covid-19 (coronavirus): guidance and information for ... · loss/change in smell or taste should...
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From mountain to sea
COVID-19 (Coronavirus): Guidance and Information for Managers and Employees
Content (Please click on the headings below to take you to each relevant section) Sections
in bold with a grey background contain the most recent updates
Overview ............................................................................................................... 3
Health & Wellbeing ……………………………………………………………………. 3
Preventing the Spread of Infection ...................................................................... 4
Face Coverings ........................................................................................... 4
PPE………………………………………………………………………………... 7
COVID -19 Testing ....................................................................................... 9
Test and Protect .......................................................................................... 9
Local Restrictions ....................................................................................... 10 Key Workers ................................................................................................. 10
Shielding, Isolation and Quarantine .................................................................... 12
Vulnerable Groups/Shielding ..................................................................... 12
Pregnant Employees .................................................................................. 13 Quarantine & Travel .................................................................................... 14 Isolation ………………………………………………………………………….. 16
Pay & Conditions ................................................................................................... 17
Recording of Reason .................................................................................. 17
Bodet/Toil/Overtime & Flexi ....................................................................... 18
Enhancements – Night and Weekend Working ........................................ 19
Timesheet, Travel & Expenses Claims ...................................................... 19
Annual Leave .............................................................................................. 20
Service Continuity ................................................................................................. 21
School/Facility Closure .............................................................................. 21
Working from a different location .............................................................. 22
Working in a different role/capacity .......................................................... 23
Working at Home ........................................................................................ 23
Office Opening ............................................................................................. 23
Relief/Supply Staff ...................................................................................... 24
Mobilisation of Staff……………………………………………………………..24 Recruitment ………………………………………………………………………24
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Overview
A Coronavirus is a type of virus. Generally, coronaviruses can cause more severe symptoms in people with weakened immune systems, older people, and those with long term conditions like diabetes, cancer and chronic lung disease.
COVID-19 is a new strain of coronavirus first identified in Wuhan city, China. This is a rapidly changing situation which is being affecting Countries Worldwide. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak of COVID-19 a pandemic on the 11 March 2020. In December 2020, UK scientists detailed that there is a new variant of Covid-19, which has been detected in the UK, which they believe may be more transmittable than previous variants.
Throughout 2020, the UK and Scottish governments have tried to control the transmission of COVID -19 by putting in place various national and regional lockdowns, and through implementing a Tiered system of restrictions in England and Scotland. The Scottish Government announced the move to Tier 4 for all of mainland Scotland with further enhanced restriction in place from 5 January 2021, temporary Lockdown measures, with include new guidance to stay at home except for essential purposes. Full information on the level of restrictions currently in place can be found at https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/
Health & Wellbeing
Common symptoms of Covid-19 include:
• high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
• new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
• loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you've noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal
Latest coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance from NHS Scotland and the Scottish
Government, including contact tracing, physical distancing measures, advice
for infected households. mental health wellbeing and healthy living can be
found at: https://www.nhsinform.scot/coronavirus
Periods of sickness absence/special leave due to confirmed self-isolation or quarantine as detailed by Public Health Scotland will not be reckoned against the employee’s sickness/absence entitlement.
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The current times are anxious ones for many both within the council and beyond. Wellbeing newsletters including information and advice available to get through these challenging times as well as signposts to organisations both within and outside the council that can offer assistance.
Useful information including advice about how to support children and young people with managing their anxieties, ways to better wellbeing and a guide to the Employee Assistance Program can be found here
Preventing the Spread of Infection To reduce the risk of catching or spreading any virus, good practice is to follow simple hygiene rules, such as:
• avoid direct hand contact with your eyes, nose and mouth
• wash hands thoroughly with hot water and soap
• use hand sanitisers where washing facilities are not readily available
• use tissues when sneezing or coughing then throw them away in a bin and
wash your hands/use Alcohol Based Hand Rub.
• avoid direct contact with people that have a respiratory illness and avoid using their personal items, e.g. mobile phone
• practice good hygiene standards, i.e. dispose of your rubbish, put away personal items, don’t leave dirty cutlery or mugs lying about, wipe down desks keyboard, etc.
Wearing of Face Coverings – Update from 10 October to include all workplaces
Scottish Government made it mandatory for face coverings to be worn in all shops and on public transport in Scotland, from 8 August this included libraries and museums and from the 31 August the guidance included schools as follows:
• in secondary schools, adults and all pupils moving around the school, such as in
corridors and communal areas where physical distancing is difficult to maintain
• on dedicated school transport all children aged five and over, bringing it into line with guidance for public transport
From the 10 October, this included the requirement to wear a face covering within workplaces when moving around.
Further information and full list on mandatory face covering can be found on the Scottish Government Website here.
The guidance is now similar to what you might experience in a restaurant, for example: face coverings can be removed whilst sitting in a set place such as a desk or table as long as two metre distancing can be maintained, and as soon as you leave that position to move around the building for any reason or for any distance or duration, the face covering must be put back in place and kept on at all times whilst moving around.
Each of us has a personal responsibility to ensure we are using a suitable face covering in any of the above situations whether at work or in our own time, to protect
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ourselves and those around us from the transmission of COVID-19. For the safety of yourself and others, there is an expectation that all council employees will always follow this requirement unless the employee is exempt from doing so. Failure to follow the government guidance will be investigated by your line manager and appropriate corrective action taken.
Guidance on the mandatory requirements is available on Arcadia
Advice on suitable face coverings and suppliers can be sought from the Health, Safety & Wellbeing Team [email protected] or Procurement [email protected]
Working Safely: PPE Guidance
The Scottish Government has issued an update to guidance on the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). You can read the full guidance on the Health Protection Scotland website: here
As your employer, we will do all we can to ensure you can carry out your duties safely, taking steps to redesign the way jobs are done to protect you, providing guidance on how we expect you to carry out your duties safely, and taking responsibility for our own individual actions to protect ourselves and others.
The most effective means of doing this continues to be regular and thorough hand washing, cleaning equipment and surfaces, and avoiding, where possible, coming into close contact with other people.
However, some services require staff to come into close contact with people, and in these circumstances, services’ will undertake risk assessments to cover different job roles.
Further advice on appropriate standard and type of PPE can be sought from the Health, Safety & Wellbeing Team [email protected]
Specific advice for staff in the Aberdeenshire Health & Social Care Partnership
National guidance has meant a number of changes which particularly impact on our services.
This means that all of our teams must wear PPE when working with anyone who is in the Shielded or self-isolating category as well as those who are symptomatic or who have a diagnosis of COVID-19.
Please refer to table 2 in this link for what PPE you should wear and when: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-infection- prevention-and-control
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Further updated guidance on the extended use of face mask in hospitals and care homes can be found here.
Ordering PPE for all AHSCP services
All PPE orders for all AHSCP services (Care at Home, Community Hospitals, AHPs etc.) and commissioned services are being collated through the Joint Equipment Centre (JEC). To place an order a Manager must complete a PPE order form which has been sent to them. Once completed the form should be emailed to [email protected] From there, the JEC will order the required PPE and will take delivery of PPE stock which will then be distributed to one of nine local hubs. The Manager who placed the order will be notified and asked to arrange collection from the nearest hub.
Local Distribution Hubs:
• Peterhead Community Hospital
• Fraserburgh Community Hospital
• Chalmers Hospital, Banff
• The Bothy at Ythanvale Care Home, Ellon
• Turriff Community Hospital
• Jubilee Hospital, Huntly
• Inverurie Community Hospital
• Glen O Dee Hospital, Banchory
• Kincardine Community Hospital, Stonehaven
Ordering PPE for Schools
All schools have now been issued with an initial stock of appropriate PPE, which should be used only as directed by your risk assessment. Replenishment stock will be managed at each cluster Academy and your local Support Services Coordinator will have advised each school of the process for requesting additional supplies.
Any queries from schools should be directed to your local Support Services Coordinator in the first instance. Anything that requires escalation should be directed to Kenny Gunnyeon ([email protected]; 01467539121)
Ordering PPE (all other services)
It is important services manage demand for PPE and allow at least one week for new orders to arrive, after carefully considering service requirements based on risk assessment.
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If you have a source for the supply of this equipment, you can continue to order through iProc and there is no need to contact the procurement team directly. Please only get in touch via [email protected] if you are struggling to source the items you need and please be ready to raise a purchase order.
What can be done in a non-healthcare workplace to prevent the spread of respiratory infections?
Promote good hand hygiene by making sure that staff, contractor, service users and visitors have access to hand washing facilities or request people to use hand sanitisers where available. Services and Facilities which remain open during the lockdown should follow Health & Safety Advice in line with Government Guidance.
Specific advice for Roads, Landscape, Waste and Housing Services
Risk assessments and safe systems of work are in place to ensure the Scottish Government and Health Protection Scotland guidance is complied with.
PPE is supplied, appropriate for the task at hand, and distributed to those that require it.
Social distancing can be harder to achieve where close contact or working in close proximity with other staff members is unavoidable. Appropriate measures have been taken to mitigate any potential risks and staff are reminded to follow good hand and respiratory hygiene.
Housing service is providing essential services only at the moment, including emergency response and work to turn around empty properties for those who are presenting as homeless and others who urgently require accommodation.
Where staff are needed to work in a property, please maintain social distancing at all times, use the hygiene products provided and raise any concerns immediately.
Teams should not respond to any non-urgent requests at this time and should not enter a property if anybody inside is self-isolating or displaying symptoms of coronavirus.
Covid-19 Testing
Aberdeenshire Council Employees (excluding Health & Social Care Key Workers see specific guidance below for this group)
Aberdeenshire Council Employees including school and ELC based staff who have COVID – 19 symptoms of fever (above 37.8°C) ,a new persistent cough or a loss/change in smell or taste should self-isolate and request a test through NHS UK website click here.
Employees working in schools and ELC settings can request a test if they are concerned, they have been at risk from COVID -19 infection but are otherwise non
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symptomatic. A test request must be submitted through the council via an employer
referral process as this is the only way an individual can access a test if they do not have symptoms, please click here to complete the online form through AskHR.
The Council will submit a list of those requesting a test on a daily basis and employees will receive a SMS text message inviting them to book a test.
If you are having difficulty completing this form please contact askHR at [email protected] or by calling 01467 534000
Health & Social Care Key Workers
Testing is available via NHS Grampian at 3 sites for Health & Social Care Key Workers in Aberdeenshire Council.
The testing will take place in a drive-thru format at, ARI, Jubilee Hospital in Huntly and Linkswood Medical Practice in Elgin.
If a key worker has symptoms of fever (above 37.8°C), a new persistent cough or a loss/change in smell or taste they should self-isolate for 10 days and book a test. A negative test result will allow them to return to work once they are well enough even if that is before 10 days. or If the staff member is in household isolation for 10 days because they live with someone who has symptoms of fever (above 37.8°C) a new persistent cough, or a loss/change in smell or taste then they can request a test be offered to their household member(s) with the symptoms. A negative test result for a household member of a key worker will mean the 10-day household isolation period is lifted immediately and the employee can return to work.
Tests can be requested by completing the on line form available through the NHS website click here
This referral form is automated and when completed, will be sent to the NHS Covid-19 Testing Team by clicking on the submit button. A backup word document referral form which can be found on the NHS COIVD testing page. If needed it can be emailed to: [email protected]
Results will be provided to the individual who has had the test via telephone call or text message. After submitting the form, you should be contacted within 24 hours by NHS Grampian and should receive your test results 24 hours after having the test.
In all circumstance’s employees must inform their line manager that they have requested a test and notify them of the outcome. Line Managers must update the employees record of absence immediately when they are notified of the result by the employee by recording the appropriate Covid -19 paid special leave process detailed below.
The Council also has a legal duty to report any cases where an employee has been diagnosed with COVID -19 that may be work related. All such cases must be recorded within the Corporate Accident Reporting Database.
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Test and Protect
Test and Protect is NHS Scotland’s approach to controlling the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the community.
Everyone aged five and over who has Coronavirus symptoms of a new continuous cough, temperature or loss or change in sense of taste or smell should go to NHS Inform online or call 0800 028 2816 to book a test.
Under the system, people will need to isolate with their household as soon as they have symptoms and, if they have a positive test result, they will be asked to provide details of all recent close contacts to NHS contact tracers. Those people will be contacted and asked to isolate for 10 days.
A new test and protect app has also be developed by Protect Scotland to enhance the Test & Protect approach, further information on this and how download the app can be found here.
What to do if you have symptoms? You and your household should not leave home, will need to request a test and, if the result is positive, help NHS Scotland to identify who you’ve had contact with. (This will be done confidentially.)
What happens when you are contacted by the Test & Protect service? If you are told you have been in close contact with someone with Coronavirus, do not leave home for 10-days. A test will be arranged if appropriate. Also, the other members of your household do not need to isolate unless they have also been contacted by Test and Protect service or you start to develop symptoms.
Here is a link to short video offering additional guidance:
• Test and Protect (60 seconds)
Test and Protect guidance is also available for all employees. If you have tested positive for Covid-19, please discuss with your line manager and arrange for this to be recorded as Diagnosed with Covid-19 via this notification process. Likewise, if you are contacted by the Tracing Team, again please discuss this with your line manager but instead use the Self-Isolation (10 days) reason.
What if an employee becomes unwell in the workplace?
If someone becomes unwell in the workplace with a new, continuous cough or a high temperature, they should leave work to self‑isolate straight away and, if possible, wear a face covering on route home and avoid public transport. They should not return to work until they have been tested and told if it is safe to leave home.
Only the employee who is unwell should be sent home, should the employee test positive for Covid -19 they will be told to self -isolate for a minimum of 10 days, all close contacts of the employee will be contacted by Health Protection Scotland and may be told to self – isolate for 10 days as per Test & Protect Guidance
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Arrangements should be made to ensure any cleaning requirements of the area is completed specific to the service/facility Local Restrictions / Protection Levels
Scottish Government have confirmed new restrictions to tackle the spread of Covid-19 in Scotland with the introduction of local protection levels here.
From Tuesday 5 January, mainland Scotland moved from Level 4 to a temporary Lockdown, with new guidance to stay at home except for essential purposes. Some islands will remain at Level 3.
Key Workers
Key worker posts are defined as posts providing essential services to support the vulnerable and aid community resilience, and who are required to be on the front line in order to perform their role. Other roles are essential, valued and important. The below provides clarity on testing for a number of roles that cannot be performed in other ways. This includes employees who have been mobilised into one of the posts or service areas outlined below.
Category 1: Health and Care workers supporting critical primary and community care provision as well as staff providing childcare/learning for Category 1 staff. Home Care Care Home Staff: Managers, Assistant Managers, Care Assistants, Domestic Assistants Teachers PSAs Residential Child Care Officers (Children’s Homes) Very Sheltered Housing: VSH Officers Sheltered Housing provision of support Cleansing Services staff supporting ECS and Category 1 establishments Drivers supporting H&SCP and NHS Homelessness: Hostel Assistants, Housing Officers Early Years (nursery settings)
Category 2: Wider public service workers providing critical welfare services. Social Workers Family support Workers Local Area Co-ordinators in Children’s Services Social Care Officers Respite Workers Care Managers for Older People Joint Equipment Centre (for equipment and support for elderly discharged from hospital) Environmental Health Housing staff providing essential visits and repairsCategory 3: All workers in the public sector where there would be a significant impact on Scotland if the work is not undertaken. Waste Collection and Disposal: Technical, Supervisory and Operational personnel involved in Waste Collection and Waste Transfer activities Street Cleansing: Supervisory and Operational Personnel involved in Litter Bin emptying
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Winter Maintenance: Technical, Supervisory and Operational personnel involved in Winter Maintenance Operations Emergency Road and Bridge Repairs: Technical, Supervisory and Operational personnel involved in the management and delivery of response to emergency defects across the road, bridge and lighting network Quarry Service: Technical, Supervisory and Operational personnel involved in the production of road maintenance materials necessary for the response to emergency defects across the road and bridge network. Burial Bookings: Personnel involved in the administrative booking of interments and lair sales Interment Service: Technical personnel involved in lair identification. Supervisory and Operational personnel involved in lair opening and closing. Operational personnel involved in interment assistance to Funeral Directors. Excess Death Management: Technical, Supervisory and Operational personnel involved in additional duties associated with the delivery of the Excess Death Operational Plan. School Catering: Cooks, Assistant Cooks Vehicle Maintenance including Vehicle/Fleet Management e.g. licence obligations, insurance, RFL Property Maintenance: Engineering Team (Engineers dealing with reactive heating (failures, gas safety) and Energy Engineers dealing with building controls and financial payments to suppliers (energy suppliers), Cleaners (key properties) Payroll: Payroll Supervisors, Payroll Assistants Health & Wellbeing: Procurement: Supplies critical to ongoing incident Finance: Payments – to suppliers, pensions, adoption, fostering and kinship for children ICT: Network connectivity and unified communications Trading Standards Animal Welfare Gypsy/Traveller Liaison Officer Tenancy Services Housing Officers (essential support for vulnerable individuals, in rent arrears) Registrars Solicitors Estates Manager and Area Teams - Making space available to critical services (e.g. PPE storage) and the voluntary sector (e.g. emergency foodbanks). Estates Manager and other Estates officers (going forward) - Supporting tenants affected by the impact of COVID-19 to aid their survival. Asset Management Team Leader - Managing the Council’s property resources to support critical services.
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Shielding, Isolation and Quarantine
Vulnerable Groups / Shielding
There are some people who are classed as “vulnerable groups” and should significantly reduce unnecessary social contact – Physical Distancing. These higher risk groups include:
• pregnant women
• aged 70 or older (regardless of medical conditions) • under 70 with an underlying health condition listed below (broadly anyone
instructed to get a flu jab each year on medical grounds): • chronic (long-term) 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), a learning disability or cerebral palsy • diabetes
• problems with your spleen – for example, sickle cell disease or if you have had your spleen removed
• a weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDS, or medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy
• being seriously overweight (a BMI of 40 or above)
There are some clinical conditions which put people at even higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and who may be required to shield depending on the protection level in the area.
Employees in this category received letters from NHS Scotland and were required to Shield from March until July 31st 2020, This was paused on the 1 August and the advice for people on the shielding list is to follow the guidance that applies in the area in which you live or work. Scotland now has 5 different protection levels. Find your area’s protection level and guidelines here. If you are on the shielding list, you should follow the same advice as everyone else in your protection level. There’s also extra advice for those at higher risk from coronavirus, this includes information about work, school and transport. The Chief Medical Officer issued a further letter to those required to shield the week commencing 4th January 2021. All employees who received the shielding letter should not undertake their substantive role if it means that they cannot work from home.
Employees who cannot undertake their substantive role from home may be mobilised to support other areas of the Council where work can be done from home, such as the Humanitarian Assistance Centre (HAC). Further information and guidance on staff moblisation can be found here.
Further detailed information on shielding advice can be found on the Scottish Government Website here. Scottish Government will keep this under constant review
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and provide updates to people previously shielding via text alerts. If you have not already signed up, you can do so by texting your 10-digit CHI number to 07860 064525. You can find your CHI number on the shielding letter you have received.
Returning to the Workplace from Shielding
During the pandemic in periods defined by Scottish Government when if is safe for people who are shielding to return to the workplace, employees in job roles which require them to physically be in the workplace, should have discussed this with their line manager in detail, completing individual risk assessment specific to them and their job role.
This should be completed in conjunction with but not replaced by the Scottish Governments workplace risk assessment tool which will determine an employee’s “Covid age” and associated risk level. This will help identify any specific individual risks to the staff member from Covid – 19 in the workplace. This tool is not designed to replace any of the current risk assessments which may already be in place within facilities/schools or workplaces, but instead to compliment them. Information and guidance on Aberdeenshire’s current generic Covid -19 risks assessment can be found on Arcadia within the Health, Safety & Wellbeing Page.
Information as well as an overview of the risk assessment process (and when this is required) can be found on ALDO. Further advice and specific training on risk assessment can also be sought by contacting the Health, Safety & Wellbeing Team.
We recognise that any period of transition will be an anxious time for our shielding colleagues, and we encourage employees to access available support through our Employee Assistance Programme, their GP and the NHS Inform website. Additional information and guidance on shielding can be found on the Scottish Government Website.
Further advice on returning to work can also be sought by contacting the HR Operations Team or AskHR.
Pregnant Employees and Working
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists advice on the risks of coronavirus (COVID-19) infection and pregnancy is available on the RCOG website.
It is important to note that:
• Pregnant women of any gestation are at no more risk of contracting the virus than any other non-pregnant person who is in similar health
• For those women who are 28 weeks pregnant and beyond, there is an increased risk of becoming severely ill should you contract COVID-19 (this is true of any viral illness contracted, such as flu).
The Occupational Health Advice for employers and pregnant women is that social distancing is particularly important for all pregnant women who are 28 weeks and beyond, in order to lessen their risk of contracting the virus. For women with other medical conditions in addition to pregnancy, this should be considered on an individual basis.
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All pregnant women should follow the Public Health advice:
• Guidance on physical distancing for all vulnerable people including pregnant women
Pregnant women have been included in the list of people at moderate risk (clinically vulnerable) as a precaution. This is because pregnant women can sometimes be more at risk from viruses like flu. It is not clear if this happens with coronavirus. But because it’s a new virus, it’s safer to include pregnant women in the moderate-risk group.
Employees who are unable to work from home, can work in a public-facing role provided the employer conducts the risk assessment and is able to make appropriate arrangements to sufficiently minimise the exposure to the virus.
Managers are required to discuss the individual role and circumstances with the pregnant employee including the COVID risk within the generic risk assessment for pregnant workers, reviewing this as normal on an ongoing basis taking into consideration the advice from RCOG for women in the third trimester (more than 28 weeks pregnant)
What is the difference between quarantine and isolation?
Both isolation and quarantine measures reduce the risk of spreading coronavirus (COVID-19). These are also referred to as self-isolation and self-quarantine.
• Isolation separates people with coronavirus (COVID-19) from people who do
not have the virus. o People who have tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) must
isolate at home. o People who have been tested because they have symptoms of
coronavirus (COVID-19), should isolate at home while waiting for their test result, even if they no longer have those symptoms.
• Quarantine separates and restricts the movement of people who have been or may have been exposed to coronavirus (COVID-19):
o People who are living with a person diagnosed with coronavirus (COVID- 19) must quarantine at home.
o People who are a close contact of a confirmed case (including a person who lives with a diagnosed person) of coronavirus (COVID-19) must quarantine at home.
o People returning from overseas must complete mandatory quarantine.
Quarantine & Travel
Travel within the UK At present, unless you live in certain island communities:
• you must, by law, stay at home unless you have a reasonable excuse (see exceptions)
• if you have to travel for essential purposes, you should follow the guidance on travelling safely
• you should also keep journeys within the area to an absolute minimum. During periods of level 3 or 4 restrictions defined by Scottish Government you must not travel into or out of Level 3 and 4 local authority areas except for essential reasons.
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International Travel
As of the 15 January 2021 all country exemptions (sometimes known as Travel Corridors) have been suspended until further notice.
Passengers travelling to Scotland from outside the Common Travel Area (United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) must complete the passenger locator form and self-isolate for 10 days when arriving or returning to Scotland . Passengers must also present a valid negative COVID-19 test result, taken no more than three days before the scheduled time of departure.
For information from the Scottish Government on countries and territories currently exempted click here. This advice is being kept under constant review. Travel disruption is still possible and national control measures may be brought in with little notice.
Anyone considering travel abroad should check the most up to date information on foreign travel through the Scottish Government Website and discuss any pre booked or intended travel arrangements with their line manager. This guidance relates specifically to people returning from countries where a 10-day quarantine period is required.
Information and guidance specific to Aberdeenshire Council employees can be found on askHR click here.
Key Points are:
• Annual leave and travel arrangements must be discussed with the line manager.
• Guidance applies to any quarantine or possible quarantine restrictions which may apply after the date of departure from the UK,
• must be discussed and agreed with the line manager, prior to the annual leave start date.
• Where possible working from home should be agreed, managers and employees should consider all options to work from home which may include a different type of work, CPD, training etc.
• Where all reasonable alternatives have been explored and it is not possible for the employee to work at home a period of unpaid special leave should be authorised for all or part of the required 10-day quarantine period. Extended annual leave, flexi or toil may be used for part or all of the quarantine period.
• Special Leave will not be approved or authorised where no prior discussion or agreement has been made between the line manager and employee.
• Where a member of staff has to travel abroad in exceptional circumstances at short notice (for example, as a result of a family bereavement) special leave will be granted, as appropriate, during any required quarantine period.
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Isolation
The most common symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are recent onset of a new continuous cough and/or high temperature and loss of taste and smell. If you have these symptoms, however mild, stay at home and do not leave your house for 10 days from when your symptoms started and book a test . If your symptoms worsen during isolation or are no better after 10 days, contact NHS 24 (111) online. If you have no internet access, you should call NHS 24 (111). For a medical emergency dial 999.
If you have symptoms and live with others:
• You should stay at home for 10 days from the start of your symptoms
• They should stay at home for 10 days from the start of your symptoms even if they don’t have symptoms themselves
If they develop symptoms within the 10 days, they need to stay at home for 10 days from the day their symptoms began. They should do this even if it takes them over the 10-day isolation period.
Employees who are self-isolating, should arrange with their manager to work from home if this is practical.
• Where the employee’s job role allows them to work from home, this can be agreed and communication between manager and employee should be maintained. The employee will receive their normal pay.
• Where the employee’s role is such that they are unable to work from home, the manager should discuss with the employee possible tasks or activities that are paper based and can be done at home, e.g. undertake training, reviewing coursework, etc as an alternative. The employee will receive their normal pay.
• Where it is not possible for an employee to undertake any work activity, tasks or training. The employee will receive their normal pay.
In all cases, employees should remain in contact with their line manager during any period away from work.
Employees who wish to self-isolate out with Government guidance
You should discuss the situation and concerns with the employee. Advise the employee to discuss with the Council’s EAP provider, Time for Talking, contact details telephone no 0800 970 3980 or online www.timefortalking.co.uk or encourage them to discuss with their own GP or counsellor.
An employee may choose to request annual leave however this would need to be approved by the appropriate line manager taking into account the needs of the service.
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Pay & Conditions
Recording of Reason
To help the Council understand how the virus is affecting the workforce, all cases relating to Covid-19, as detailed in the table below, must be recorded using the Covid recording special leave process.
Reason Scenario Affecting Employee
Diagnosed with Covid-19 Tests positive for the virus
Self-isolating (10 days) Required to self-isolate as symptomatic
Self-isolating (10 days) Required to self-isolate following notification from Test & Protect or living in a household with someone who is symptomatic
Workplace Closure Workplace closed due to outbreak of virus Shielding Required by the Chief Medical Officer/Scottish Government to
work from home
Underlying Health Condition
Based on medical advice, unable to return to substantive role/ workplace due to serious underlying health condition
Pregnant Based on medical advice, unable to return to substantive role/ workplace due to pregnancy
Caring for Dependents Required to care for a dependent following the temporary closure of a care establishment e.g. a school or adult day care centre due to an outbreak of the virus
Quarantined Required to quarantine following, for example, a trip abroad
The Council also has a legal duty to report any cases where an employee has been diagnosed with Covid-19 that may be work related. All such cases must be recorded within the Corporate Accident Reporting Database.
In circumstances where an employee has an underlying health condition, pregnancy related concerns or required to care for dependents and are unable to work from home, the manager should seek advice from their HR Advisor as to other options that should be considered prior to agreeing to a period of paid leave.
Periods of quarantine where all options to work from home have been explored and no alternative work is appropriate or available must be recorded as Quarantine (Unable to WFH) and will be unpaid.
Managers with access to the People Manager platform are able to record these cases for staff who directly report to them using the Paid Special Leave functionality.
For service areas where People Manager is not available, a Covid-19 recording form is available which managers can complete and return to HR for inputting into the HR/Payroll system. Further guidance and access to the Covid–19 recording form can be found on askHR.
Employees who can submit requests for paid special leave through the ESS platform should continue to do, ensuring the relevant line manager has been notified in advance (where possible). It should be noted that employees will not be able to request paid special leave for an underlying health condition, pregnancy concerns, caring for dependents or quarantining. Such cases have to be recorded by their
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manager, as detailed above.
Bodet
Employees who are working (including those working remotely from home) should continue to record their hours through BODET to ensure that this provides line managers with the information to hand on the capacity of their teams. Please note this also applies to employees who are continuing to work even though they have recorded special leave through the Covid – 19 recording form. If an employee is not able to work at all, their BODET should be amended to reflect paid special leave.
Where applicable BODET administrators have automatically removed restrictions on schedules e.g. core hours (1000-1200 &1400-1600), start/finish times and inputting on days not normally worked. However, it is expected that any significant deviation from an employee’s normal working pattern should be discussed with the line manager in the first instance.
Manager and Employees should continue to discuss contractual hours of work, individual personal responsibilities and how these can be managed to ensure critical business requirements of the service are meet.
Care should be taken to ensure that those working additional hours do not put their
own or others’ health and safety at risk and that they get regular rest breaks.
Managers will receive 4 weekly flexi balance reports for their teams.
Where contractual hours have not been completed during the normal working week or whilst working different work patterns:
In situations where employees are unable to fulfil their contractual hours either because their location is closed or their workload is less either for all or part of the working week, employees will continue to receive their normal pay.
Employees with caring duties for dependents within the home and where due to disruption of care arrangements they are unable to work their contractual hours normal pay will continue. Where possible alternative arrangements should be sought/arranged.
If any employee has indicated that they are struggling to maintain their contracted hours (e.g. due to childcare) then at the discretion of the line manager any negative flexi balance can be removed at the end of the flexi period.
During periods of recovery, where facilities, schools and working arrangements
start to return to normal, wherever possible any negative flexi balance should be
worked back. The general expectation being that flexi time is not utilised during the
payback period unless prior discussion and agreement has been made between
the employee and the line manager.
In exceptional circumstances employees may be asked to work out with their normal working hours to support critical service delivery. The appropriate enhancements will apply.
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Flexi/Toil/Overtime
Managers and employees should continue to discuss, agree and manage hours of work to ensure the Health, Wellbeing and Safety of the workforce is considered during this critical time to meet Business requirements.
All additional hours worked due to Covid -19 should be recorded using the appropriate financial cost code.
Enhancement for Night and Weekend Working
Staff will continue to receive the normal enhancement to pay for night and weekend working as detailed in their contract of employment during this period even if not all hours are worked due to Covid-19
Staff not normally in receipt of enhancements but who are requested to work in a different role or place of work to deliver critical business services will receive the enhanced payment for hours work at night and weekend as detailed in the Pay and Conditions of Service Agreement – April 2018 information on which can be found on AskHR. These hours should be claimed by timesheet.
Timesheets, Travel and Subsistence Claims
Timesheets/ Monthly Allowances Claim Forms
All Timesheet claims must be authorised by line managers before being submitted to payroll.
An approved spreadsheet (Establishment Payroll File (EPF)) has been made available to services for collation of timesheet hours.
Electronic Timesheets and Allowances Forms are currently still available on askHR along with downloadable paper forms and guidance on completion is available here
Managers will either have the hours added to the EPF spreadsheet or submit the timesheet to payroll but not both. All formats should have the correct full financial code appended where required.
Employees should not cc in payroll if emailing the timesheets to their manager as this may create a duplicate and result in an overpayment which will require to be recovered.
Claims not being added to the service EPF spreadsheet should be submitted to payroll as follows:-
Email:- [email protected] ( subject line MUST be Timesheet <employee name & payroll number>)
Post :- Aberdeenshire Council, Payroll Team, Woodhill House, Westburn Road, Aberdeen AB16 5GB.
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Please note that where normal commuting mileage is not being deducted,
employees must enter a ‘0’ in the ‘Normal daily commute mileage (B)’ column, as
illustrated below. This applies to claims being submitted via ESS or by paper
form.
Travel and Subsistence (T&S) Claims
The requirement for T&S claims to be authorised prior to payment has been temporarily removed.
The Strategic Leadership Team have agreed that for those employees who are
continuing to work from home due to the pandemic, there will be a temporary
cessation of the requirement to deduct their normal commuting mileage. This
cessation will apply in cases where an employee is required to undertake a business
journey to a location other than their normal work base.
This was implemented for an initial period of 4 months, commencing for any business
journeys claimed on or after 1 September. It has now been agreed by SLT to extend
the above temporary arrangement until the 31 March 2021.
Guidance on using the online claim form can be found here.
Wherever possible, Covid-19 related expenditure should be separated from regular service expenditure. To facilitate this, four service-specific ESS claim forms have been created with the relevant Covid-19 cost centre and subjective pre-populated. Please refer to this guidance document for more information.
If claims are being submitted using a paper form, these should be posted, or scanned and emailed, to:
Travel & Employee Benefits, Woodhill House, Westburn Road, Aberdeen AB16 5GB. Email: [email protected] (employee name & pay reference to be included in title of email)
Only one submission should be made, either posted or scanned and emailed, in order to prevent overpayments.
Annual Leave
In these unprecedented and challenging times, it is vitally important we all look after ourselves to maintain our wellbeing and resilience.
It is essential that we ensure that our staff have appropriate time away from work duties and that employees are encouraged to use their annual leave over the coming
Factsheet (22) 2021.02.10 21
months. This will ensure that we all maintain our own health and wellbeing.
Manager should discuss, review and agree annual leave requests, ensuring these are being staggered over the course of the year, otherwise services will operationally struggle to support large numbers of employees trying to use annual leave when current Covid -19 related restrictions are lifted.
It is acknowledged that in critical service areas with keyworker roles it may become more challenging for requests for annual leave to be approved. In these service areas managers should be trying where operationally feasible to allow employees time off. Where this is not possible, arrangements will be made for keyworkers to carry over unused leave from 2020 into future annual leave years in accordance with the latest UK Government advice. Leave should only be carried forward if the manager was unable to accommodate the leave request in 2020.
Please note this provision should be limited to our keyworker roles only and in all other service areas every effort should be made for annual leave to be taken in the normal manner, considering the business requirements of the service
We will continue to review legislation and any updated amendments issued.
In these exceptional circumstances it may not be possible to give employees the minimum one weeks’ notice for each week of booked annual leave. Consideration should be given to individual circumstances and any financial loss which may be incurred. During periods of additional protective measures (lockdown) employees who are in receipt of the letter from the Chief Medical Officer (shielding), and who have annual leave booked for the new leave year starting on 1st January 2021, should take the annual leave as planned.
Service Continuity
School/Facility Closure
In the event that a school/facility must close, employees can be asked to work at an alternative location or in a different key role to support the critical business of the council, taking into account their knowledge, skills, experience and ability to travel.
Alternatively, where the employee’s job role allows them to work from home, this can be agreed and communication between manager and employee should be maintained.
Where the employee’s role is such that it is not possible to work from home, you should discuss with the employee possible tasks or activities that are paper based and can be done at home, e.g. undertake training, reviewing coursework, etc as an alternative. If considering temporary mobilisation into another role, please contact the Resourcing Team. Further details on Staff mobilisation can be found here.
The Covid-19 recording form should be completed with the appropriate reason, as detailed above in the recording section of this guidance.
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Employee’s unable to attend work due to their child’s/dependent’s school/facility has closed
Where the employee’s job role allows them to work from home, this can be agreed. Consideration should be given to service requirements, flexibility and whether the employee can work no fixed - no core hours and recorded using the Covid-19 recording form or via askHR following the paid special leave notification process.
Communication between manager and employee should be maintained throughout.
Where the employee’s role is such that they are unable to work from home, the manager should discuss with the employee possible tasks or activities that are paper based and can be done at home, e.g. undertake training, reviewing coursework, etc as an alternative and record outcome using the Covid-19 recording form, or via askHR following the paid special leave notification process
Where it is not possible for an employee to undertake any work activity, tasks or training from home please contact your HR Advisor to discuss all possible options.
Annual leave must be discussed, agreed and taken as normal during periods of school/facility closure.
Employees are required to work at a different facility/location and not in their normal role/workplace.
Aberdeenshire Council expects all employees to be as flexible as possible to meet the requirements of service delivery during critical times. In exceptional circumstances i.e. staff shortages due to coronavirus, employees can be requested to work in a different role or location to support service requirements.
We will continue to work collaboratively with trade union joint secretaries and service managers to ensure that service delivery is maintained, and employees kept well informed. Return of schools in the New Year Teachers, children of key workers and the most vulnerable children, returned to schools as planned, and for the majority of pupils, the holiday period was extended until 11 January with online learning continuing until at least mid-February. Subject to final confirmation in the week beginning 15 February, the intention is that early learning and childcare plus children in primaries 1 to 3 will be able to return to their school or early years setting from the week beginning Monday, February 22.
A part-time return for senior phase pupils is also due to start from this date, allowing all of those who are completing national qualifications in practical subject’s time in school to complete practical assessments where necessary.
Further detailed information will be provided from Education through the individual schools.
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Working at Home
No date has yet been set for the reopening of non-essential offices, and home-working should continue to be the default option for office based staff, other than for essential tasks that cannot be completed at home.
Over the past few years, the council’s Worksmart program and improvements in technology have made it easier for employees to work from home, and the advice for now is that where you are currently working from home, you should continue to do so.
Business critical activities that can’t be delivered from home will require some return to offices under strict public health guidelines. This should be discussed on a case-by- case basis between employees and managers, and subject to approval from a head of service.
Should you have any concerns about your homeworking arrangements, please discuss these with your line manager in the first instance, or contact the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Team for advice.
When working at home it is important to regularly ensure your own safety and comfort. There is guidance on the staff microsite to help you carry out a DSE assessment for your working circumstances. Find it at the foot of the ‘Other useful documents’ section.
Managers will work with their teams to ensure the right arrangements and equipment are available to sustain home working, and additional equipment may be provided to individuals if required. Meetings will continue to be virtual by default and there will be a focus on helping employees develop skills in using O365.
Please speak to your line manager should you want to access office-based equipment such as screens/risers/likewise to help make you comfortable.
Further advice can be sought by contacting the Health, Safety & Wellbeing Team.
Staff maybe able to claim tax relief from HMRC for working from home on a regular basis, you can claim this if you choose to work from home. Further information and guidance on how to claim can be found on the government website here.
What will working in offices look like during the pandemic?
There are several public-facing and appointment-based services where staff require to be office-based for at least part of the day.
It is essential that anybody who wishes to visit a council office discusses it with their manager in advance before approval is sought from the relevant head of service and the facilities team.
There is information in all buildings about using the QR code required for Test & Protect. Everyone visiting buildings must complete this, and for anyone who doesn't have a smart phone, please use this link:
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Relief/Supply Staff
Services should continue to use relief and supply members of staff appropriately as per the individual contracts/ agreed terms. Relief staff will continue to be a valuable resource providing flexibility and continuity of service during demanding and uncertain times.
Managers should continue to regularly review service requirements and the use of relief hours appropriately to meet the requirement of service delivery.
Mobilisation of Staff
The staff mobilisation process has evolved with the introduction of a new system. Please be aware that the previous Employee Availability Database and the Employee Search Database are no longer in use.
Heads of Service will continue to refresh and review the Ranked Activity Matrix at team level, this identifies where team activity has reduced or can be reprioritised in order to temporarily release team members to assist in a critical role, if required.
There are currently priority staffing requirements as part of the Council response to Covid19, in order to capture employee details and hours they could be made available it is essential that managers have the conversation with the team to share the requirement and identify who is to be made available to temporarily undertake one of these roles, should the need arise. The list of priority demand roles will be communicated by email, COVID bulletins and Arcadia as required.
Managers should discussed with team members, and complete this form to collect name, payroll number, job title and working hours. This will be recorded centrally so training needs can be identified and mobilisation of employees into critical roles can be actioned if required.
Staff being released from usual duties to provide support will be paid their usual hourly rate while carrying out these tasks.
Forms can be submitted as often as required. For example, you may have recorded an employee as being available for mobilisation but if they are then required to shield then you can submit another form with their new circumstances.
Further information on staff mobilisation can be found here or please contact [email protected] for assistance completing the form.
Recruitment
Recruitment continues, with priority given to key worker roles and revised processes are in place to ensure pre-employment checks are carried out whilst allowing for rapid deployment. Guidance for Managers who wish to recruit at this time is available here http://jobs.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/recruitment- guidance-covid-pandemic/. This includes additional guidance for interviewing remotely. To discuss any options and for additional guidance or advice, please do contact the Resourcing Team on [email protected] or your HR Assistant working on your vacancy.
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Updates:
Daily Bulletin
Key Updates
6 February 2021
Update to the Staff Mobilisation and new recording form Update on return to schools Update on Travel restriction in the UK and International travel
11 January 2021
Update to Shielding information during a period of lockdown
29 December Update with regards to mainland Scotland going into Tier 4 from 26th December Update on Return to Schools in January
18 December Update to link for H&SC Key Workers Testing Requests Update on Self Isolation/Quarantine days Update links to Government Information on Shielding advice and protection levels
09 October Update to Guidance Wearing of Face Coverings in the Workplace
23 September Update on Isolation and Quarantine
2 September Update to information – Face Coverings COVID – 19 Testing
24 August Update on local lockdown – Aberdeen City
14 August Working from Home & Returning to Offices
06 August Update to Shielding & pregnant employees Local Restrictions Update to Recording of Reason
31 July Wearing of Face Coverings Update to Shielding
03 July Update to compensatory payment for Supply Teachers and Relief Staff Update to Bodet/Flexi Recording
25 June Updated links to NHS Inform and Scottish Government Websites. Wellbeing Information Updated
28 May Test & Protect 25 May Update to Staff Mobilisation Database
14 May Update to recording employees diagnosed with COVID - 19
07 May Updated link to Staff COVID -19 Testing for Keyworkers
24 April Employees Living with people shielding, Payment information for Relief Staff
15 April Testing of Keyworkers, Updated Information on Pregnant Employees
09 April Information on PPE, Recruitment and update to Relief/Supply Teacher Information, Staff Mobilisation
02 April Update to Bodet and Annual Leave Guidance
27 March Changes to Recording Reasons
26 March Changes to Travel & Subsistence and Timesheets
25 March Bodet/ Toil/Overtime & Flexi
20 March Isolation/Quarantine Government Guidelines
Recording of Reasons
Covid – 19 Recording Form
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17 March Social Distancing
Vulnerable Groups Categorised