Staff do not want to come in

[samuel5]

Hi all

We are an Ecommerce company and fulfil orders from our warehouse.

Office staff can work remotely but obviously the warehouse staff need to be there.

We now have some warehouse staff saying they are not happy to go in anymore with everyone being advised to stay at home.

Can anyone please advise what options we can offer them?
Can we allow the staff that wish to stay at home time off and put them on the 80% wage guarantee the gov announced on Friday?

With business dropped by 40% it would actually be in our favour to offer this for 1 or 2 warehouse staff.

Thanks

Sam

 

[Newchodge]

If you have to lay off staff because of the drop in business you can get the 80% for keeping them on with no work. Your problem will be choosing between them.

 

[Ecommerce&MailOrderGuy]

I think if all work stops the country ends up with a number of additional problems. What if all the food shop workers took the same approach. Do staff really get 80% pay indefinitely - no wonder they don't want to come in.

 

[LTDcompanier]

When does the 80% start coming into the bank accounts of the businesses? How long you wait before the system goes live?

 

[Mr D]

When does the 80% start coming into the bank accounts of the businesses? How long you wait before the system goes live?

Theoretically end of April. For both questions.
In practice, think possibly later.

Everyone demanding payment on day one or else they shut down.

 

[Mr D]

I think you need to listen to your staff. It's a security issue.

Its also a business issue - without the staff doing the work there may well not be a business.

Nothing to say a workplace cannot bring in some staff protection.

 

[samuel5]

So I've put two staff on Furlough Leave, what happens if when I want them to come back to work they refuse to for virus concerns? Where will we stand?

Thanks

Sam

 

[ecommerce84]

At least 2 meters away from one another.

 

[SillyBill]

Perhaps taking us off topic but need a moan, really disappointing how a small minority merely see this as an opportunity to sit at home and Xbox all day when their employer could be going down the swanny. We quite legitimately have a couple off self-isolating due to medical issues, no issues there at all and encouraged. However, ofc this is bound to ruffle feathers...and sure enough I've already heard the jealously both indirectly and directly doing the rounds about having to work while others sit at home. As I pointed out and will continue to if anybody wants to have severe asthma/COPD etc. for the rest of their lives in exchange for 12 weeks extra "holiday" in one calendar year then I am sure the people off would gladly swap places. As if these people asked to be at risk... When I hear stuff like that even though I have come to expect it, it really does depress me. Ofc the vast majority simply work within gov and employer advice and crack on but always those that look for something like this to see what they can make of it.

 

[ADW]

So I've put two staff on Furlough Leave, what happens if when I want them to come back to work they refuse to for virus concerns? Where will we stand?

Thanks

Sam

Take them off furlough when you have work for them. If they refuse to come in and are not classed as sick then they don't get paid depending on their contract.