One in ten care workers have told Unison that they are aware of colleagues who continued working despite having Covid-19 symptoms.
Trade union Unison has blamed financial peril for staff taking actions that increase the risk of virus spread.
According to a Unison poll of 433 members, just 31 per cent of shielding or self-isolating workers said they were fully paid.
Examples of pay problems include staff being paid just 10 per cent of their usual salary; receiving sick pay for a week and then SSP of £95.85 for any remaining time; being temporarily furloughed; being told to take time off as holiday, or unpaid leave, or to make the time up for free on their return. One worker said their wages had been reduced by £500 following a two-week absence.
The trade union has written to health and social care secretary Matt Hancock calling for governance of the financial aid intended for care staff. But councils will have told they will have to absorb the financial burden of monitoring and enforcing the distribution of the funding.
Unison believes this makes it unlikely that local authorities will pursue employers who don’t pass on the cash to their staff.
