Into work or don't get paid

[Itsmeandhim]

Our DD works at an assisted living facility. Today she tested on a lateral flow test positive.
She was told that she has to go in or not get paid as they are short staffed.
Minimum wage.
Also she has been told not to tell the other member of staff she is working with or any of the service users she deals with.
Part of her contract is they arrange a taxi for the late shift and not to mention to the driver.
This is midnight so not practical to walk home.
DD has booked a PCR for in the morning.
To be paid she needs a PCR positive test every day.
No wonder why covid is rife around the country if this is how other work places react.

I doubt many people get paid. No one in my work gets more than ssp. If a relative/child meant you needed to isolate you got nothing. I think a lot of people just don't test because of this and that's partly why it's rife. I don't know many people who get paid.

My workplace is SSP only, a massive drop in what we would be paid if we went in.

Bloody hell.

It's the fact of
A. Keeping it secret
B. Carry on working with elderly people.
C. What about other members of staff.
D. Is she to starve what about her children are they to go hungry.

The sick pay issue is something that should have been sorted out in March 2020. It would have done a lot more to reduce cases than some of the other daft measures.

Can't you claim the up to five hundred pounds per week from the government if you have a positive pcr

Does she usually get paid if off sick? Many people only get SSP.

There are no waiting days if the sickness is Covid related so she is entitled to SSP from day 1. It’s not much but it works out at about £19 per day based on a 5 day working week. If she is low paid then she might be able to apply for the Covid payment.

@Whitefire

The sick pay issue is something that should have been sorted out in March 2020. It would have done a lot more to reduce cases than some of the other daft measures.

Yep. But it would've cost money, soooooo.....

True that viking and it would have involved giving money to the plebs rather than lots and lots to their friends.

I would advise her to look in her local council website. Our one, offers more than £500 I heard.

As I've stated it's being told to go in because they are short staffed and to keep it secret.
This is why covid is still rife. People who need the money will go in because they cannot survive on
SSP.

Despite the rhetoric some areas had higher cases because they were stupid vs the sensible people in places with low numbers, this has been the biggest problem all along. People aren't going to isolate when they can't afford to.
My industry isn't care, or remotely similar. My company paid people to isolate pre vaccine and pays sick pay if you're positive as for any illness. One of our rivals pays ssp if you're positive and never paid for isolating. We've had less sickness, and what they've saved on isolation and sick pay they've probably lost double paying agency and on recruitment, before you even include any losses from insufficient staff and lost morale.

But society in general doesn't like to admit some people simply can't afford to isolate, much better to call them selfish granny killers and lay the blame for covid at their door.

It’s disgraceful that the company is advising this. Just disgraceful.

she absolutely must not go in and she needs to report the company to CQC straight away , and they are lying about the daily pcr she is entitled to ssp for every shift she has to miss while she's isolating x feel free to message me if you want any further advice

This is why covid is still rampant. There is much more than is reported. People have used up sick leave or have jobs with no paid sick leave and now have the choice of: Work with positive covid OR
Stay home with no pay and family goes hungry, cold or is evicted.
In the care home where my DD2 works the entire kitchen staff tested positive and stayed home. In order to get the patients fed, the entire office staff and nurses aides worked double shifts - one shift on their real job and one in the kitchen. Cooking, plating, delivering, feeding, and then washing and cleanup before time to prep for the next meal.
She worked a 14 hour day for a week, until cooks tested negative and came back to work.

I certainly wouldn’t want to work in a place like that, who are deliberately putting residents at risk, nor would I go in knowing I was positive. Despite feeling well, I would say I was too ill to go in.

Is there a whistleblowing service?

My nephew works part time in major supermarket and this is their position
Lots of people only get paid if they work

I have also heard of many businesses and organisations that either pay SSP or don't pay at all if you test positive or need to self isolate. I agree with the above PP's that it just leads to more cases as many people cannot afford to lose that kind of money.

The test and trace financial support payment of £500 can be claimed after one positive PCR test. It is claimed from tour local council. Some councils do pay a higher amount

Only if you meet the conditions for it.

My sister was paid so when she tested positive but she did manage to claim the £500 covid payment from her council I believe she had to be on a low income plus a qualifying benefit e.g. universal credit, housing benefit etc.
However my mum works in care home care to be specific they get asp if they are off ill but if it is covid and they have a positive pcr they get full pay.

The irony is that the Government are throwing money at social services departments across the country to help with the recruitment and retention of carers for the providers that deliver services on behalf of councils. Providers aren't bidding for the money as the issue is that there just isn't enough interest in caring jobs. This could pay for sick pay in the sector... the problem is that's not what's needed - care providers need people in and doing their jobs.

She needs to report this

I used to work in the care industry and I wouldn't have even bothered testing, because we wouldn't have been paid for isolating and I can't survive on nothing. There is a lot wrong with the care industry and this is only the top of the iceberg!