Clinically extremely vulnerable to work from home/New national restrictions from 5 november

[POSTMAN]

Boris has just said that in his briefing, I did hear that there may be some new letters sent out, obviously will post more info as and when.
Please post updates on this when you see it.

It's regarding those who got the letter to shield, there is no shielding this lockdown.
Previous info on it is here...
Guidance on shielding and protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable from COVID-19 : Those who received the letter

[POSTMAN]

Those who are classed as extremely clinically vulnerable due to an underlying health condition have been advised to work from home, and are advised not to go to work if they are unable to do so – adding that they may be eligible for Statutory Sick Pay on those grounds.

While those in this category are advised to stay at home as much as possible, they are also advised to go out for exercise.

Full guidance on this will be published on Monday November 2.

[POSTMAN]

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-nationa ... 5-november" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

9. Protecting people more at risk from coronavirus
If you are over 60 or clinically vulnerable, you could be at higher risk of severe illness from coronavirus. You:

• should be especially careful to follow the rules and minimise your contacts with others
  
  should continue to wash your hands carefully and more frequently than usual and maintain thorough cleaning of frequently touched areas in your home and/or workspace

Clinically vulnerable people are those who are:

aged 70 or over (regardless of medical conditions)
under 70 with an underlying health condition listed below (that is, anyone instructed to get a flu jab each year on medical grounds):

• chronic (long-term) mild to moderate respiratory diseases, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema or bronchitis
  chronic heart disease, such as heart failure
  chronic kidney disease
  chronic liver disease, such as hepatitis
  chronic neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis (MS) or cerebral palsy
  diabetes
  a weakened immune system as the result of certain conditions or medicines they are taking (such as steroid tablets)
  being seriously overweight (a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or above)
  pregnant

There is a further group of people who are defined, also on medical grounds, as clinically extremely vulnerable to coronavirus – that is, people with specific serious health conditions. Over this period, we are advising the CEV to work from home.

If you cannot work from home, you are advised not to go to work and may be eligible for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) or Employment Support Allowance (ESA). You are encouraged to stay at home as much as possible, but are encouraged to go outside for exercise.

The full new guidance will be published on Monday 2 November (Which is this post) and the Government will write to everybody who is clinically extremely vulnerable to set out detailed advice while the new restrictions are in place. Current advice is in place at each local COVID alert level.

[Celgar]

We have one postie in our DO with Asthma who shielded for three months during the first Covid lockdown. RM is not going to pay anyone who does not work during the latest lockdown although government advice is for people who previously stayed at home to do so again this time. If the postie did stay at home he would apparently only get statutory sick pay which is about a hundred quid a week. Therefore they are going to continue to come to work.

[POSTMAN]

Work
You are strongly advised to work from home. If you cannot work from home, then you should not attend work for this period of restrictions. If you cannot attend work for this reason, you may be eligible for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), Employment Support Allowance (ESA) or Universal Credit. Other eligibility criteria will apply.

You will be able to use this letter as evidence for your employer to show that you should not work outside your home until 2 December, including for statutory sick pay purposes. You can also use this letter for the Department for Work and Pensions to show that you are advised to follow shielding guidance for ESA or Universal Credit purposes.

If you were on payroll before 30 October 2020 you may also be eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (furlough), which is being extended until 2 December. Please speak to your employer if you think you are eligible.

Other people you live with who are not clinically extremely vulnerable themselves can still attend work if they cannot work from home, in line with the wider rules set out in the new National Restrictions from 5 November.

Email/letter from DHSC : Important advice for you about new guidance for clinically extremely vulnerable people

[oldpostie]

‘If you were on payroll before 30 October 2020 you may also be eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (furlough), which is being extended until 2 December. Please speak to your employer if you think you are eligible.’

I’ve been informed this morning that Royal Mail will not be furloughing.

[k979aaa]

We have one postie in our DO with Asthma who shielded for three months during the first Covid lockdown. RM is not going to pay anyone who does not work during the latest lockdown although government advice is for people who previously stayed at home to do so again this time. If the postie did stay at home he would apparently only get statutory sick pay which is about a hundred quid a week. Therefore they are going to continue to come to work.

Well if the coronavirus don't kill him the mask will!

[ddtc]

Now your saying masks kill people, unbelievable.

[Woody Guthrie]

Just a little kick in the teeth for us...

Crown staff in the Post Office.
Yes represented by the CWU.

Clinically Extremely Vulnerable – Paid Special Leave

As a further precaution, members that are classed as Clinically Extremely Vulnerable will be placed on paid special leave from Thursday 5th November for the four weeks of the lockdown period. For Admin members who are able to work from home, this arrangement will continue.

[tractorboy2]

Just a little kick in the teeth for us...

Crown staff in the Post Office.
Yes represented by the CWU.

Clinically Extremely Vulnerable – Paid Special Leave

As a further precaution, members that are classed as Clinically Extremely Vulnerable will be placed on paid special leave from Thursday 5th November for the four weeks of the lockdown period. For Admin members who are able to work from home, this arrangement will continue.

They also got this during the last lockdown.
Yet Royal Mail who are forever pleading poverty didn't even put their staff on furlough , rather run down their entitlement to paid sick leave so they won't have to pay them at all.
Staff in my office not even bothering to shield this time , because they can't afford to.

[ddtc]

It always did baffle me why RM didn't put a lot of staff on the furlough scheme. Is there a clause that prevented RM from applying for this for the vunerable? Just seems like money that was given out with no payback was a good option for RM to save money while giving their vunerable staff peace of mind.

[yourlatepostie!]

I don’t understand it either. They could have saved millions.
80% of my wages for 23 weeks over the 2 lockdowns would have saved £7500.
As 3% of the population were considered clinically vulnerable, even taking a conservative estimate of 1% of Royal Mail employees it could have saved the company £9 million.
Now the clinically extremely vulnerable are facing the next 4 years on half or nil pay when they go sick again through no fault of their own.
Pointless