Dear Joan

Further to my email on Saturday, I have now investigated this matter further.

It is unfortunate that Employers are not paying sick pay because the best way to approach this is to remind employers that whilst they may not ordinarily operate a sick pay scheme, they could, in the circumstances, continue to pay their staff who are off sick and claim from the Salary Support Scheme (up to £280 a week) towards these wages.

The purpose and intent of the Salary Support Scheme was to provide support to employers to help pay wages when employees were not as productive as previously, were not needed on site or were having to self-isolate.

In short, your employers can legitimately claim wage support to help you at the present time and indeed I would recommend that the wage support scheme is used in this way for the duration of its existence.

I would hope that Employers would work quickly to rectify this matter and thus provide you and your colleagues with support at this time.  This is the easiest and quickest way for you and your valued profession to get the support you seek.

The above message was received yesterday from Alf Cannan. 

I am awaiting further confirmation and clarity on the finer details.

As it stands most of us do not have a contract that provides sick pay , so that is where I am seeking clarification. 

But it is looking much more promising if we are able to press employers to pay and then claim salary support. 

Thankyou all again for your continued support. 

Kind regards 

Joan