Self isolation

[Guest]

Hello, I don't know if that's the right place but only one which I found. I'll try to describe my problem the best I can but pls don't get too annoyed by my grammar because english is not my main language.

OK let's start.

I went on a holiday while ago to canary islands (they weren't on self isolation list) I came back day before that happened, and still had few days of holiday after that. Two days before my holiday ends and was ready to get back to work, my manager contacted me and informed me I can't get back to work because I need to self isolate because I've benn in spain. So I spend couple of days off work but decided to do covid test, came out negative so I thought i can get back to work but again I can't because my logistic manager sent an email to my direct leader to inform me I have to stay all 14 days on self isolation regardelss that test results. Now the fun part. That self isolation is unpaid, or I can cover it with my holiday if I want to get paid for it, but at the very beggining when covid hits and some peoples has to go for self isolation they normaly get paid for it, apparently something has changed now and company made some changes in policys and now they not paying for self isolation if that holiday have been booked after that pandemic strikes. Fun fact, company never let anyone know about these changes (if they are legit) so going on holiday I wasn't aware of the situation. I know that explonations can sound a bit chaotic

My concers about all that situation.
Can company force me to self isolate even if I don't have any gouvernement instructions to do so.
Can they decide to not pay for that even if I'm entitled to have 4weeks of paid absence (sick)
Can they just keep me off work using self isolation excuse even when I don't have to isolate because I get tested and I'm fit to work (negative test result)
Is there anything I can do in that case ? Do I have to obey that and stay at home and loose 2 weeks of pay ? And are all this company actions legit?

Thank you for any help.
Kind Regards

[ULA]

When the requirement for travellers returning from Spain to self isolate for 14 days were announced this included the Canary Islands. So yes your company can insist on you self isolating for 14 days even if you have tested negative.

Under the guidelines if you are returning from holiday and you have to self-isolate then if you cannot work from home you will not automatically be entitled to statutory sick pay. An employer can choose to pay the employee an amount equivalent to SSP, or a higher amount of pay, if they want to but this would be in line with any policy. The other option would be to offer you to take holiday if you do not want to lose pay

[des8]

... but I read OP's statement that they returned to UK the day before the quarantine order for Spain took effect [(they weren't on self isolation list) I came back day before that happened, ]
Does that really allow the employer to enforce self isolation on no pay?

[ULA]

Sorry des8 you may be right I thought there was a concern from the poster that the Canary Islands where not on the list, although not identified specifically they were included as part of Spain.

What the poster would need to do is provide evidence to the employer that they were back in the country prior to the quarantine coming into effect. If the employer still decided to ask the employee to self isolation, even though the government guidelines had not come into effect when they entered back into the UK, then since it is at their request the employer should pay the individual in my opinion.