Workers worried about being forced into travel

More than 1,000 people have contacted a committee of MPs raising concerns about being told to continue going to work despite the plea to stay at home.

Office and call centre workers, TV engineers and estate agents are among those replying to an appeal for information by the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy committee (BEIS).

Concerns include not being offered enough support at work, or why some have been told they are essential workers.

Rachel Reeves, who chairs the committee said: “We’ve received over 1,000 emails and tweets in recent days of people highlighting their often distressing personal stories about being forced into work or lacking protection in their workplace.

“From the evidence we’ve received, it’s clear that many businesses are still not doing the right thing. This must change now. This is a health emergency – it cannot be business as usual.

“Workplaces, even those deemed essential, should be doing all they can to ensure that their workers are able to work from home or, if they do have to attend work, that they can undertake social distancing.

“The government came forward with an income replacement scheme – there can be no question of workers being, in effect, forced to take annual or sick leave when they are doing the right thing and keeping themselves safe.

“Businesses need to stand by their workers and keep them safe. In time, businesses will have to answer for their decisions during this pandemic and whether they did the right thing.”

Those contacting the MPs included officebased staff, furniture manufacturers, travel agents, estate agents, law firms, and TV engineers.