Will those having to quarantine for 14 days be paid sick pay?

[itsgettingweird]

I know many companies have been able to pay sick or use sickness policy during lockdown for isolating staff.

But what happens if it's forced quarantine after flying into the country?

For example. I have got a holiday booked the end of August. I have - ever since this was declared a global pandemic - expected not to go.
I have continued to pay instalments as I can't cancel without losing money. Balance is due 2 weeks before I fly.
Short and long of it is payment so far covers flights and I'm aware it'll take up to 8 months for that to come back and I've accepted it. I knew balance wouldn't be taken as they make decisions weeks in advance.

However now it's very unclear what will happen 3 months from now. It's unclear how long quarantines will last for country entry across Europe and who will release quarantine when.

So my question is does anyone know what happens if your holiday goes ahead but you must still quarantine on return to the UK?

Will you then be issued a not fit to work certificate because this is enforced rather than illness?

I'm also wondering if it's not just easier for countries to agree that holidays won't happen and refunds can be given if they still think returning requires quarantine if the receiving country isn't enforcing it and you go.

I also wondered if anyone has any information beyond what tabloids have printed (!) with regards information such as some airlines flying the routes with empty planes because it then means they don't have to issue refunds. Apparently fuel is 45% of costs and so they still make a profit and even more so as they don't need a full cabin staff and baggage staff etc.

I know I am extremely fortunate to have been able to have booked a summer holiday abroad. And I have all along said I'd rebook with same airline and travel company if they are fair with refunds. I actually planned to book a more expensive trip as would have a further year to pay the extra.

Well, the hope is that people will maintain social distancing, hygiene and stay at home with any respiratory symptoms, so people shouldn’t be getting lots of light colds. And people with cold symptoms will be tested.

So sick leave for isolating due to contact with confirmed cases seems reasonable. Sick pay for holidays doesn’t.

Demented I didn't ask for sick pay. Nor did I say I expected it. I asked if it was going to be the same as when people had to isolate during lockdown.
I gave no indication the quarantine rules would even affect me financially.

I was asking and gave my holiday as an example. And as an example of how many people may have to choose between losing a holiday and the money or losing 2 weeks wages. I said I feel doing this would not only hit people hard now but could hit the travel industry even harder in the future because people may not book for further down the line.

Just because a service is a holiday rather than food or furniture doesn't mean the rules shouldn't stay the same. No service should mean no payment taken. I wanted clarification of what the rules were because I was getting confused by all the stuff printed on various media outlets and what was truth, speculation and fact.

This was going to happen at my work, for someone who wanted to travel to a country with quarantine in place during the current UK lockdown, so a policy was drafted. I imagine the same will apply for the UK now.

The options given to the employee to cover the 2 weeks quarantine were:

• take 2 weeks extra annual leave, as long as they had it available

• unpaid leave for 2 weeks

• work from the office for those 2 weeks (their specific role meant they wouldn't be able to easily, they're furloughed due to this)

• no sick pay as they are not sick, and intentionally took themselves into a situation they knew they had to quarantine

The employee cancelled the holiday.

There are no votes in paying sick pay in these circumstances.

This is another way in which travel will only become for the very well off

But many well-off people won’t be able to travel either if they have to quarantine for two weeks on return either- because their companies won’t grant them the annual leave to do so, or grant them unpaid leave.

I meant work from home for those 2 weeks, not work from the office!

Ilikebooks I actually don't want to go on my holiday! I don't feel the time is currently right with risks. But I can't change it because it's a case of sit at home and wait until we tell you what's happening. Fair enough it's a pandemic. But I agree people are tossers for just think I should shrug and say "oh well I should just pay for my holiday and not go because others have lost x y and z" when I've already said I may lose my job or have to give up work in September myself 🤷‍♀️

I understand what you're saying, OP. We're due to go to a Spanish island in the last week of August. Booked and fully paid for long ago. As a teacher contracted to 195 specified days, a 14 day quarantine would prevent me from being able to return to school in September. I can't work from home, I can't take annual leave, so I can't go! Not my fault though! There's at least one other member of staff in my school in exactly the same position.

There are some really obnoxious comments on here OP.

I feel for you because I'm in the same boat. Highly unlikely the holiday will go ahead but we still have to make our final payment or we'll lose our deposit. If the holiday doesn't go ahead then we'll (eventually) get a refund. BUT if the holiday does actually go ahead and we have to quarantine on return we'll lose thousands if we choose not to go. Unfortunately some people on here can't see past their own noses and aren't looking at the financial implications. I highly doubt those who are lambasting you would be happy to lose such large sums of money.

My boss has agreed to let me work from home if we have to quarantine on return so I'm extremely lucky....but many others are unlikely to be so accommodating.

Tbh...my gut feeling is there will be no 'holidays' for the rest of the year and quarantine will only apply to those who have to travel for essential purposes.

I’m not well off, but the company I work for only allows two weeks off at any one time. So, clearly, any holiday abroad at all couldn’t happen, unless things change regarding quarantine.

I think this isn't just a 'going on holiday' question. It looks like the plan for the future involves lots of people having to self isolate for 14 days, for lots of reasons - family member has symptoms, you have symptoms (which may well just be a light cold - which most people will get), you spend 15 minutes in a restaurant and it turns out that someone else in the same room had symptoms.

We are all going to be expected to spend multiple weeks at home and I think there does need to be guidance for employers as to how they handle it, and if the government wants compliance on this, they need to encourage employers to be generous and flexible. Because no one is going to risk losing 28 weeks pay over the course of a year, and maybe not be able to feed their family, because of a couple of times when they stood near someone with a cold.

Absolutely. And I was asking about the same if people are forced to chose between taking a paid for trip or losing the money and not going.

It's valid to ask.

But many well-off people won’t be able to travel either if they have to quarantine for two weeks on return either- because their companies won’t grant them the annual leave to do so, or grant them unpaid leave.

They won’t need to quarantine though - they’ll go back to work and just pay the fine if they get caught. What’s a grand if you earn a gazillion?

No service should mean no payment taken

Well, no. That's not the case at all. Especially when you are making a choice not to take the holiday. You may not like the choice, but the holiday is still available.

Kobe are you actually me! Same situation as me! Except if I have to quarantine I only miss first 3 days of term. So actually it isn't 14 days. But I was asking in general what rules were as was getting confused.

Funny it's not really a choice for some though is it. The quarantine is forced. That wasn't part of the contract when the holiday was booked. So service isn't delivered as booked.

Unfortunately some people on here can't see past their own noses and aren't looking at the financial implications

Well, that's not true. Look at the financial implication on holiday companies, airlines etc. If they have to move everyone who cant quarantine for 2 week's holidays till next year. The entire sector would go under with all the job losses etc that go with it.

Funny it's not really a choice for some though is it. The quarantine is forced. That wasn't part of the contract when the holiday was booked. So service isn't delivered as booked.

Not by the airline.

They won’t need to quarantine though - they’ll go back to work and just pay the fine if they get caught. What’s a grand if you earn a gazillion?

The gazillionaires might not mind, but others might. And per person it would be a lot to pay for each member of your family.

I'd be interested to know if all those who are whining about the taxpayer having to fund sick pay feel the same way about the taxpayer funding furlough.

”I didn't ask for sick pay.”

The title of your thread indicates otherwise.

You do of course make some valid points. Lots of people have booked holidays that they will not be able to go on. The cost of that will be borne by someone, and it’s a question of whether it’s the individual booking the holiday, their travel insurers, the holiday provider, the government or a combination.

But it is worth remembering that virtually the whole population is being or will be affected by this situation, often financially, and often to a crippling extent, some worse than others. Everyone is going to lose out and we can’t all be compensated for every loss, it’s just not realistic.

Hopefully it may be possible for the government to declare something that will have the effect of forcing holiday companies/insurers to pay out. Although obviously we’ll all pay for that later anyway.

I think it’s a way of airline / travel company’s not having to refund
It’s probably cheaper for a plane to fly to the destination empty than it is to refund everyone.
If you have a holiday booked but can’t go because of the quarantine when you get back a lot of people won’t go on holiday.
But because the flights are going and your hotel holiday is available you won’t get a refund and you won’t be able to claim on your travel insurance as tee don’t include you refusing to travel. Which you are as the flight and hotel is available.
And many don’t inc refunds due to FCO advising you to go
So your screwed either way

Flowery, the voice of reason as always

@itsgettingweird I'm sure they'll be a lot of teachers in the same position as us. I paid off the balance of ours a few months ago because the advice was to keep paying. Now I wish I hadn't! I'll cross this bridge when I come to it though as things are changing daily. I've still got to sort getting a refund from TUI for the holiday we were meant to be starting today! 🤦‍♀️

If the FCO continues to advise against all foreign travel and there are regulations in force stating that no one (except Dominic Cummings) is allowed to spend a night somewhere other than their main residence, that would be enough to allow travel companies and individuals to claim on insurance, agree to move the holiday or agree a credit note.

@Judiwench. And if everyone cancels and nobody is booking holidays then the holiday sector will go under anyway. Surely it makes sense for them to be amenable and look after their customers.