A round up of recent HR & Employment Law news.

Living with Covid  

The government last week announced its “Living with Covid” changes. The key changes are:

• From 24 February individuals are no longer legally required to self-isolate or to tell their employers when have COVID-19. However, Employers and workers should still follow government guidance, which remains that anyone who tests positive should still isolate for at least 5 days. As self-isolation is no longer a legal requirement, employers should consider their own  workplace policies and how they may be impacted by the changes – particularly if they have employees who cannot work from home.

• on 17‌‌‌ ‌March‌‌‌ ‌2022 the Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme will close meaning employers will no longer be able to claim back Statutory Sick Pay for employees with coronavirus-related absences or self-isolation that occurs after ‌17‌‌‌ ‌March‌‌‌ ‌2022.

• from 24^th March 2022, statutory sick pay rules will return to their pre-pandemic position. The change allowed for payment of SSP from day one if a worker had to isolate due to COVID-19. By reverting to the previous rules, workers must be absent from work for 4 working days before qualifying for SSP, regardless of the reason for their absence.

• From 1 April, free testing is to be removed meaning employees may not know if they have COVID-19 or not. The government will also remove the health and safety requirement for every employer to explicitly consider COVID-19 in their risk assessments (unless they work specifically work with COVID-19, such as in laboratories).

New ACAS guidance 

ACAS have just published new guidance to help employers deal with employees suffering a bereavement. Employers are advised to recognise that grief affects everyone differently and to tailor the support provided to a bereaved employee, both at the time of the bereavement and after they have returned to work.

It is recommended that employers have a workplace bereavement policy to cover time off and pay – please get in touch to discuss this with a member of the team.