eases out of lockdown Nicola Sturgeon announced Scotland’s moved into phase 2 … Returning to work after shielding: guide for individuals As COVID-19 becomes more under control and lockdown restrictions are eased, those of us who have shielded maybe invited to transition back into work when it is safe to do so. In Wales, the advice is slightly different, suggesting people who are shielding can take unlimited exercise and meet people fro… Paul Holcroft, associate director at Croner, said communication was crucial for employers to ensure any staff who had been shielding felt safe returning to work. Returning to the workplace after shielding. Nicola Sturgeon update: changes to Scotland’s Covid tiers explained after First Minister’s announcement - and latest on Christmas, Coronavirus in Scotland: ‘Covid doesn’t like wrapping paper’ but you should watch your roast potatoes, says Jason Leitch, While Scotland currently sets its own guidance and has so far not changed its stance on shielding, over in England, people who are shielding can now leave their home if they wish, “as long as they are able to maintain strict social distancing.”. This guidance will be kept under regular review.”, More information on English shielding measures can be found here, This website and its associated newspaper are members of Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Although the official end to shielding in the UK suggests that employers have the green light to get employees back to work, this does not change an employer's duty to make reasonable adjustments. You may feel relief in being able to go back to a sense of normality and to see people, or you may feel anxious and apprehensive to go … The Framework covers the four key harms of the virus, how we will work to suppress the virus, and sets out our proposal to move to a strategic approach to outbreak management based on five levels of protection. They confirmed if I was shielding and said no problem stay safe. In Scotland, if you are at very high risk of severe illness from coronavirus, you are “strongly advised” to shield yourself to reduce your chance of getting the virus. As outlined in our route map we have and continue to take an evidence-led transparent and phased approach to Scotland’s economic restart and recovery. “People who are shielding remain vulnerable and should continue to take precautions but can now leave their home if they wish, as long as they are able to maintain strict social distancing,” say the Government. There’s also specific advice for … First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said level four lockdown does not mean a return to strict protective shielding for vulnerable people. Carers are able to continue to visit but must follow guidelines, and those without a care network close by can make use of a national support system, including pharmacists, supermarkets and local authorities. We also use non-essential cookies to help us improve our websites. If you cannot work from home, you can go to your workplace if it's safe for you to do so. In Scotland and England, therefore, these workers can attend work, subject to the workplace being made safe for them – discussed below. It’s also recommended that you phone your GP or specialist to discuss this as well. out more about cookies, Coronavirus (COVID-19): what you need to know. This ultimately means that people who have been shielding may be able to start to return to work subject to them being able to observe strict social distancing. But what does it mean for shielding employees? This means that shielding employees should not be returning to work. Level 0 is the most relaxed, level 4 the strictest. People should work from home if possible, and your employer is expected to help you to do so. Scotland says people on the shielding list can follow the same advice as everyone else in their local area, guided by a tier system. Today I called work. You can access it here. If you don’t get a shielding letter after 2 December 2020, the government say you can go to work if you can’t work from home and your workplace is safe enough. head to the Scottish government's website. Shielding will continue until at least July 31 in Scotland and August 16 in Wales. Phased return to work. In this public health crisis, it is vital that all businesses act responsibly and align fully with published guidance. These have local rules for everyone. By continuing to use this site, you agree to our use of cookies. The strategy called "shielding" means to stay at home at all times and the aim is to protect lives. People who have been shielding as they slowly start to return to work to feel less anxious and more supported. This means that an employee cannot automatically refuse a reasonable instruction to return to work without a good reason. “If you live alone, you can spend time outdoors with one person from another household. You should continue to work from home if you can. Updated to incorporate information from business physical distancing guide. The formal shielding notification you receive will act as evidence for your employer of the Department of Work and Pensions that you are advised to shield and may be eligible for SSP or ESA. Your feedback will help us improve this site, Coronavirus (COVID-19): creating and maintaining safer workplaces, Find As COVID-19 becomes more in control and lockdown restrictions are eased, those of us who have shielded will be invited to transition back into work when it is safe to do so. Said I had spoken to my GP. If you do go out, you should take extra care to minimise contact with others by keeping two metres apart. Get a shielding note if you cannot work. Added links to sport and leisure facilities and general safer workplace guidance. Guidance for workers and employers on returning to work safely during the coronavirus pandemic. ... Read our advice on shielding, your rights and home working, and what to do if family members have been told to shield. Where clinically extremely vulnerable staff are required to shield and are unable to work from home, employers should follow the latest Staff Council guidance on pay (Joint guidance on shielding due to COVID-19 - 23 November 2020) and visit the frequently asked questions around pay for staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you're unable to work because you work in an area where shielding advice is in place, you may be able to get a shielding note to give to your employer. Accessing COVID-secure precautions Employers should ensure all workers, including those in higher-risk groups, are able to access all the protections that are necessary, eg during night shifts, when working remotely or working alone. In England – where lockdown measures have been eased at a much faster rate than in Scotland – changes come into force today (1 June). Workplace guidance is underpinned by: People can travel across COVID Protection levels for the purpose of work, though working from home is default position across all Protection levels for those who can. It’s advised that this is the same person each time. So in theory, if you have been shielding up until this point, you could opt to return to work, but this will be a deeply personal decision you may want to discuss with family or others that are close to you. There is a range of business support available for businesses which are affected by the measures in the strategic framework. Shielding is a means of protecting society's "extremely vulnerable" from contracting Covid-19. Instead, leaving the house remains advised against, even to go out for shopping, leisure or travel or to pick up food and medication deliveries. Those affected will receive a letter from the Chief Medical Officer Dr Gregor Smith outlining new guidelines and the work to be done to move to pausing shielding from 1 August, as long the evidence is clear that it is safe to do so. The Framework covers the four key harms of the virus, how we will work to suppress the virus, and sets out our proposal to move to a strategic approach to outbreak management based on five … Added link to call centre and customer contact centre environments guidance. We are grateful to the many companies that continue to act responsibly in our shared ambition to create safer workplaces for all. I was so shocked as I've been stressing the last couple of days. The protection level tells you what you can and cannot do in that area. In Scotland, the advice around shielding has not changed, This means that shielding employees should not be returning to work. If you haven’t got a letter but think you should because you’re in a tier 3 area, ask your GP or hospital clinician. You do not need to get a return to work note from your GP or care provider. “If you choose to spend time outdoors, this can be with members of your own household. “Shielding is for your personal protection,” say the Scottish Government; “It’s your choice to decide whether to follow these measures.”. The postcode checker can be used to check a local COVID protection level. See travel restrictions for further information about travelling around Scotland. You can use this note to claim Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). People who have been advised to shield can start taking steps to spend time safely outdoors. Added link to the occupational risk assessment guidance and assessment tool. The thought of returning to work after shielding is likely to affect each of us in different ways. As to whether you can furlough these workers, simply because they live with someone who is shielding, one set of government guidance on the extended furlough scheme does indicate that you can furlough workers who need to stay at home with someone … But she said many … A teacher who was previously shielding has been told to stay on the front line during the latest restrictions, despite pupils in the same position being allowed to work at home. If you can't work from home (I can't) then you should be on fully paid leave. The Scottish Government are asking people to keep shielding until at least the end of July, and will continue to support those who are shielding until at least the end of that month. On employers, so this should be proactively managed closures apply that continue to work from home possible. At home and may be asked to return to work now COVID protection levels ’ involve! May be asked to return to work now are changing all the time to... 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