COVID 19 UPDATE

20th May 2020

 

Dear Member

 

COVID 19 UPDATE

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

There have been some announcements over the past 24 hours which may be of interest to bacta members:

  • The Government has announced that the large business CBILS scheme will, from the 26th May, provide loans up to 25% of turnover up to £200 million.  Additional conditions apply.  Full details will be provided by the 26th May.
  • Advice on claiming Statutory Sick Pay through the JRS has been published here. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-back-statutory-sick-pay-paid-to-employees-due-to-coronavirus-covid-19
  • The Scottish Government has announced some easing of the Country’s lockdown from the 28th May.  We are expecting a more detailed paper this week that may say more about getting businesses back open.

RE-OPENING

 

We are continuing to press for the earliest possible re-opening of members businesses and will be laying some questions in Parliament this week to keep the question live.  

 

Further helpful and simpler guidance on what businesses need to do to ensure their businesses are Covid secure has been published.  Click here for details.   https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/5-steps-to-working-safely

 

The five steps to working safely are:

  1. Carry out a COVID-19 risk assessment
  2. Develop cleaning, handwashing and hygiene procedures 
  3. Help people to work from home 
  4. Maintain 2m social distancing, where possible 
  5. Where people cannot be 2m apart, manage transmission risk

INSURANCE

 

DCMS have asked bacta if members are struggling to obtain insurance ready for re-opening.  Officials are in discussions with the Treasury.  Can you let me know by close of play today.

  1. Are you having trouble getting insurance?
  2. What is the impact of this on your business?
  3. Have you found any solutions?

EMPLOYMENT LAW

 

With everyone focused on Covid-19, members may have missed a number of changes to the employment law that came into effect on April 20th, including:

  • The right to written T&Cs has been extended to all workers (including zero hours and casual) from the first day of work.
  • Employees now have a right to two weeks parental bereavement leave in the event of the still birth of a baby
  • The deadline for gender pay reporting has been extended due to the Cover-19 crisis.
  • The weekly rate of statutory maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave has gone up to £150.20 a week.
  • The maximum weekly pay of the purposes of statutory redundancy has gone up to £538
  • The maximum award for unfair dismissal has gone up to £88,519 for dismissals that occur on or after 6th April
  • Agency workers who have completed the 12 week qualifying period must now be paid the same as other workers carrying out the same role.

As always, please let me know how things are going and if there is anything the bacta team can do to help. 

 

Kind Regards

John

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