Covid-19

Frequently asked questions

updated: January 2021

 

Make sure you always look at the latest government advice according to which part of the UK you live / work in:

• England:  https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
• Scotland: https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/
• Northern Ireland: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/campaigns/coronavirus-covid-19 
• Wales  https://gov.wales/coronavirus

If you can’t find the answer you are looking for in the FAQs below, please speak to your line manager in the first instance.

If you still have an outstanding query email our COVID-19 helpdesk team at COVID19.help@securitas.uk.com 

 

COVID

 

1. What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

The main symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are:

• a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
• a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
• a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you've noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal.

For most people, COVID-19 will be a mild illness. However, if you have any of the symptoms above, stay at home and arrange to have a test.

 

2. I feel unwell, what should I do?

If you feel unwell follow the normal sickness procedure and contact your line manager. However, if you show coronavirus symptoms stay at home, arrange to have a test and contact your line manager.

 

For useful hints and tips for managing symptoms visit the NHS Website: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/self-isolation-and-treatment/how-to-treat-symptoms-at-home/

 

3. What is the difference between self-isolation, social distancing and shielding?

 

Self-isolation applies if you, or a member of your household, are displaying symptoms of COVID-19 or if you have been contacted by NHS Test and Trace or the NHS COVID-19 app.

Self-isolation means staying at home and not going out, staying away from other people in your home, sleeping alone if you can, and not having any visitors.

Social distancing is about ways to avoid catching and spreading coronavirus.

Shielding is a measure to protect those who are at very high risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19) from coming into contact with the virus.

 

4. I have an isolation note from the NHS. Where should I send it?

 

You must send your isolation note to your line manager – this is extremely important so that you are paid correctly.

5. I received a letter from the NHS as I am classified as “extremely vulnerable.” Do I have to come to work, and if I don’t, will I get paid?

If you have been identified as extremely vulnerable you should follow GOV.UK advice on shielding.

If you are eligible, you will be offered furloughed leave, and if you accept, you will be paid 80% of your salary up to a maximum of £2500 per month (before tax and NI deductions).

 

6. I live with someone who is in the extremely vulnerable group. Should I shield?

No. The current government advice is that you should practice good hygiene, like washing your hands, this is the best way to protect your loved one.

 

7. If I live with someone who is self-isolating as they have tested positive or have symptoms of COVID-19, but I feel fine, can I still come to work?

No. Under NHS guidelines you will need to self-isolate for 10 days. In England it is a criminal offence to not self-isolate.

 

8. I have been contacted by NHS Test and Trace (or equivalent in Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland) advising that I have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID. What should I do?

You must inform your manager immediately and self-isolate as directed by the NHS Test and Trace.  If you are displaying any COVID symptoms, you should also book a COVID-19 test.

If you've been in close contact with someone who has coronavirus and need to self-isolate, you may get:

• an email, text or phone call from NHS Test and Trace – text messages will come from NHS tracing and calls will come from 0300 0135 000
• an alert from the NHS COVID-19 app

Depending on how NHS Test and Trace contacted you, please send one of the following to your line manager:

• a screen shot of the incoming call from the NHS Test and Trace team
• a screen shot of the text message you received which shows the NHS Test and Trace team's details
• a copy of the email you received which shows the NHS Test and Trace team's details.

Unless you supply one of the above, we will not be able to register your absence as a 10-day self-isolation period.

Your line manager will complete and submit the QMS 391 v5 form and your records will be updated.

Please remember you must always tell your line manager of any change to your circumstances.

 

9. The NHS Test and Trace service have asked for the contact details of everyone I have had ‘close contact’ with, who and what does this mean?

We have implemented work safe principles with social distancing across all our sites so close contact should be absolutely minimal.

However, if your test positive for COVID-19 you must provide details of people you have:

• Had face-to-face contact with, including being coughed on or having a face-to-face conversation within one metre (this will include times where you have worn a face covering or face mask)
• Been within one metre of for one minute or longer without face-to-face contact
• Been within 2 metres of for more than 15 minutes (either as a one-off contact, or added up together over one day)
• Travelled in the same vehicle or a plane with (even on a short journey).

 

10. I’m returning to the UK from another country, can I come back to work?

The government has confirmed that if you are returning to the UK from a country other than those on the exempt list you should ‘quarantine’ for a period of 10 days.

This period of quarantine means you will not be able to leave your home for any reason for 10 days, including to go to work. However, if you are able to work from home, you can do so.

The latest guidance can be found here. The exempt countries are detailed here.

If you chose to travel abroad and are required to quarantine when you return for 10 days, you will not be eligible for sick pay for this period.

 

MY PAY

 

11. Will I get paid if I self-isolate with symptoms?

If you self-isolate with symptoms company sick pay (CSP) or SSP will be payable depending on your terms and conditions of employment.

You must obtain an NHS isolation note and send this to your line manager as soon as possible so that you are paid correctly. 

 

12. Will I get paid if I self-isolate because I am in a household where someone has self-isolated with symptoms?

Yes, you will be paid SSP from day one. You may also be eligible to claim a £500 grant from your local council. 

 

13. I’m on a zero hours contract and need to shield. Will I be paid?

You may be eligible; however, this will depend on whether you have been working any hours during the reference period for furlough.

Please speak to your line manager who can ask the COVID-19 help desk team to look into your personal circumstances. 

 

14. Will I get paid if I choose to stay home i.e. shield, but I cannot work from home?

No, however you may be able to take annual leave subject to line manager approval. 

 

15. Will I get paid if the client closes their site?

If a client closes their site, we will try to find you alternative work. However, if this is not possible, you may be eligible to be placed on furlough leave.

 

FURLOUGH LEAVE

 

16. Who is eligible for furlough leave?

Furlough leave may be considered in the following circumstances:

• where a client reduces their security requirements as a result of coronavirus COVID-19 and there are no alternative positions or if you are:
• unable to work because you are clinically extremely vulnerable, or at the highest risk of severe illness from coronavirus and following public health guidance
• unable to work because you have caring responsibilities resulting from coronavirus (COVID-19), including employees that need to look after children.

If you have any queries, raise them with your line manager or email our COVID-19 helpdesk team at COVID19.help@securitas.uk.com

 

17. When will I receive my Furlough payment?

You will receive your Furlough payment on your normal monthly pay day until you are called back to work or the job retention scheme ends.

If you are called back in to work mid-way through the month (with at least 48 hours’ notice, your Furlough payment amount will be pro-rata for that month).

 

18. Why is the figure on my furlough paperwork different to what I got paid?

The amount quoted in your letter was an approximate sum. GOV.UK guidelines are frequently updated, and we may have had to make adjustments to your furlough pay. 

 

19. How do you calculate my furlough pay?

If you are paid hourly and have been employed continuously by Securitas from the start of the 2019/20 tax year, we calculate the furlough amount using the highest of either:

• 80% of the same month’s wages from the previous year (up to a maximum of £2,500 a month)
• 80% of the average monthly wages for the 2019 to 2020 tax year (up to a maximum of £2,500 a month).

If you are paid hourly and have not been continuously employed by Securitas from the start of the 2019/20 tax year, but you were paid in the 19/20 tax year, we use your earnings from 2019/20 to calculate an average and pay 80% up to a maximum of £2,500 per month.

If you are hourly paid and were not employed by Securitas in the 19/20 tax year, but you were on the payroll and paid on or before 10/10/2020 pay day, we use your current year earnings to calculate an average and pay 80% up to a maximum of £2,500 per month.

If you are salaried, we use your last pay period before 19 March 2020 and pay 80% (up to a maximum of £2,500 a month).

If you are salaried and started your employment with Securitas after 19 March 2020 we use your last pay period before 30 October 2020 and pay 80% (up to a maximum of £2,500 per month).

 

20. Why are my furlough payments different?

Every month your furlough payments are calculated using the appropriate calculation method. Payment is based on the number of calendar days that you are on furlough leave.

 

21. When I am on furlough leave are monthly deductions such as tax, National Insurance and pension contributions still taken out of my pay?

Yes, furlough payments are liable to tax, NI, pension contributions, court orders and CSA payments etc.

 

22. Can I work for Securitas while I am on furlough leave?

No. if you are on furlough leave you are not able to work for Securitas or any other employer.

 

23. Do I accrue holidays on furlough leave?

Yes.  If you are on furlough leave you will continue to accrue annual leave entitlement in line with your employment contract. 

 

24. What happens if I do not agree to go on furlough leave?

If we ask you to take furlough leave, it is because the client does not require our services, or we do not need your role at present.

However, furlough leave is part of the Government’s job retention scheme so we hope you will consider the opportunity to take furlough leave very carefully.

If we ask you to go on furlough leave and you refuse you may be laid off in line with the clause in your terms and conditions, however ultimately you could be at risk of redundancy* or termination of employment if we are unable to find an alternative position for you. * Normal redundancy process and procedures would apply. 

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

25. If a person with coronavirus (COVID-19) comes into contact with the branch office or company vehicles what should I do?

Follow Public Health England advice and complete a deep clean of the premises, vehicle and any other equipment the individual may have been in contact with or used.

Should you start to show symptoms or know if you have coronavirus having had a test and have been at one of our office location, site or in a company vehicle, immediately inform your line manager and give them as much detail as possible about where you have been and who you may have come into contact with.  They will ensure the relevant Building Manager or other responsible persons are informed.

 

26. Can I choose to work from home if I want to?

Working from home must be agreed in advance with your line manager and is subject to you being able to fulfil the full accountabilities of your role.

Where it is agreed that you may be able to undertake homeworking, you will need to complete the following on-line form:

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=0fcK-4OKvEiNLc2SA0x51NK7rlB6xapPkGADasTxShlUQkdKVDdGRjI2Vk9KVFRERUY3RkoxVEpaRi4u

 

27. Do I need a VPN connection to work from home?

You only need to access a VPN connection if you need access to the O drive or to your H drive, or need to use Citrix, Timegate, PASS, Navision or any other systems running on our internal servers.

You do not need a VPN connection to access your email, Teams, OneDrive, SharePoint or for general web browsing. 

 

28. Can I take annual leave if I want to stay at home / shield?

Yes, subject to approval by your line manager.

 

29. Do we have to comply with working time directives?

There is no dispensation for us to breach the basic requirements of the Working Time Regulations.

In extreme circumstances where personnel have needed to extend their shift times, the legislation allows us to provide compensatory rest in lieu of hours worked.

However, this would be an exception and something we would try to avoid at all costs.

 

30. Can I carry my annual leave over into next year?

No, you need to take your annual leave entitlement for 2021 this year.  Taking your annual leave is important for your health and wellbeing so make sure you book it (subject to approval by your line manager).

 

31. Do I need a permit to work?

Although there is no legislative requirement for anyone, including officers licensed or non-licensed, to carry a permit to work, a number of officers have been asked to show permits. 

We have emailed our officers a critical worker permit to work.  If you have not received your permit to work or you are not an officer, but cannot work from home, email the COVID-19 help line team and they will send you a permit to work.

 

32. My SIA licence is coming up for renewal, but I have been furloughed. Do I need to renew it?

Yes, you must renew your SIA licence. You can renew your licence 16 weeks in advance and keep the same renewal date.

 

33. I need to verify documents for staff to obtain their SIA licence but how can I do this with social distancing measures in place?

Until further notice, you can accept documents emailed to you by your licensable staff. Please forward these with the completed SIA application form to the LAU.

You do not have to visit your employees to verify the documents however, once the measures are lifted you will need to verify any documentation submitted by email.

 

34. I have been approached by a HSE officer who is completing a COVID-secure workplace spot check, what should I do?

If a HSE officer visits your premises, they will be carrying identification from their business and a letter of authorisation from HSE. If you wish to further verify an officer, please call 0300 790 6896 where you can speak directly to HSE.

If a HSE officer contacts you via the telephone, the call will flag up as being from an unknown number.

It is important that should your site be visited you comply with the visit once you are sure that you have verified the individual.

Please keep all security measures in place as you usually would whilst the visit is taking place but be aware that refusal to comply with the inspection could lead to enforcement action.

 

35. Isolation restrictions are having an impact on my mental health, what should I do?

As an employee of Securitas you can access support through the Employee Assistance Programme, Able Futures or talk to one of our qualified Mental Health First Aiders, details of how to access these services can be found on the Employee Portal under Employee Welfare.

You can also find some useful information on looking after your wellbeing on the [UK] Wellbeing group on Workplace.

 

 

Ongoing updates

As the situation changes, we continue updating our FAQs, so please revisit this page as the content may change.