COVID-19

2.7 Options to care for dependants (summary table)

TYPE OF LEAVE PURPOSE LEGAL DURATION WHO QUALIFIES PAID? CONSIDERATIONS
REQ.?
Holiday Gives option of paid leave Yes As per entitlement Everyone Yes Towards end of holiday year take any unused holiday before other types
of leave.
Shift swap No loss of pay, reduce No Varies Everyone Yes We could help to facilitate shift swaps during crisis to reduce absence.
absence
Time Off for Time off to care for Yes 1 to 2 days Everyone No Only granted to care for someone who is specifically dependant on the
Dependents dependants in an emergency colleague – not just any family member.
Parental Leave To look after child / make Yes Max 4 weeks per Parents of a child who is No We have waived the requirement to give 21 days’ notice of parental leave.
arrangements for their care year in 1 wk blocks under age 18.
Unpaid To care for a sick relative. No Up to 4 weeks, can Everyone No Use standard letter if more than 1 week is authorised and set a review
Compassionate Leave extend to 8 weeks date. WL3 Mgr can authorise up to 8 weeks.
School Closure leave Short term care for children No Up to 1 week Parents who work during No Consider making up hours at another time (e.g. evenings) before granting
if schools close to critical school hours to reduce impact to colleague pay and absence.
workers.
Bereavement Leave After the death of a relative No 5 days All colleagues Yes
Parental Bereavement After the death of a child Yes 14 days (pro-rata) All parents Yes Applies to parents, primary carers (including adopters), Foster Parents
Leave under the age of 18 statutory leave (see list in considerations) and Guardians as well as relatives who have assumed parental
responsibility in the absence of a parent, where they lose a child under
the age of 18.
Lifestyle Break Final option after all other No 4 weeks to 1 year Everyone No Meet to see if we can help with a return to work before granting e.g. can
leave types we reduce hours / change shifts.

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2.8 Options to care for dependants – Questions and Answers

Can colleagues take one type of leave followed by another, e.g. emergency leave, followed by
compassionate leave, followed by parental leave?

In short, yes. Provided they are eligible, there is no reason why they could not apply for one type of leave
straight after another.

However, as one ‘type’ of leave comes to an end we should explore if and how we may be able to support
a return to work, before granting further leave. For example, we may be able to temporarily reduce
working hours or change shift patterns if it would help someone to return sooner.

What is the definition of ‘dependant’ when granting Time Off Dependent leave?

A dependant is:

• Spouse
• Partner (including partners of same sex relationships)
• Child
• Grandchild
• Or a parent
• Anyone who lives at the colleague’s house, excluding tenants, lodgers and boarders.

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3. Amendments to other people policies

3.1 Sickness Absence Policy

3.1a The Notification Process:

What is it now?
The Manager/Duty Manager receives absence phone calls notifying the business of absence and return
from absence

The Manager/Duty Manager records all phone calls in the Absence Logbook (CEC Should refer to their
own absence call process).

What do we want to change?

The process will remain as above but may be allocated to another member of the management team who
is not the Duty Manager.

Why do we want the change?

To free up the Duty Manager to concentrate on the store operation at a time of reduced staffing.

To ensure that we are still able to accept calls from our people and maintain our Sickness Absence
process.

3.1b Waiting days:

What is it now?
Colleagues who joined us after the 4th July 2004 (stores), and 1st July 2009 in the Customer Engagement
Centre, are not paid for the first three days of any absence. (Distribution colleagues may also have a
variety of waiting days that are described in the contract or site agreement).

What do we want to change?

Where a colleague has been confirmed as having Coronavirus (COVID-19) or has been advised to attend
isolation or self-isolate, they will be paid from the first day of absence. The same will apply for colleagues
who have a new, continuous cough or temperature over 37.8°C who are self-isolating, as per the
guidance (see Coronavirus Absence Guide for information on isolation timelines).

Waiting days will continue to apply for all non-pandemic related absence.

Why do we want the change?

To discourage colleagues from attending work who may have Coronavirus (COVID-19), and to protect
their earnings, to help prevent further spread of the virus.

3.1c Calculating the individual attendance review level:

What is it now?
At every Return to Work Meeting we calculate the individual’s attendance review level based on a 26
week period which may lead to an Absence Review Investigation Meeting where absence is 3% and/or 3
occasions or more.

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What do we want to change?
Colleagues who are returning to work should complete the normal Return to Work Meeting form, plus the
‘Pandemic Coronavirus (COVID-19) Return to Work Health Questionnaire’. (This Is normally completed by
phone before return and then signed during the return to work meeting).

The absence percentage will be calculated as normal, excluding any absence as a result of the pandemic.
When deciding to move to an absence review, any absences for Coronavirus (COVID-19) and new,
continuous cough or temperature over 37.8°C will not be taken into consideration. These will be treated
as an ‘exceptional underlying circumstance’ in line with our normal Sickness Absence Policy.

Why do we want to change?

- To ensure our managers are free to focus on the store operation
- To ensure that our colleagues feel supported
- To recognise that we would not want to discipline colleagues for absence due to the pandemic

Please note
For any absence not due to the pandemic, the normal Sickness Absence process will apply, and all
meetings will happen as they do currently.

3.1d Completion of Absence Review Meetings:

What is it now?
All Absence Review meetings have to be completed within the 7 days (8 days for a one-day workers)
following an individual’s return to work.

What do we want to change?

Colleagues whose most recent absence is as a result of the Pandemic should not be referred to an
Absence Review Meeting. Where they have been absent for other reasons, the normal policy will
continue to apply.

Should a colleague have further absences, any previous absences relating to the pandemic in the 26
week period, should be discounted from the absence percentage. Where this puts the colleague under
3% or 3 occasions, no Absence Review Meeting would be needed.

Why do we want to change?

To recognise that during recovery our managers will need to carry out these meetings and return to
normal – however will still have key operational impacts.

3.2 Disciplinary and Grievance Policies

3.2a Location of formal/informal meetings:

What is it now?
Formal/informal meetings that are part of our disciplinary and grievance policies, in the main, take place
as face to face meetings with all parties being in the same room together.

What do we want to change?

Where it is not possible for us to hold a formal/informal meeting together in one room in a way that
would comply with the Government’s guidelines on safe distancing, formal/informal meetings will take
place by conference call or the manager directly calling the colleague.

The following should occur to facilitate this smoothly:

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 1. It should be indicated on the invite letter to the colleague whether;
• a manager will call them directly,
• their meeting will take place by conference call (and the details for them to access the
call) or,
• as normal, the location of the meeting where it can remain as an in-person meeting.
All letters have been amended to this effect and are available on Colleague Help under ‘Letters
for Managers’.

2. All letters currently advise colleagues to contact the manager if they need help in identifying and
inviting a union or colleague representative to represent them at their formal/informal meeting.
Managers should arrange for a representative to be present if one is requested.

3. Where a colleague advises that they do not have the facilities/technical understanding to attend
a conference call, the managers should endeavour where possible to arrange for the colleague to
access a phone in their place of work in a way that complies with safe distancing so that the
meeting can go ahead.

4. At the start of the formal/informal meeting the manager should ask the colleague whether they
need time to confer with their representative, leave the call if this is requested and re-join after
an agreed amount of time. This approach should also be taken in adjournments, with the
manager and note taker leaving the call to allow for the colleague to confer with their
representative in private.

Why do we want the change?

To ensure that our formal/informal meetings can go ahead in compliance with the Government’s
guidelines on safe distancing measures.

3.2b Representation at formal/informal meetings:

What is it now?
Colleagues can be represented by a colleague or union representative at formal/informal meetings that
are part of our disciplinary and grievance policies, union representatives are typically colleagues from the
location in which the colleague works.

What do we want to change?

This will continue, but where there is no union representative available due to sickness/self-isolation and
a union representative is requested the manager should arrange for the Area Organiser (AO) or a
nominated union representative to represent the colleague. If the local AO is not known please see
Appendix One for a full list of AO’s and their email addresses.

Why do we want the change?

To ensure that our colleagues are able to accesses appropriate representation and that formal/informal
meetings can go ahead without the colleague experiencing unnecessary delay and uncertainty.

3.3 Emergency Volunteer Leave (EVL) Policy

(New Policy)

The Coronavirus Act 2020 came into effect on the 26th March and introduces a new ‘Emergency
Volunteer Leave’ to support health and social care authorities.
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