Monday, March 23rd, 2020
We are monitoring Government announcements daily and will update the information below as and when changes happen. Please read our customer FAQs for the latest coronavirus (COVID-19) news and advice related to domestic employers:
The Government announced it would pay 80% of employee’s wages (up to £2,500/month) to those employees who have been laid off, does this apply to nanny/domestic employers?
We are currently waiting for confirmation on whether the newly announced reimbursement of 80% of employees pay (up to 2,500) for furloughed workers extends to domestic employers. Once we have confirmation on this from HMRC we will update this page accordingly.
2. How does sick pay (SSP) work with coronavirus?
If your employee has been advised by Public Health to self-isolate because they fall into one of the below categories, they will be entitled to Statutory Sick Pay, which is currently £94.25 per week.
These include:
3. What if my employee self isolates as a precaution?
If your employee chooses to self-isolate as a precaution but does not fall into one of the above categories, they can take this time either as holiday or unpaid leave.
4. Who is liable for sick pay (SSP)?
The Government have announced that they will reimburse SSP (currently a flat rate of £94.25 per week) for a period of 14 days for small businesses. Sickness unrelated to coronavirus will follow the usual rules and will not be reimbursed by the government.
5. Can I reclaim sick pay (SSP) as a domestic employer?
We are currently waiting for confirmation on whether SSP reimbursement extends to domestic employers. Once we have confirmation on this from HMRC we will update this page accordingly.
6. What happens if my family and/or I need to self-isolate?
If you request that your employee doesn’t attend work (either as a precaution or due to a member of the family falling ill with Coronavirus or Coronavirus like symptoms), the employee should be paid their full standard salary.
7. What are the rules around pregnant women who are being advised to self-isolate for 12 weeks?
If your employee is pregnant and self-isolating as a result, our HR advisors strongly recommend that you pay your employees full pay during this time. However, this is still a very grey area, and we can appreciate the financial burden this may have, so therefore SSP can be paid. Once we have more confirmation on this subject, we will update this page accordingly.
8. What should I do if my child’s school closes?
If your child’s school or nursery closes temporarily due to the coronavirus, you should contact your nanny to see if they can accommodate additional hours.
9. What can I do if I’m struggling to pay my tax liabilities?
If you are concerned about not being able to pay your tax due to coronavirus, there is now a dedicated helpline to support businesses and self-employed individuals with outstanding tax liabilities and other tax affairs – please call 0800 0159 559.
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