The human cost
One Telegraph reader, who wished to remain anonymous, said he had to go into work despite having asthma, high blood pressure and a son at home with underlying health conditions.
“Until the law tightens up, there is nothing I can do. There is no reason why I can’t work from home. The Government needs to make it law for non-essential workers to be working from home. Advisory doesn’t cut it,” he said.
Another said he was being needlessly forced to choose between putting his parents’ lives at risk or living off statutory sick pay. He could even face being disciplined at work.
“It’s mad because I have the capability to work from home and avoid the problem entirely,” he said. “My father and I both work at the same firm. He has been given a laptop and told he can work from home and originally I was told the same. But now my boss has said I have to come in.”
If he refuses to come into work he will be put on statutory sick pay, paid at £95.85 a week. “I don’t want to put my family’s lives in danger but that would barely cover my bills so I’m stuck. I also don’t want to risk being fired,” he added.
What are your rights?
Although employers could take disciplinary action and/or withhold pay if any employee doesn’t come into work, Mr Coy said that, by doing this, an employer may be liable for discrimination claims if the worker is not coming in because they have a disability that makes them vulnerable.
The same rule could also apply to someone not coming into the office to protect a family member at home with a disability.
“Alternatively the employee could make a claim for unfair dismissal if they are ultimately dismissed or resign in response to being made to come to work or not paid,” he said. He added that conditions such as asthma or diabetes can sometimes count as disabilities depending on their severity.