LTB 263/20 - COVID-19 RECOGNITION PAYMENT

[Murdoch]

So if you took a week off to isolate ( instead of staying in work and possibly infecting others) you wont get any bonus? Youve put youreself at risk all the other weeks and the 1 week where you normally wdnt have gone off sick has cost you? The bonus is pennies but its the principal , well see,,

yes. you get the bonus, but it will be less because of the 7 days off. more for 14 days. no bonus if you were off during the ''qualifying'' period though.

Has that been confirmed? I mean that's how it should be... but...

[daveyeff]

So if you took a week off to isolate ( instead of staying in work and possibly infecting others) you wont get any bonus? Youve put youreself at risk all the other weeks and the 1 week where you normally wdnt have gone off sick has cost you? The bonus is pennies but its the principal , well see,,

yes. you get the bonus, but it will be less because of the 7 days off. more for 14 days. no bonus if you were off during the ''qualifying'' period though.

Has that been confirmed? I mean that's how it should be... but...

well my area rep confirmed it to me. (i will take his word) but he also said the union had tried to sway them not to 'dock' people for self isolating but he reckons they wont budge on that one.

[postslippete]

But what will probably happen is that part-timers will just get it paid according to their contract, and if you have self-isolated at all, you'll probably lose all of the bonus.

Understand my position now?

I've already said if you had to self-isolate you would probably lose all of the bonus. Which we both seem to agree is unfair.

But, Royal Mail say that the bonus is to be paid on a "non-contractual" basis. They say that it's not to be paid 'pro-rata' - unlike the Xmas bonus. We,er don't want to lose Face on this Murdoch.

[postslippete]

Branches/colleagues must however remember that it was only following pressure from the union nationally that management decided to make a payment at all and therefore it is important to point out that the £200 payment is a one-off discretionary, non-contractual payment and not subject to the usual criteria in place for other lump sum payments – the most notable of which being the two Christmas lump sum payments.
n)

I think we should send Mr T up to the accounts department!!

[Chelseablue]

The qualifying period is still going on , in that we are still putting ourselves at risk now . Still near to each other sorting parcels , wearing a mask dosent make up for the fact your armpits in my face . So if you go off sick now youle get the full bonus . Some guys in work even saying non union shdt get the whole payment either , not sure about that but the Union needs to do the right thing ,

[daveyeff]

the qualifying period for the purpose of the bonus is 16th March-10th May. union rep/Dom told us over this 8 week period the bonus is £200. if you had any sick during this period you will be 'docked' (short changed is the words i would use!) an 1/8th of the bonus for a week, a quarter for 2 weeks, and so on.

[Woody Guthrie]

I would imagine that's pretty much how it will work.

[Chelseablue]

10th may ?were still putting ourselves at risk after that date . So staff isolating from the 10th will get the full bonus, but if you did the right thing for a week or 2 weeks before that youre penalised. Out of touch union once again , and ptmers shafted again also .

[SpacePhoenix]

The business isn't going to bother looking through 160,000 staff wages over the period and and working out what hours they have worked over those specific weeks

If they lose the argument over part-time holiday pay that's exactly what they'll have to do on a weekly basis.

Bearing in mind that payroll is computerised I doubt it's more than 5 minutes work and I'm pretty sure they've paid bonuses before on hours worked rather than contracted hours.

It'll be down to if PSP has been programmed to make that possible. It could potentially need some recoding to enable it to be done

[Woody Guthrie]

Worrying news.

In an April report to the government’s Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies (Sage), behavioural science experts said “rapid” research was needed on how best to get people to comply with self-isolation advice given that “only around 50%” took the precaution when they developed a cough or fever, according to Department of Health tracking in England.

Perhaps it's not so wise to be seen to encourage people to ignore government advice by offering a bonus linked to attendance during a pandemic.

[yellowbelly]

Worrying news.

In an April report to the government’s Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies (Sage), behavioural science experts said “rapid” research was needed on how best to get people to comply with self-isolation advice given that “only around 50%” took the precaution when they developed a cough or fever, according to Department of Health tracking in England.

Perhaps it's not so wise to be seen to encourage people to ignore government advice by offering a bonus linked to attendance during a pandemic.

Woody good point, however the Joint Statement announcing the 'bonus' was dated/released (15 May) after the qualifying period had
finished (16 Mar - 10 May), so anybody thinking that going in to work now with cough, cold, sickness, chickenpox etc. in order to ensure
they get/don't lose any bonus is I think, mistaken.

[Woody Guthrie]

Who's to say there won't be a second recognition payment?
It will certainly be in the minds of some staff.
That's the problem with setting precedents.

It doesn't just apply to this pandemic either, how many drag themselves in to work at Christmas coughing and spluttering because they've been told they'll lose their bonus and that's not even true.

Businesses and unions should be careful about appearing to reward attendance, most of the time it has unintended consequences.

[Bluesman]

Any news on the date of this payment?

[daveyeff]

end of June we were informed today.

[Bluesman]

Ok, thanks.