Warwickshire businesses and organisations are asked to support their clinically extremely vulnerable employees

Following the announcement that Warwickshire entered into the new Tier 4 restrictions on the 31 December, those people identified as clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) have been advised to avoid contact with others as much as possible. This means that they are strongly advised to work from home and, if that is not possible, then they should not attend work.

For those Warwickshire businesses and organisations who have CEV employees, they are being asked to speak to their staff as soon as possible about the new guidance and to make arrangements for them to work at home. If employees cannot work from home, then employers should consider whether their CEV employees will be eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (furlough), which has been extended until 30 April 2021. Employees may also be eligible for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), to support them to stay at home and follow the guidance.

Employees who are identified as being CEV will receive a letter which advises them to shield, which can act as evidence for their eligibility for SSP or ESA. Employers should be aware that some may not receive their letter until the first week in January but, in the meantime, they are being asked to support their CEV employees to stay at home whilst waiting for this to arrive.

Warwickshire County Councillor Les Caborn, Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care and Health, said: “These measures are really hard for individuals, employers and whole communities but they are necessary to keep people as safe as possible. We must do all we can to help people who are clinically extremely vulnerable and at very high risk of severe illness from COVID-19 to follow government advice: to stay at home as much as possible and access the support they need to do so.”

Further information for employers is available at: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/coronavirusbacktoworkguidance