BOSSES have been urged to allow parents struggling to cope with childcare in the new lockdown to be furloughed.
Nicola Sturgeon yesterday revealed a major tightening up of Covid restrictions in Scotland, including the introduction of a new legally enforceable stay-at-home-order. She also delayed plans to re-open schools until February 1 at the earliest. Instead, primary and secondary pupils will move to remote learning from next week.
It’s not widely known, but under the rules of the Treasury’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, first introduced nine months ago, firms can use government cash to pay employees who have increased caring responsibilities because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) said their research showed that in March, when schools were closed during the first lockdown, one in six mothers reduced their working hours due to school and nursery closures.
It said single parents were also more likely to be affected.
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TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “With many schools closed, many families will be frantically trying to find a way to balance their work and childcare commitments. Without further action, many will have no choice but to cut their hours or take unpaid leave from work. This will lead to further hardship and will hit mums and single parents hardest. Employers must do the right thing and furlough mums and dads who can’t work because of childcare responsibilities.”
SNP MSP Gillian Martin has written to John Swinney to make sure parents are aware of the options. She said: “While restrictions are absolutely necessary in order to reduce the spread of coronavirus, employers also need to be realistic about the strain staff are going to face as they look after children, support their distanced learning and work in a full-time role.”
The First Minister said the government would discuss with organisations the expectation on firms “to do everything that they can to support workers who have childcare responsibilities”.
She added: “I know that businesses have already worked hard to do those things.
“Again, we are at a stage when we need a massive national collective endeavour to overcome the severe challenge that we face, and I know and expect that businesses will play their full part in that.”
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