Safe Working Environment

[jaguarsuk]

Hi all

Employment Law isn’t my gig, so need some help.

Current govt guidelines state that office workers should be working from home, I have that base covered.

However I need to know what parts of employment law an employer forcing you to return to the office against these guidelines would be in breach of?

Thanks in Advance for answeres

[ULA]

Current government guidelines state that - People who can work from home should continue to do so. Employers should decide, in consultation with their workers, whether it is viable for them to continue working from home. Where it is decided that workers should come into their place of work then this will need to be reflected in the risk assessment and actions taken to manage the risks of transmission in line with the government guidelines.

So if workers are being asked to go into an office to work then it needs to be done so with both the guidelines linked to below and Health and Safety legislation in mind.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-...ontact-centres

Hope that helps but if you have any more questions please just ask.

[jaguarsuk]

Hi Ula

thanks for the response and I am aware of the govt guidelines, I was being a little bit lazy (by not researching myself) and hoping you’d point me to the legislation that covers safe working environment to allow reference to it in conjunction with the guidelines?

[ULA]

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 employers have to ensure that they create a safe working environment for their employees and that they protect their workers and others from getting hurt or ill through work. In terms of COVID-19 then the obligations that this Act sets out must be read in conjunction with government guidance and the information/guidance produced by HSE.

It would not be employment law it would be under Health and Safety legislation and would be based on an employer not providing a safe environment for workers to return back to the office.

If you need further detail then i would need some specifics.