Are You A Key Worker?
If you haven’t already seen it, the Government has confirmed the following with regard to key workers:
Utilities, communication and financial services
This includes staff needed for essential financial services provision (including but not limited to workers in banks, building societies and financial market infrastructure), the oil, gas, electricity and water sectors (including sewerage), information technology and data infrastructure sector and primary industry supplies to continue during the COVID-19 response, as well as key staff working in the civil nuclear, chemicals, telecommunications (including but not limited to network operations, field engineering, call centre staff, IT and data infrastructure, 999 and 111 critical services), postal services and delivery, payments providers and waste disposal sectors.
You can read the Government’s full publication here:
The publication clearly categorises ‘workers in banks’ as key workers, but it seems obvious that not all bank staff will be deemed to be critical to business continuity.
The Government publication goes on to say:
“If workers think they fall within the critical categories above they should confirm with their employer that, based on their business continuity arrangements, their specific role is necessary for the continuation of this essential public service.”
Advice To Members
- In the first instance, you should speak to your line manager to ascertain whether or not your role makes you a key worker.
- If your manager confirms that you are a key worker, you should ask your manager to provide written confirmation of that. It’s almost certain that schools will ask you to provide evidence that you’re a key worker before accepting your children at school next week.
- The Government publication also says “If your school is closed, then please contact your local authority, who will seek to redirect you to a local school in your area that your child, or children, can attend.”. If it’s going to take you longer than normal to take your child to school from next week, it’s important that you raise this with your line manager as soon as you know what the position is so that he/she can plan accordingly. If any problems arise, please contact the Advice Team straight away so that we can advise you.
We will provide further advice in due course, but please do contact the Advice Team on 01234 716029 (choose Option 1) if you have any other questions in the meantime. Our advisers are available to answer your questions 24 hours a day.