Employers fined £10,000 for employees not complying with isolation

Employers fined up to £10,000 for Employees not following Self-Isolation requirements.

As the UK is now riding the wave of a second spike in Coronavirus we all have a responsibility to ensure we are doing the utmost to adhere to the regulations to try and keep us and everyone else safe. New laws and regulations were passed last week to further ensure that public movements are restricted to try and contain the virus. Some of the legislation directly effects Employers and their responsibility to ensure their employees remain in isolation when in contact with or tested for Covid-19

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Health Protection Legislation

Under the  The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Self-Isolation) (England) Regulations 2020, Employers have now become liable to be fined if their employees and workers do not self-isolate as per the new legislation that was set on 28th September.

The new regulations set compulsory periods of self-isolation for anyone who has tested positive for Covid-19 or have had close contact after 28th September 2020 with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus, if they are the parent/carer for a child who has tested positive for coronavirus pursuant to a test after 28th September 2020, or come into close contact after 28th September 2020 with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus.

Fines can range from £1,000 to £10,000.

Whilst, employees that are well enough and are able to carry out their job, can do so from home; other permutations such as them collecting documents from colleagues or picking up equipment from work should also be considered as these are not in the remit of self-isolation.

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Employee Fines

Employees can also be fined £50 for failing to inform employers that they have to self-isolate; regardless if they are working from home anyway.

Those employees that are on a low income and are unable to carry out their work from home whilst in self-isolation and therefore lose their income may be entitled to a £500 Test and Trace Support Payment. Those who have been told to self-isolate from Monday (28 September) will receive backdated payments once the scheme is set up in their local authority – expected by 12 October. Further information on this payment will be issued by the employees local authority, information released by Birmingham City Council can be read here.

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