Responding to the coronavirus
As we face the ongoing impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the CIPD is collating and publishing updated resources to support your response
Understand how to support your business and workforce through a global health emergency
With presence of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Ireland, organisations need to quickly and adequately prepare for a range of eventualities. At this point the focus has to go on prevention and mitigation, and there is a lot that government, employers and the public can do to minimise risk.
The new coronavirus disease has been declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization, though emphasising containment of COVID-19 is feasible and must remain the top priority for all countries. The risk of catching coronavirus in Ireland is still low. This may change. However, most people may continue to go to work, school and other public places, as usual.
This factsheet provides an overview of the current coronavirus situation. It explains what the virus is and gives advice on how employers should respond to the threat and support employees by being prepared, taking precautions, looking after employees’ health and safety, pay arrangements, communications and developing flexible resourcing plans.
Coronavirus is a family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases. It was first identified in Wuhan City, in Hubei province, China.
Common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and death. Generally, more severe cases occur in people with weakened immune systems, older people, and those with long-term conditions like diabetes, cancer and chronic lung disease.
Employee health, safety and well-being during a health emergency is paramount and employers need to be proactive to protect their people and minimise risk. Employers have a statutory and contractual duty to care for people’s health and safety at work. We recommend that employers:
Should the virus continue to spread, it could pose a significant threat to some organisations. An organisation may also be affected if it employs people who have been exposed to the virus. If the virus becomes a pandemic it could lead to wider disruptions with suppliers and customers and to shortages of fuel and other basic commodities. There may also be disruptions to public transport.
Follow Government and public health advice. Employers need to keep up to date with the situation as it develops and refer employees who are concerned about infection to official and expert medical sources such that of the HSE.
Develop a contingency plan: Every organisation will need to assess its own level of exposure to business disruption caused by the virus. If it has a site, conducts business or has supply chains in an affected region, there could be a direct impact to the company’s day-to-day operations. The plan will need to take account of current and potential impacts and manage the specific business risks associated with the disruption, including service delivery and workforce issues. Follow government advice in relation to any public events planned. Communicate the plan to key teams and individuals across the business.
Build a contingency team: Identify a person, or small group of people, that would take responsibility for operating the contingency plan should a pandemic occur and allocate clear responsibilities for its implementation. The Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation provides a lot of links, suggests sample posters and has also published a Business Continuity Planning checklist of preparatory actions in responding to COVID-19.
If a pandemic does occur, those responsible for the contingency plan should meet regularly to review the preparations and ensure they are still fit for purpose. It’s important to act early, even if planned contingencies are not then needed.
The HSE offers advice for those who have been in a place in the last 14 days where there is spread of coronavirus, including China, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Iran, Japan, and the regions in Italy of Lombardy, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna and Piedmont.
If an employee has been to one of these places, they need to follow HSE advice. If they are not feeling well, they must check if they have symptoms of coronavirus. These are fever (high temperature), cough or difficulty breathing. The HSE states:
'If you do have symptoms of coronavirus, phone your GP or local emergency department (ED) without delay. Do not go to your GP or ED. Phone them first. If you do not have a GP, phone 112 or 999. Tell them about your symptoms. Give them the details about your situation. Avoid contact with other people by self-isolating. If you are feeling well, carry on with your normal routine.'
Anyone who knows they have been in close contact with a confirmed case in the last 14 days and has symptoms (cough, shortness of breath, fever) should:
Close contact means either face-to-face contact, spending more than 15 minutes within 2 metres of an infected person, or living in the same house as an infected person.
We recognise that many employers will seek to support employees when they may need to be off work related to COVID-19. Should the spread of the virus continues, employers may face the following situations:
The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection have confirmed the following three major changes in response to the Coronavirus:
Announced on 9 March 2020, the enhanced arrangements are intended to reduce the financial loss incurred by workers, employed and self-employed people who are not adequately covered by occupational sick pay arrangements.
The new payment rates will become effective from 9 March and workers will be entitled to a refund of any arrears due from this date. The implementation of these changes requires legislation by the Oireachtas and changes to processing systems within the Department. Employers should consider how they can support employees who may face financial hardship during this time lag in payments.
The special Illness Benefit payment will be available to those who are medically required to self-isolate or have been diagnosed with Covid-19. To be eligible for this payment a person must be confined to their home or a medical facility.
The personal rate of this payment has been increased to €305 and for those medically required to self-isolate, the payment will be paid for a maximum of two weeks.
Supplementary Welfare Allowance (based on a means test) may also be available for those who still face financial hardship.
Employers are requested to follow public health advice and should not ask staff to stay away from work except in accordance with this advice. Where employers send staff home in circumstances where they are not advised to do so, it is expected that they will continue to pay staff as normal.
Employees who are laid off temporarily, without pay, due to a reduction in business activity, can apply for a Jobseeker's Payment. Employees who are put onto short-time working by their employer due to a reduction in business activity related to Covid-19 may apply for a Short Time Work Support payment.
Many employers can, and do, agree compassionate leave arrangements with staff who need to take short periods of time off to care for another person. These include arrangements to enable employees to work remotely from home, to alter shift-patterns, to work-up time taken, to rearrange parental leave or to bring forward annual leave entitlements from future work-periods.
Where it is not possible to make appropriate compassionate leave arrangements, employees can call on some statutory entitlements.
An employee is entitled to paid leave, known as ‘force majeure’ paid leave to provide urgent care for an immediate family relative such as a partner, child, spouse, brother, sister, parent or grandparent. Normally limited to three days in a 12 month period, employers are permitted /encouraged to allow employees take the full five days in these exceptional circumstances, if at all possible. Parents may consider the various parenting leave entitlements and employers are free to waive notice periods for parental/parents leave or to agree to provide paid leave as an alternative to parental/parents leave.
In its technical guidance, the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) references the general duty of care on employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety, health and welfare at work of employees and also that employees have obligations to ensure that they do not pose a threat to the safety of others in their workplace.
In relation to pay and COVID-19, the WRC advise:
At this time, it is necessary to keep informed and follow official advice as it’s updated. Keep employees informed on an ongoing basis, particularly in relation to the specific guidelines for employees who may have been in contact with an infected person, or at risk. Actively communicate this advice with your people, customers and suppliers. Draw on official sources, as there is a risk of misinformation and ‘false news’ and educate managers and employees.
Implement an internal communication strategy so that employees are aware of measures that are being taken to manage the situation in your organisation. Understand that some people may have real concerns about catching the virus, while others may have worries about family or friends at risk, either here or abroad. Try to reassure employees that there is no need to panic and the risk to the Irish population remains low. Ensure that line managers are regularly informed about the organisation’s contingency plans and how to discuss the situation with any concerned employees, and where to signpost people to for further advice or support.
Promote the resources you have available to support people’s health and well-being generally, including those through an employee assistance programme.
If the virus spreads widely and/or becomes a pandemic and the risk of infection is heightened, be prepared to step up the level of support you provide to staff and adjust your resourcing plans accordingly. Keep in mind anyone who may be more vulnerable due to a pre-existing health conditions, age, or pregnancy.
As we face the ongoing impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the CIPD is collating and publishing updated resources to support your response
Answers to frequently asked questions to offer guidance in responding to the coronavirus disease, COVID-19
Download a range of practical materials to assist in supporting businesses and workforces through a global health emergency