Sainsbury’s and Tesco criticised for cutting extra Covid sick leave

theguardian.com:

Big retailers have been accused of putting financial pressure on staff to come into work with Covid-19 after they cut the right to extra sick leave for workers affected by the virus.

Sainsbury’s and Tesco are taking away the right to additional sick pay for those with Covid from this weekend, while Next said it had reverted to its standard sick pay policy a few weeks ago.

Previously, the businesses offered additional sick leave to workers with Covid, to cover those who needed to isolate, as required under government rules.

The retailers said they were changing their sick pay rules in line with the government’s new “living with Covid” policy for England that came in on 24 February, under which those who test positive for Covid are no longer legally required to self-isolate.

In contrast, Asda said it offers up to 10 days extra sick pay for those with Covid.

Bev Clarkson, the national officer for the union Unite, said: “By scrapping their Covid absence policies, Sainsbury’s and Tesco are encouraging infected staff who are worried about being off to go into work, putting other workers and customers at risk.”

Daniel Adams, the national officer for the shopworkers’ union Usdaw, said it was “incredibly disappointed” that Tesco had made the changes. “Inevitably, with these changes, there is a risk that employees may have to make a decision based on affordability rather than their health or wellbeing. The fact that the government has withdrawn even the minimal support of statutory sick pay from day one further exacerbates the problem,” he said.

Sainsbury’s and Tesco both said they were asking or encouraging staff to stay at home if they were sick.

However, the unions said some workers might feel compelled to come into work regardless, if