Shielding is no longer a valid reason for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), the government has announced.
The change came into effect this month, on August 1, for those employees who had based the need to shield on government advice.
During the peak of the pandemic, those employees who were at greater risk of contracting COVID-19 were advised by health professionals and the government to shield and stay at home.
For those who could not work from home, legislation was amended so that employers could process SSP for this period with shielding being a valid reason.
Shielding has now been paused and guidance for employees who fall into this category has been amended, which means:
The government advises employers to support employees on a safe transition back to work, if they are unable to work from home.