Coronavirus Update for Clients and Employees
Employers
We're committed to keeping you up to date with the latest developments around Coronavirus. Please find Fact3's latest guidance here, and our Service Continuity Plan below.
To be pro-active, we have also provided some detailed information for Employees should you wish to circulate this amongst your team which includes the government’s announcement that Statutory Sick Pay will be paid from Day 1 rather than Day 4 for Coronavirus affected workers. If you have any questions please get in touch with your Fact3 contact or hello@fact3.co.uk.
Fact3 Service Continuity Plan
We are still operating on the premise that the UK is at “moderate risk” however we appreciate that this is a fast moving landscape, and are keeping up to date daily and responding accordingly.
In a nutshell, we are applying the same advice within Fact3 as we are giving our clients.
In the highly unusual event that our offices become a no-go area or any of the Fact3 team contracts Coronavirus, the affected Client(s) will be informed at the earliest possible opportunity and a specific plan of action will be agreed with them to ensure continuity of the delivery of the
service(s).
As the symptoms of Coronavirus are usually quite mild such as runny nose, sore throat, cough and fever and the issue is more about self-isolating to stop the spread of the virus, we will insist on working from home in any confirmed case of Coronavirus (assuming of course that the employee feels fit to work). Thankfully our entire business model allows for remote working at all times and so the practical impacts that most businesses face in such circumstances don’t really apply to us. There will of course be a reduction in site visits however; we will harness working from home, telephone and teleconferencing facilities to ensure that clients get what they need.
In the event that employees feel too ill to work then any time critical client work will be delegated to another member of the team and clients will be informed of this.
It is of vital importance that our clients receive continuity of service until the situation stabilises.
I hope this provides you with peace of mind however, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to get in touch at hello@fact3.co.uk
Other situations outside our control
We are monitoring the situation regarding public transport, and we will continue to follow Government advice. However, should restrictions be put in place, we will be respond flexibly, to enable remote working, or allow staff members to travel outside rush hour.
Should employees require time off to care for dependents, through e.g. schools / nurseries being closed, then again, we will be as supportive and flexible as possible. If remote working is feasible, then we look to facilitate this.
We will continue to monitor the situation, but if you have any concerns not addressed here, then please speak with your Line Manager.
Information for Employees
The World Health Organisation has declared the latest Coronavirus outbreak a “public health emergency of international concern". The UK risk level is designated “moderate” however the situation is changing rapidly, so depending on circumstances and the spread of the disease, this may get higher. We are monitoring the situation, and we will be following all Government advice and will provide further updates if any significant changes result. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public
The Coronavirus causes respiratory illness in humans, usually resulting in mild symptoms including runny nose, sore throat, cough and fever. Some individuals experience more severe symptoms and it can lead to pneumonia and breathing difficulties and, in rare cases, death. More susceptible individuals include older people, pregnant women and those with pre-existing medical conditions.
Health and Safety
We take the health, safety and well-being of all employees very seriously. We will endeavour to do all that is reasonably practicable to maintain a safe and healthy working environment. To help reduce the risk of Coronavirus we encourage all staff to wash your hands and use the hand-sanitiser provided on arriving in the building, after using public transport and after coughing or sneezing. As employees, you also have a duty to take reasonable care of your own health and safety and that of people you work with. So, if you are concerned that you have developed symptoms of the Coronavirus (cough, sore throat, fever, breathing difficulties, chest pain) please self-isolate, following Government guidelines and call 111 to speak with a medical professional. If you feel that your individual risks are higher for any reason, and you would like us to conduct an individual risk assessment to assess whether your working arrangements need to temporarily change, then please speak with your Line Manager.
Self-Isolation or Quarantine
There are numerous situations which may arise leading to you being advised to self-isolate or be placed in quarantine. Should this be the case, then please notify your Line Manager.
There are Government guidelines on what you should do if you have been asked to self isolate.
https://publichealthmatters.blog.gov.uk/2020/02/20/what-is-self-isolation-and-why-is-it-important/
If you are unwell, then please find information in our sickness policy in the Employee Handbook and note that the Government has announced a change to Statutory Sick Pay (to be paid from day 1 instead of day 4) in cases of Coronavirus self-isolation.
If you are healthy, then please be assured that we will actively facilitate remote working. If this is not possible, due to either the nature of your work, or that you have to care for dependents during this period, then we will discuss the situation on an individual basis. We will be as supportive as possible if such a situation was to arise.
Business Travel
As far as we are aware, there are no Business trips planned to any Category 1 or Category 2 areas:
However, we will follow Government advice, and will not book any business travel to high risk areas - we will continue to monitor the list.
If business trips have been planned to any lower risk countries, and staff members feel uncomfortable in attending the event, then we will fully support a decision to cancel / postpone / re-allocate the trip.
Personal Travel
We request that all employees also follow Government advice, however if you must travel to an area of higher risk, then please discuss this with your Line Manager so we can actively plan for any potential quarantine situation.