7 July 2022

Sent to

All staff

Sent on behalf of

Amanda Oates, Executive Director of Workforce  

Purpose

For information

Briefing number

34-2022

 

Withdrawal of COVID-19 terms and conditions  

Dear all,

We wanted to update you on some important changes that will begin to take place from today Thursday, 7 July in relation to current and future COVID-19 sickness absence and how absences will be categorised, managed and paid.

At the end of last week the Trust was advised that following consultation with national stakeholders including NHS England and Improvement (NHSEI), NHS Employers, national trade union and employer colleagues, the government has decided that now is the right time to withdraw the staff terms and conditions section of the COVID-19 workforce guidance. This decision follows the government’s publication of its plans for living with COVID-19, which saw the withdrawal of all restrictions and will facilitate the overdue move back to normal contractual arrangements.

The guidance will be withdrawn today, Thursday 7 July 2022 with an implementation timetable through to September. This will impact on staff who were absent with a COVID-19 absence before 7 July 2022 and changes from 7 July for new absences.  This includes the removal of full pay for staff who are unwell with a COVID-19 sickness absence, with an engagement and notice period as described below.

The process of withdrawing the guidance, while ensuring staff who are currently unwell with COVID-19 are fully supported, is a priority. This process will be managed over the phases outlined below:

 

Phase

Effective from

Action

One

     

7July 2022

The staff terms and conditions section of the COVID-19 guidance will be withdrawn in its entirety. This includes:

  • access to full sick pay for new episodes of COVID-19 sickness
  • access to COVID-19 special leave for the purposes of self-isolation.

Any COVID-19 related absence from 7 July will be covered by the normal Agenda for Change occupational sick pay rules and our Supporting Health and Wellbeing (Attendance) policy and procedure.

Two

7 July 2022

From this date, the Trust will make arrangements to start meeting staff who are absent as a result of a COVID-19 related reason on a one-to-one basis to explain the changes.  This will include what it means to them and details of when the formal transition period begins and ends as per this communication.

     

These meetings will have taken place either virtually or in person by 3 August 2022.

Three

4 August 2022

The formal notice period for staff transitioning back to normal contractual sick pay arrangements will begin. This period will run from 4 to 31 August 2022 inclusive.  

Four

     

1 September 2022

Staff who were in receipt of COVID-19 sick pay as a result of being unwell prior to 7 July, and continue to be unwell, will be transitioned back to their normal contractual sick pay entitlements unless they have already returned to work.

Any period of sickness paid as COVID-19 sick pay, regardless of length, will not count in the aggregation of previous absences for the purposes of calculating entitlement to contractual sick pay.

From this date, all staff, regardless of their reason for sickness absence, will be paid in line with their normal contractual sick pay arrangements.

 

For clarity, 1 September 2022 will be classed as the first date of absence for occupational sick pay purposes.

 

 

If there are any queries, please contact your manager or HR team.

Please also remember that you can access help (anonymously if you wish) through our staff health and wellbeing offer, which is available to support our entire workforce.

 

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