Employers urged to sign up to Covid safety pledge

Unions are encouraging employers to sign up to a Covid safety pledge designed to ensure workplaces adopt measures which minimise the spread of the virus.

The Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) and the Independent SAGE group of scientists have supported the pledge.

It requests that employers ask workers who have coronavirus symptoms to stay at home while infectious, and provide support while they do so.

The legal requirement to self-isolate has been ended in Scotland but guidance says those with symptoms should stay at home until they feel better.

The safety pledge also asks that employers risk-assess their workplace to safeguard against the spread of infection.

Organisations which sign up to the scheme will be able to present “Covid safe workplace” signs on their premises.

STUC general secretary Roz Foyer said: “It’s vitally important that the legacy of Covid-19 isn’t a rollback on workers’ safety or rights.

“The Covid-19 safety pledge allows employers to stand by their workers, ensuring the highest levels of protection against infection are taken, in addition to supporting staff and consumer wellbeing whilst on their premises.

“For people across Scotland – especially those who are clinically vulnerable – this pledge can act as a clear indicator of responsibility and support for employers wanting to do right by their staff, customers and service users.

“We are also calling on the Scottish Government to support the pledge.

“Our joint Covid-19 Fair Work Statement should be updated for the new circumstances but also to continue to commit to the fair treatment of workers and the control of the virus.”