Camelon care home staff eligible for full sick pay if self-isolating

Prior to this, HC-One staff could only access statutory sick pay of £95.85 per week if unable to attend work having being exposed to or infected by the virus.

Earlier this week, the country’s largest care home provider revealed that two-thirds of staff and residents at their home in Brown Street had tested positive for coronavirus at some point, although they stressed that many showed no symptoms.

They said several residents had died during the “difficult time” but it is understood the number could be as high as 20.

The home has now been free of Covid-19 for two weeks.

Today GMB Scotland welcomed the change in policy by the company.

Last week the union released results of a survey of its private care membership that showed 78 per cent of respondents were worried about taking a test for fear of testing positive and losing money through having to take time off work.It will benefit thousands of low paid mainly women workers.Scotland Secretary of GMB Union, Gary Smith, said: “We have been fighting from the outset of this crisis to ensure private care workers are protected with full pay if they fall sick or must self-isolate.“We told employers and government a testing regime is undermined if it does not go hand in hand with full sick pay, and without it tens of thousands of low paid workers, and mainly women, face poverty in sickness.“HC One has now recognised this scandal and their decision is the right thing to do.“The changes GMB has won for HC-One workers across the country should act as a trigger for full coverage across the private care sector – no excuses.“Everyone should now recognise the valuable work performed by this largely female workforce, but it should not have taken an unprecedented public health crisis to wake up to the shameful conditions of workers in the care sector.”