Statutory Sick Pay Could Stymie Covid-19 Response

Low Pay Leaves Health Workers Facing an Impossible Choice

As the number of Covid-19 cases in the UK rose to 40 over the weekend, the GMB union has highlighted the risk—particularly in healthcare—of workers on low pay feeling they must work even if unwell.

“If you are not paying them the national living wage and they are only getting statutory sick pay when they get ill, they face an impossible choice about whether to come into the hospital while ill and hope nothing happens to the patients, or forego paying the rent,” said GMB organiser Lola McEvoy on Radio 4.

Government Urged to Guarantee Full Pay for Self-Isolating Staff

The union is calling on the government to ensure all health workers sent home, or asked to self-isolate, are not left without pay. Currently, many frontline staff—cleaners, porters and caterers employed by private contractors—rely on statutory sick pay, which offers:

• Zero pay during the first three “waiting days” off
• £94.25 per week thereafter—about one quarter of the national living wage for a 40-hour week

This gap could force those displaying Covid-19 symptoms to choose between public safety and financial survival.

Gig Economy Workers Also Left Vulnerable

The GMB warns that gig economy and zero-hours contract workers face a similar dilemma. National officer Mick Rix said:

“The threat of coronavirus is a huge problem for employers and workers across the UK. But workers in the so-called gig economy, or on zero-hours contracts, are left abandoned and penniless if they have to self-isolate. Once again, the bogus self-employment model is screwing over the disadvantaged. GMB is calling on all employers—regardless of contract—to do the right thing and pay their workers if they have to take time off due to the global health crisis.”

Find more on gig economy and zero-hours contracts issues.

NHS Employers Highlight Wider Implications

Danny Mortimer, chief executive of NHS Employers (part of the NHS Confederation), added:

“We recognise coronavirus means staff employed by NHS contractors—such as facilities management organisations—face a dilemma about coming to work even if they are feeling unwell or staying off and potentially losing pay. Statutory sick pay is not typically as high as contracted pay and the self-isolation period for coronavirus is lengthy. A similar issue would arise in the case of any exclusionary illness, such as norovirus, and given the severity of the current situation, we would ask anyone working in an NHS setting to exercise the appropriate caution to avoid putting our patients and teams at risk.”

For more detailed coverage on statutory sick pay and Covid-19, see our full report: Statutory Sick Pay Could Stymie Covid-19 Response.