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Coronavirus: Employers can be FINED if they demand workers turn up when they should be at home
EMPLOYERS could be fined if they demand workers turn up when they should be at home, the Health Secretary has warned.
Matt Hancock told MPs that new guidance for employers will be published later today including guidance that staff should keep two metres apart.
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In the House of Commons today, Shadow Health Minister, Jonathan Ashworth, asked whether employers could face fines if they insist staff show up when they could work from home.
Mr Hancock responded: “Absolutely, those fines are available if that is absolutely necessary.”
Speaking about the new rules set out by the Prime Minister last night, he added: "The actions we took yesterday are not actions any UK government would want to take.
"The goal is clear, to slow the rate of transmission, to protect the NHS and save lives. Our instructions are simple. Stay at home.
"Employers should be taking every possible step to make sure that remote working can happen.
"I want to be clear that where people absolutely cannot work from home, they can still go to work. Indeed it’s important that they do to keep the country running.
"Key workers, for example in the NHS, social care, pharmacists, medicine supply chain, should go to work unless they are self-isolating due to symptoms.
"We’ll be publishing guidance later today to explain steps that employers must take to ensure that employees are safe, including making sure there is a two metre gap between workers wherever possible."
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Mr Hancock added: "Guided by the experts, we will look at the evidence and continually review the effects of these measures.
"We are engaged in a great national effort to beat the virus.
"Everybody now has it in their power to save lives and protect the NHS. Home is now the frontline.
"In this national effort, working together we can defeat this disease. Everyone has a part to play."
Testing
Pressed by Labour on the lack of testing, Mr Hancock replied: "We are ramping up testing as fast as we can, including buying millions of tests.
"My team is currently buying these tests, we'll make them available as quickly as possible."
Mr Hancock said he "didn't recognise" the report suggesting there were no testing machines to buy.
Addressing staff ratio changes, Mr Hancock said they were being changed for certain types of procedure - including ventilation - to ensure trained clinicians and doctors are "doing it to more people and having more support staff than under normal circumstances".
On concerns over abortion changes, Mr Hancock said: "We have no proposals to change any abortion rules as part of the Covid-19 response."
Lockdown
Last night, the Prime Minister ordered people only to leave their homes under a list of "very limited purposes", banned public gatherings of more than two people and ordered the closure of non-essential shops.
In an address to the nation from Downing Street on Monday evening, Mr Johnson ordered people to only leave their homes to shop for basic necessities "as infrequently as possible", and to only perform one form of exercise a day.
They can also seek medical help, provide care to a vulnerable person or travel to work if "absolutely necessary", under the measures to last until at least Easter Monday.
A failure to follow the rules could see police dispersing gatherings and imposing fines, which Government officials said would start at £30.
After the UK death toll hit 335, the PM ordered the immediate closure of non-essential stores including those selling electronics and clothing.
The Prime Minister also ordered a ban on all public gatherings of more than two people - other than those they live with.
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Other premises to join pubs and restaurants in being closed are libraries, playgrounds, outdoor gyms, places of worship and hotels.
Parks will remain open for exercise, but all social events including weddings and baptisms will be stopped. Funerals can continue.
Mr Johnson said the measures will be "under constant review" and will be considered for relaxation in three weeks if the evidence allows.
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