This article is written by Anisha Bhandari, from Institute of Law, Nirma University. With the pandemic hitting hard, this article discusses the provisions granted to workers to ensure isolation. 

Introduction

Workers and businesses are responsible for preventing the spread of COVID-19. The purpose of the COVID-19 leave and self-isolation scheme is to support workers who are financially self-isolated or ill with COVID-19, where this is required so that all businesses and workers can do the right thing. The COVID-19 leave payment system would offer assistance (through employers / only traders and self-employed individuals) to certain people that are not willing to work in solitude, who are sick with COVID-19, or who are caring for others with COVID-19. The payout does not impact the entitlements of paid leave that are due and usable or though the person is on paid leave for most of the time. This is not applicable to anyone who can operate from home during the time of self-isolation and who can usually be compensated by their company.

Background

The following are FAQs for the Public Health Service on leave connected with COVID-19 contamination during the containment process. The basic criteria to be extended to the care of COVID-19 infections in the Public Health Service shall include:

• Obligations under the Safety, Health, and Welfare at Work Act, 2005 to guarantee the protection and health of staff at work.
• Flexibility with different job conditions, e.g. home employment is to be promoted whenever possible. This may allow employees who are not ill to continue to work.
• Special leave with pay should apply to periods of medical/How to self isolate (HSE) self-isolation recommended where flexible working arrangements are not possible, as well as to the medical diagnosis of COVID-19 infection. An extra allowance is different from the usual sick wage and will be reported as “Covid-19 Paid Leave.” This independent designation is necessary in order to ensure that these absences will not have an effect on workers’ entitlements under the public sector sick leave scheme. These details would also be needed to conform with the guidelines for disclosing to this class of workers the costs of providing extra leave with pay.
• General standards for the application of sick leave as illustrated in HSE Managing Attendance Policy and Procedure and HSE Rehabilitation Employees Return to Work After Illness or Injury Policy shall apply, for example, the requirement of workers to notify managers and to establish communication with managers, and contact with the employees who have special leave for this reason.
• Any special paying leave given for the purpose of self-isolation or diagnosis of COVID-19 would not be treated as part of the employee’s sick leave records should be recorded separately and classified as “COVID-19 Paid Leave”. The application for special leave with pay shall apply for a number of days recommended by the HSE(Healthservices)/GP(General Practitioners). Appropriate medical/HSE confirmation of need self-isolation and/or diagnosis of COVID-19 will be needed.
• By giving special leave with pay, workers are required to agree at once with any orders that might be provided by their supervisor and to follow any reasonable measures to resume service as soon as possible. When not, then the adequate justification for non-compliance with the issue of withholding pay is given.
• Throughout the case of non-compliance with the rules on extra leave with compensation (includes the provision to have bona fide proof of COVID-19 self-isolation/diagnosis) current protocols, administrative procedures include actions that may be invoked.
• Subject to specialist guidance on public safety in the context of innovations COVID-19, the basic rules or the content of the FAQ can be revised or modified. Employers shall retain the right to withdraw or amend the provisions in the light of the circumstances.
• These arrangements shall apply in the case of COVID-19. They may not submit, for instance, ordinary flu-like illnesses. Employers with the Public Health Service will evaluate their strategic continuity policies in the face of the current scenario. Employers of the Public Health Service need to ensure that special categories of health data are processed legally in accordance with data protection legislation.

Self-isolation

Self-isolation is about protecting others and slowing the spread of COVID-19. It is really necessary for someone who has or might have been subjected to the virus would restrict the number of individuals they have been in touch with for 14 days. It is the most successful approach to eliminate the transmission of coronavirus. When you are told to stay alone, it is important that you obey the guidance that is available to help keep you, your loved ones, and your society secure. Self-isolation might sound difficult at first, but hundreds of citizens around the world have always achieved it effectively. Whether you have been recommended to self-isolate by a health provider or by official policy guidance, all the guidelines you need to obey are accessible on the GSP (Groovy Server Pages) page and the suggestions in this guide will help make it simpler.

Rights in self-quarantine 

Generally speaking, for all purposes and purposes, self-quarantine or self-isolation individuals remain employees. If they are entitled to their wages at that period depends on the justification for self-quarantine or self-isolation. If normally, the employer allows the employee to be in self-quarantine or self-isolation, they shall be entitled to their wages during that time. In the form of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (1997), if the employee becomes ill and is either self-involved or self-isolated, the employee will be entitled to sick leave during that time. The employee may, however, be required to produce a medical certificate in this regard. When the employee’s sick leave is expended, the employer can put the employee on unpaid leave or, depending on the conditions of the employment contract, join the employee’s annual leave.

According to the rules of the Unemployment Insurance Act 2006, an individual can qualify for illness benefits from the Department of Labor if the individual becomes ill for more than 7 days. If the employee is subject to self-isolation or quarantine, at the behest of the Government, which we understand is currently applicable in certain cases, it can be argued that the employee would not be entitled to his or her salary from the employer. As stated above, an employee may be entitled to sickness benefits under the Unemployment Insurance Act if the employee is ill for more than 7 days. Employees who lose wages owing to shortened working hours can, therefore, apply for the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF).

The Minister of Employment and Labor has recently evaluated the probability of extra compensation for workers through self-quarantine for 14 days. He explained that this should be viewed as a “special leave” and will be entirely covered on the basis that the justification for the quarantine follows the criteria and that the employee may qualify for UIF benefits. The Minister also stated that if the employee is required to be quarantined for more than 14 days as a result of having travelled or been in contact with an infected person, such leave will also be recognized as a “special leave” and that the employee will be eligible to apply for UIF benefits. Notwithstanding the findings of the Minister, it is not clear if workers can, at this point, demand different styles of leave from the Department of Labor. They have not yet been licensed by the statute. 

In the light of the outbreak of COVID-19, the Ministry of Labor and Employment issued a notice on 20 March 2020 advising all employers to refrain from the termination of employment or the deduction of wages for their employees (including casual and contract workers). The notification states that, even if the place of employment is not operational, employees would be considered to be on duty. Some state governments have also issued similar advisories. In view of this, it may be difficult for employers to withdraw or leave employees or deduct their wages, and in the event of wrongful termination claims by employees, the courts will surely rule in favour of employees.

Employers will ensure that there are effective data protection mechanisms in effect for organizations operating remotely to avoid the phishing of sensitive details. Employers will ensure that all company machines and printers (as well as workers’ personal equipment) have sufficient anti-virus and ransomware security and safe connections to company networks and servers. Employers will warn the staff that they are aware of phishing e-mails and set up an external messaging network if the workplace network is breached. Although employers may take the required measures to detect workers who are suffering from or who might be compromised with COVID-19 by collecting details on their travel records and health data, they may maintain strict confidentiality and comply with the requirements of the Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices and Procedures and Sensitive Personal Data or Information) Regulations, 2011.

Indian companies

Top Indian businesses are closing ranks in order to shield their workers in the battle against COVID-19 by implementing specific clauses in company policies to assure quarantine personnel that their isolation time does not impact their take-home salaries. Steel Major Tata SteelNSE 0.77 percent has updated its leave policies to provide a “Special Leave” clause for every employee who might need to self-quarantine or remain away from the workplace owing to suspected Coronavirus infection. The ‘Special Leave’ clause, which would extend to all white and blue-collared employees, would allow it only for an employee who has not been infected with sickness but who has already been told or agreed to self-quarantine. The leave may be taken for the number of days needed for the employee to heal during which time the worker will be entitled to full salary and all normal leave, such as sick leave and privilege leave, will be unchanged. “We also implemented a special leave provision where, in the event that an individual wishes to or is advised to self-isolate, he or she can quit for as long as required,” said Suresh Tripathy, Vice-President – Human Resources of Tata Steel.

Some, such as RPG Industries, often support and allow staff to resign as long as they like in situations where they are unwilling to operate at home before they feel stronger. In order to encourage this, RPG has introduced a policy of “exceptional” leave with maximum pay for as long as possible. Food distribution device Swiggy is already consulting on related strategies and is scheduled to carry out shortly. It is a never-anticipated scenario because if anyone becomes sick, they will stay away from work for as long as they wish before they are completely prepared to enter,” said Supratik Bhattacharyya, Chief Talent Officer, RPG Group.

While legal experts have argued that, according to the law, employees are entitled to leave (sick leave, privileged or earned leave, etc.), in situations where they are not ill-suited but self-sufficient or have been asked to quarantine, a number of companies in India are taking the leap forward to allow fully paid special leave in a bid to encourage social distance so that any potentially infected worker does not attend. Employers find this case to be entirely distinct from the other and treat this absence from work as paid leave while the other routine annual leave is unchanged. Legal specialists and businesses are now looking at ways to avoid discrimination on medical grounds such that the contractor can not rely on a contract of employment to fire an employee on medical grounds for being absent from work for more than a month.

Conclusion 

Thus, employers can educate staff about the latest hygienic habits (such as washing their hands for 20 seconds and developing immunity by following a safe lifestyle) and enable them to obtain guidance from credible outlets such as the government or the World Health Organization (WHO) database from COVID-19. Employees should be told not to pay heed to casual messages, which sometimes include false details and can contribute to needless confusion. Employers can therefore partially discontinue biometric attendance programs and sanitize workspaces on a daily basis. Employers may advise staff to verify whether they or their family members exhibit their signs of COVID-19 and allow those workers to be self-isolated. Employers should monitor employees using infrared thermometers on a regular basis, if possible.

References

1. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/jobs/special-leave-to-ensure-isolation-doesnt-hit-pay/articleshow/74681435.cms#:~:text=The%20leave%20can%20be%20taken,privilege%20leaves%20will%20remain%20unaffected
2. https://www.pna.ie/images/appendix%20c_hse%20covid-19%20special%20leave%20with%20pay%20self-declaration%20form.pdf
3. https://www.pna.ie/images/appendix%20a_%20hse%20covid-19%20guides%20for%20employees%20on%20self-isolation%20and%20s_2.pdf
4. https://www.lokusnews.com/News/Mumbai/PMSc4mKiYf8eGtKpQMku/Coronavirus-%E2%80%98Special-leave%E2%80%99-to-ensure-isolation-doesn%E2%80%99t-hit-pay
5. https://www.legalaid.vic.gov.au/find-legal-answers/covid-19-coronavirus/being-unable-to-work

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