Hi All,
I would like to ask you if you have any idea on my concern.
Can we ask people not to go on holiday in places that they will have to self isolate when they return?
If not, can I ask people to take unpaid leave when they return - instead of being furloughed or SSP as ACAS advises?
Thank you in advance!
Replies
According to item 5 on the following page, you can ask but it isn't advisable: https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=b6d3efda-4a8f-44ef-a...
It seems to me that a conversation needs to be had with any employees in this position with an outcome that keeps both parties happy being the aim.
Failing that, the Practical Steps on the following website page indicate that you can put in place a policy to deal with employees taking foreign holidays that may result in quarantine: https://www.howespercival.com/articles/quarantine-employment-rights...
Bear in mind that this was written at the end of July.
When the person returns, it seems that the first option is to explore working from home. If this is not an option "and the employee has sufficient holiday days remaining for the current leave year, the employee may (with the employer’s consent) take the quarantine period as holiday leave... should the employee have insufficient holiday and be unable to work from home, the leave may be treated as unpaid leave." according to page noted above (Howes Percival).
There is a list of jobs which are exempt from having to self-isolate upon returning to UK, so if your employee does one of these jobs they wouldn't need to isolate anyway. Here is the list: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-tra...
Does this help, Paraskevi?
You can tell employees when to take holidays. See Requiring staff to take or cancel holiday: https://www.acas.org.uk/coronavirus/using-holiday
thanks Garry ! You have been more than helpful!
Happy to help, Paraskevi.
I've picked up on another question about DBS checks in the forums that I can move on too.
:)