The whole country is being affected by coronavirus, but especially businesses and their staff. Not only do you have to try to meet to your commitments to your customers, you also have a commitment to your employees too.

Talk to your employees, check your policies and your contracts and make sure that you get advice if you’re unsure how the law stands.

These are some of the questions our employment team has heard since coronavirus became widespread.

WHAT SICK PAY DO WE NEED TO PAY?

Statutory sick pay now applies from day one if employees are off sick because of coronavirus or suspected coronavirus, if they are self-isolating on government and/or medical guidance and they cannot work from home.

READ MORE: Worcester businesses meeting the challenge

WHAT DO WE DO NOW SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED?

If you think employees will need significant time off (perhaps because of school closures) you need to talk to them about options, including working from home, flexible working or reduced hours. Alternatively they could use annual leave or unpaid leave. They do have the right to take unpaid leave to deal with emergencies relating to their children, but normally only to sort out new arrangements.

OUR EMPLOYEES CAN’T DO THEIR WORK FROM HOME. WHAT DO WE DO?

Consider:

• Allowing them to continue working from their normal workplace (if it’s open) but with measures in place to reduce the risk of infection

• Giving employees alternative work to do at home, if possible

• Allowing/requiring employees to use their holiday entitlement

• Offering a period of unpaid leave

• Considering temporary lay-offs.

If you’re in this situation, you’ll need to check employees’ contracts to see what is and isn’t possible.