Those who had a shielding letter what do you plan to tell your employer after 30th June?

[Littlemiss74]

I had a letter advising me to shield until end of June. I have been out for walks but that’s about it and quite happy working from home. My employer is very good and supportive and we are currently all still working from home anyway. They have said they are working on ‘plans’ so am guessing this will involve returning safely to the office in the coming weeks/months.

I just wondered what other people who had been advised to shield are planning to do or if your employer’s have said anything to reassure you?
I would be nervous about going back but also am realistic that it can’t continue forever. Some managers are starting to fret about the length of time we’ve all been wfh.

OhFuckOffWithTheBubbleBollocks I agree with you. I am not vulnerable at all but believe that people shielding should have employment protection akin to mat leave. I think it would be difficult to determine what sort of financial protection but as a minimum jobs should be protected (even if that only means holding open roles while getting temp cover). There are then all sorts of grey areas re vulnerable but not shielding, someone looking after a family member who is shielding. Many families will be facing very difficult choices right now.

What about those who are shielding and who have managed to continue to prove they can successfully work from home doing all of their part time job role virtually?

The fact is there is no added legal protection at the moment. Under current legislation employers would need to demonstrate that reasonable adjustments had been made to allow a disabled person to return to work/fulfil their contract to a reasonable level. Otherwise it could lead to dismissal (at the moment). This is not intended to cause outrage on the thread but rather factually lay out the protection as it stands now.

@Splatt presumably they will have received their full wage as normal! Many people shielding are only receiving SSP some if they are lucky will have been furloughed so still at a loss income wise.

@Pootle40 not everyone shielding is disabled you know!

@Uhoh2020 yes I'm very aware of that I was just stating the limitations of the employment law protection. In order to have additional employment rights you would need to meet the employment law test of being 'disabled'.

I'm very aware this wouldn't apply to everyone so just stating therefore, at the moment, an employer could dismiss but they would still require to show they took reasonable steps to support people.

@Pootle40 it's an awful position to be in I have a couple of friends shielding at the moment unable to work from home worried about this very thing. My fear is many will end up risking their lives in order to save their jobs if required to shield for longer or indeed indefinitely

I live in England and was very late getting my letter so my shielding date is until August.

No, that's not how it works. You won't be at more risk because you started shielding later. You stop shielding at the same time as everyone else - ie 31 july now.

There is about to be mass unemployment sadly. It’s all very well to talk about tribunals but that may not be a realistic prospect if a company ceases trading or makes vast redundancies.

I know somebody who is shielding who insists she is never going back to work and her employer will pay her. I gently tried to say that this isn’t going to happen and got an earful!

Of course shielded people should be protected. Just like there are laws protecting pregnant women. But they still get shafted.

Has anyone else not had an updated shielding letter, after receiving the first one in March? I've never been more confused in my life!