Any employers here dealing with employees off self isolating?

[PocketPicket]

Essentially we have an apprentice who has been told that someone in his college bubble has tested positive and therefore he needs to self isolate.

I understand we can claim back SSP paid during isolation (we are only a small company and the work can't be done from home so we really need to get the help if it's there) however it requires a self isolation note from the NHS website.

I've had a look at the form online and it says you have to have been told by NHS track and trace to self isolate or public health England.

Our employee has not been told directly by these people but by his college. Has anyone been through this?

I am currently going through this as the employee. Track and trace is not working! My colleague whom I work closely with (I. E

Thanks.

I'm wondering whether he can click 'yes' to the question of 'have you been told by PHE to self isolate' because although he hasn't been directly, his college have been who have then told him iyswim.

It's hard, we are a tiny company (he's our only employee) and we'll struggle to pay wages for isolation when he can't do any work if this were to happen over and over and there was no gov support.

I don't think he can, you'll most likely have to have proof to claim back SSP.

It his college have been contacted by PHE could they not provide the proof do you think?

Possibly, I honestly don't know. The whole system is a mess. There should be advice for employers on gov.uk but all I can find is advice relating to t&t telling you to self isolate which is obviously not working as they don't actually seem to be doing that!

I'm in Scotland so will be slightly different but when test and trace got in contact with me and told me to isolate they asked if I needed anything for my employer to prove I was to isolate

Just wait a couple of days to get the T&T confirmation. You don't need to put SSP requests through on the day, more commonly it's all done a few weeks in arrears.

I'm amazed an apprentice is producing enough to cover his costs though, that's great. You should certainly hire more in that case.

At our school they are sending us a letter from PHE (via the school) to say we need to isolate if we’ve come into contact so as far as I can see, he could use that letter from the college as evidence he has been told by PHE to isolate?

I thought it said that you have to have been told to isolate by T&T or the NHS, and then it says that that includes the NHS advice website. ie if you fit the criteria on being a contact on the NHS website, you're entitled to an Isolation Note.

Mad in one sense, but I guess it's all they can do

@WoobyWoo

At our school they are sending us a letter from PHE (via the school) to say we need to isolate if we’ve come into contact so as far as I can see, he could use that letter from the college as evidence he has been told by PHE to isolate?

Thanks, I'll ask him if he's had anything like this. This is what I'm thinking. Technically he's been asked to isolate by PHE but just indirectly so I'm hoping that's enough for the isolation note you need from NHS website to claim back the SSP.

Thank you all! 😊 we're a relatively young company and had only just hired before all this started so its been and still is a learning curve!!!

@Augustbreeze

I thought it said that you have to have been told to isolate by T&T or the NHS, and then it says that that includes the NHS advice website. ie if you fit the criteria on being a contact on the NHS website, you're entitled to an Isolation Note.

Mad in one sense, but I guess it's all they can do

Yes I've just looked again and it says you can ask for one if you've been 'told' by the advice on the NHS website to self isolate however they only mention the following:

-have symptoms of coronavirus
-live with someone who has symptoms of coronavirus
-are in a support bubble with someone who has symptoms of coronavirus
-have been told to self-isolate by a test and trace service

A college or education bubble wouldn't count as a support bubble would it?

They don't make it bloody easy

Yes I see your point OP. I wonder if PHE advice to the college (and thence to students) counts as "a test and trace service"? It's performing that function.

If he has a PHE letter then that should count. Have you or your accountants tried calling HMRC? They're often surprisingly responsive.