Coronavirus: new UK restrictions – implications for employers

Amidst rising numbers of infections, the UK government has, today, made an announcement in relation to new Coronavirus restrictions.

Key highlights of the new restrictions

• employees who can work from home should do so;
• restaurants, bars and pubs must operate a table service only and must close at 10pm each day from 24 September 2020;
• retail and hospitality staff will be required to wear face coverings;
• retail, leisure and hospitality businesses are now legally required to ensure that their premises are COVID secure;
• conferences and sporting events will not re-open from the beginning of October, as previously planned; and
• tighter penalties will be applied, including fines of up to £10,000 for businesses which break COVID rules.

The above restrictions are anticipated to continue in place for the next 6 months.

Implications for employers

• Plans to bring employees back to the office will need to be reconsidered in light of this announcement.
• Employers operating in the leisure and hospitality sector will need to be mindful of the need to make changes to working hours and shift patterns.
• These restrictions, combined with the cessation of the furlough scheme at the end of October 2020, may mean that employers will need to consider whether redundancies are necessary.

BCLP has assembled a COVID-19 Employment & Labor taskforce to assist clients with employment law issues across various jurisdictions. You can contact the taskforce at: COVID-19HRLabour&EmploymentIssues@bclplaw.com