March 2020

Your employees as 'key workers'

You will have seen the announcement on ‘key workers’ and that parents with certain jobs can continue to send their children to school. Given the critical nature of packaging provision for supply chains, we have been trying to identify whether your employees would be included.

We have now had confirmation from Government that for some of your employees, if you judge their role to be critical to production and business continuity, and if there is absolutely no other childcare provision available, then YES they are considered key workers and can send children to school.

NOTE that this is not a blanket provision, but rather a provision to be used in extremis. The Government advice states clearly that these provisions are only to be used if other childcare arrangements cannot be used. It also requires that “If workers think they fall within the critical categories above they should confirm with their employer that, based on their business continuity arrangements, their specific role is necessary for the continuation of this essential public service.”

For full details on Government advice, please click here. 

If your school is closed then please contact your local authority, who will seek to redirect you to a local school in your area that your child, or children, can attend. You can find your local council by clicking here.