Care home firm slashes overtime pay
A controversial care home firm has cut overtime pay and left workers too scared to take coronavirus tests for fear of losing wages.
Internal documents passed to the Sunday Mail show Advinia has removed benefits for staff working extra hours on the Covid-19 frontline.
The firm runs 11 facilities in Scotland including Elderslie
Care Home in Paisley where 22 residents died in an outbreak.
One worker said: “I tested positive for coronavirus and was told to go home and self-isolate. I then discovered I would only be given statutory sick pay of £96 a week.
“I know many workers who don’t want to take a coronavirus test because they’re scared of being left unable to work and without money even if they have no symptoms.”
A memo sent on June 3 also told Advinia staff they would receive no more overtime pay.
The Scottish Government was forced to launch a fund last week to top up the earnings of care home workers who have to selfisolate. But it can only be claimed by those who lost out after May 27.
GMB Scotland Organiser
Kirsty Nimmo, who represents hundreds of care home workers, said: “These payments must start immediately.”
Scottish Labour health spokeswoman Monica Lennon added: “Our care workers are more than twice as likely to die from Covid-19 as NHS workers yet they have fewer protections.”
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We have established the social care staff support fund to support employees whose contracts fall short of our expectations.”
A spokesman for Advinia said: “We welcome guidance issued this week from the Scottish Government and COSLA with regards to the social care staff support fund. We will need time to assess the detail and to put in place systems to be fully compliant, including, in some cases, backdating occupational pay to the end of March.”