The REC has raised concerns for the thousands of key workers at risk because of the provision of Statutory Sick Pay should they fall ill or have to self-isolate.
SMEs with less than 250 staff can be reimbursed for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) if their staff cannot work due to Covid-19. However, this means most SME recruitment businesses supplying temporary workers are ineligible for the rebate because, while they are SMEs, they are responsible for placing many more temporary staff in other businesses.
The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) says creating opportunities for temporary workers in a pandemic is a big financial risk for small recruiters who could face a huge SSP bill if their temps are required to self-isolate. This means potentially fewer work opportunities being created for temps just as businesses need them.
Neil Carberry, Chief Executive of the REC, commented, “The fight against the virus is being compromised by the failure to fund Statutory Sick Pay for every worker if they need to self-isolate. That’s why extending it so that people on temporary contracts are not left behind is so important.”
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Email Jaime“Flexible work opportunities will help speed up the recovery – and covering SSP will help REC members provide more of them. For the client business, flexibility helps them navigate through – by creating temporary work opportunities to fill fluctuating demand when permanent positions would not be possible. Temporary work also helps individuals find earning opportunities quickly and gain new skills.
“This support is needed now to get businesses and workers through the pandemic. Our six-step plan outlines exactly what needs to happen next to lay the foundations of the recovery, including incentivising job creation and retention by reviewing the tax system including IR35, reducing employers National Insurance Contributions and working with the recruitment industry to support people who have lost jobs to transition into new, growing Industries.”
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