Originally written by Anna Jordan on Small Business
As coronavirus (COVID-19) becomes more widespread, the UK is taking a ‘self-isolate’ approach to prevent further spreading.
Health secretary Matt Hancock has sent information to employers stating that employees who are told to self-isolate should be entitled to statutory sick pay.
Below, we answer some key questions around self-isolation and statutory sick pay (SSP).
When would my employee be told to self-isolate?
Your employee may be told to self-isolate when they’ve been to a country with a high risk of contracting COVID-19.
At the time of writing, the government’s high-risk countries include:
Category 1
Wuhan city and Hubei Province (China)
Iran
Daegu or Cheongdo (Republic of Korea)
Any Italian town under containment measures
Category 2
Cambodia
China
Hong Kong
Italy: north
Japan
Laos
Macau
Malaysia
Myanmar
Republic of Korea
Singapore
Taiwan
Thailand
Vietnam
They can also be told to self-isolate if there’s a chance they’ve been exposed to the virus through contact with someone who has the virus or someone who’s recently been to a high-risk area.
Employees waiting for a COVID-19 test result will be instructed to self-isolate while they’re waiting for their results.
Keep up with advice from the government which is being reviewed and updated daily.
What happens when an employee self-isolates?
When someone is told to self-isolate, they should stay at home and avoid going to work, school