Sick pay deal to be agreed for all social care staff
Government intervention amid financial worries
SOCIAL care workers in the private sector are to get improved sick pay and death-in-service pay after government intervention. Many employees who have to self-isolate if they have coronavirus symptoms only receive the minimum Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) of £95.85 a week and had no insurance cover from their employer if they die.
Death-in-service cover was extended to all NHS workers during the pandemic and the Scottish Government was lobbied by unions to extend it to include care workers, who are also at higher risk of contracting coronavirus.
Last week, the Glasgow Times highlighted the issue of low sick pay, with staff in city care homes afraid of testing positive because they couldn’t afford the drop in income.
One care home operator, HCOne, with around 10 homes in the Glasgow area, agreed to pay full sick pay to anyone off sick with symptoms.
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman has now announced that a £60,000 cover would be applied to all care workers, paid to their named next of kin if they die during the outbreak and do not have cover in their pension arrangements.
She also said that they would get enhanced sick pay, above the minimum during the pandemic.
Freeman said: “Social care staff provide a critical and valuable service, never more apparent than during this emergency period.
“While some employers offer employment contracts closer to the Scottish Government’s fair work principles, it is clear that others do not.
“In recognition of the current exceptional circumstances and in order to ensure that social care workers are given the urgent support they deserve, we will develop a Scottish Government-funded scheme for care workers in respect of sick pay and death-inservice benefits.
“These fair work issues and how they are realised in commissioning contracts will require to be addressed but, in the current circumstances, my focus now is on fairness for the care workers affected.
“We will continue to work with local government, social care providers and trade unions on further details of the plans over the course of next week.”
The move was welcomed by union leaders who said current sick pay arrangements were “immoral”.
Mike Kirby, Unison Scottish secretary, said: “The fact that social care workers often have their weekly income reduced to Statutory Sick Pay is immoral and left care workers with an exceptionally difficult choice between protecting their own health, protecting those they care for or putting them and their families in a very difficult financial situation.
“Over the next week, Unison will continue to do the detailed work with government and others to ensure there is an equitable approach taken by all health and social care partnerships. However, the fact we now have an agreement is hugely encouraging.”
The latest coronavirus update showed another nine people had died, taking the total to 2270 who had a positive test recorded. There were another 60 cases reported, taking the total since the pandemic hit in March to 15,101.
The number in hospital with a confirmed case increased by four to 1329 and there was a fall of six in the number in intensive care, down to 44.
In the Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board area there was an increase of 11 positive cases to 3876 cases in total since the outbreak began.
There were 379 in hospital – the same as the previous day – and 12 in intensive care, a fall of one.
Over the last seven days the number in intensive care in the area has dropped from 20 to 12 and the number in hospital has reduced by 53.
Meanwhile, Freeman has said a review should be held into Scotland’s care home sector, as Police Scotland confirmed it is