This week schools across the UK opened their doors for all pupils for the first time since March and schools in Scotland welcomed back pupils in late August. As this has coincided with Coronavirus case numbers rising across the country, employers may be concerned about the impact on their people and their business if the child or a member of staff is required to self-isolate.
Employees, too, may be confused about what they need to do if a classmate of one of their children tests positive for the virus or if their child is sent home for 24 – 48 hours to await a pupil’s test result.
This all comes at a time when many employers are asking their staff to return to the workplace, which could lead to potential conflict if they have a child who is affected.
We answer some common questions that employers and employees may be asking at this time in a fact sheet – downloadable here.
This includes the implications for employee and employer when a team member’s child is sent home from school to isolate, how an employer can manage an employee who needs to stay at home and care for their child and how to deal with parents concerned about their child going back to school.
Employers should do everything they can to support employees while caring for children and should offer as much flexibility and understanding as possible during these uncertain times. If you need support managing flexible working requests or looking after the wellbeing of your teams, we can help. Visit www.realityhr.co.uk/coronavirus/ for further guidance or contact us at [email protected].