2. Business Statement and Announcement

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:36 pm on 3 November 2020.

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Photo of Huw Irranca-Davies Huw Irranca-Davies Labour 2:36, 3 November 2020

I wonder if I can ask for one statement, Minister. I'd like to ask for a Welsh Government statement to give clarity on both the legality and the morality of employers using workers' return to work after days away from work due to isolation as an automatic trigger for disciplinary measures on sickness absence, and also employers who refuse to acknowledge a phone call from test and trace to an individual as a valid reason to isolate because there is no written trail or confirmatory e-mail or text when a phone call has been made. Even when there is a text confirming the person has been in contact with someone who's tested and needs to go into isolation, the employer refuses to accept this and demands more proof, which simply cannot be obtained. And a statement, Minister, could also clarify the clear financial and other penalties for employers—the few employers, the few poor employers—who try to bully people back into work when they should be in isolation or, indeed, are symptomatic. So, I'd welcome a statement on this, although I know Welsh Government has made this clear before.