HEALTH AND SAFETY
Employers and employees need to consider their health and safety obligations to each other. Employers have a duty of care to their employers and are required to ensure the health and safety of their workers and others who may be impacted by the work being undertaken. This should be their first consideration when making decisions at this time.
Equally, employees have obligations to their employer and colleagues. Employees who are unwell or in isolation should not attend at a workplace. Similarly, employers should not require employees who are unwell or in isolation to attend physically at work.
ESSENTIAL BUSINESSES
Where the government has directed that all non-essential workers do not attend work, businesses should carefully consider whether their business is “essential” or not, and if they are essential, whether the work can be undertaken remotely. The government has provided limited guidance (and as of last night, three updated directions) as to what
