Broker Adviser - MARCH 2020 - Coronavirus Advice and Contingency Planning

Sep 22, 2026

Upload by Finn

Coronavirus advice and contingency planning guidance for employers, covering what COVID-19 is, typical symptoms after exposure, and practical prevention steps such as hand hygiene, sanitiser use, cough covering, and cleaning high-touch surfaces. It outlines measures to protect staff and visitors through ongoing communications, office hygiene, and home-working readiness, plus travel and business-continuity review. It also addresses employee sickness, self-isolation guidance by risk areas, and sick pay administration including SSP and ACAS best practice, with references and contact details.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLetters

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time1 min

AccessFree to download

What is Coronavirus?

Symptoms of the Virus

Prevention Techniques

Protecting your Staff and Visitors

Employees and Sickness

Sick Pay

What should I do if someone refuses to work?

Additional Resources for Firms

Broker Adviser Marsh Networks Business Services MARCH 2020 Coronavirus Advice and Contingency Planning What is Coronavirus? Coronavirus is a type of virus, which forms part of a group that is common across the world. This particular strain, COVID-19, is new and originates from the city of Wuhan, China. Symptoms of the Virus Symptoms of the virus generally develop within 14 days after exposure to an individual with COVID-19 . The symptoms are: • Cough. • High temperature. • Shortness of breath. Prevention Techniques In accordance with government and medical advice, you are urged to follow the following prevention techniques: • Wash your hands often, using soap and for at least 20 seconds. • Use hand sanitiser, with at least 60% alcohol. • Remember to cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, before disposing of it correctly. • Regularly clean and disinfect areas and work surfaces. • Avoid touching or rubbing your eyes. Protecting your Staff and Visitors As an employer, you have an obligation to keep your staff and visitors safe, therefore keeping up-to-date with current government and medical advice is important. The current advice is not to panic, however you should consider implementing the following measures: • Provide regular updates on the virus using the communication channels available to you, such as email, notice boards, intranet, and posters. • Provide handwashing facilities and alcohol based sanitisers. • Consider your current office cleaning regimes, as the virus is believed to live on hard surfaces for up to eight hours. • As part of your business contingency planning consider provisions for home working. Can your staff remotely access servers? Can a meeting be held as a conference call rather than face-to-face? • Review travel arrangements in line with current government recommendations. • If you have staff who work overseas, consider whether they have access to healthcare, should it be required. Also consider the following general business advice: • Ensure that your team’s emergency contacts are up-to-date. • Regularly review your business continuity plan to take into account updated government and medical advice. • Remind your management team about company policies including absence management and welfare. Employees and Sickness At present, the government advice is not to avoid a place of work. The government has released online information on the countries and areas that are considered to be high risk. Employees who have returned from a category 1 country within 14 days, and display symptoms of the virus, should self-isolate and use the 111 online coronavirus service to find out what to do next. Employees who have returned from a category 2 country within 14 days and show signs of developing the virus should also selfisolate as above. Sick Pay UK Health Secretary, Matt Hancock advised that employees are entitled to sick leave and not pay, in line with your legal obligations, however you should continue to follow the guidelines for administering Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) . The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) has outlined their “best practice” approach – which is if you send an employee home, following relevant government guidance, you should pay the employee sick leave from the start of their absence. If you send an employee home, who is not showing signs of the virus, you are not following government guidelines and should follow the usual sick pay arrangements. As a general rule, if an employee has been diagnosed with the virus you should follow the government guideline ruling and administer sick pay from day one of their illness. What should I do if someone refuses to work? Of course, the spread of COVID-19 is a legitimate concern. Asan employer you should listen to your employees’ concerns and offer reassurance where necessary. As best practice you should consider temporary flexible working arrangements, h

FAQs

What are the key COVID-19 symptoms described in the document?

Symptoms generally develop within 14 days after exposure and include cough, high temperature, and shortness of breath.

What prevention techniques does the document recommend?

It recommends washing hands frequently for at least 20 seconds, using hand sanitiser with at least 60% alcohol, covering coughs and sneezes, cleaning and disinfecting work surfaces, and avoiding touching or rubbing eyes.

How should sick pay be handled according to the document?

It notes UK guidance that employees are entitled to sick leave and sick pay in line with legal obligations, continuing to administer Statutory Sick Pay (SSP). It also references ACAS best practice, including paying sick leave from the start of absence if the employee is sent home following government guidance.

Sep 22, 2026

Upload by Finn