COVID-19: YOUR RIGHTS AT WORK
Public safety has been brought to the forefront of everyone’s awareness during the recent pandemic. Workplace safety is a huge part of that, and the calculations to bring people back to work, or to keep people working from home, plays heavily on the minds of a lot of businesses, balance that with the calculations of how many people to let go, and you can see there is a lot of pressure on people who work in HR and support people’s rights at work.
Aside from safety at work, a lot of people are also at risk of losing jobs as businesses of all sizes are affected by the crisis. Business in the arts, entertainment, and recreation sectors have the highest share of business closures with over 82 percent of them currently closed because of the pandemic. You are considered to be lucky if you are still employed in your job or your business is still operating amid COVID-19 risks.
If you continue to operate during this pandemic,as an employee you should be aware of your rights to protect yourself, and your staff. Employers are required to make the workplace safe.
If you are still going to the workplace
If you cannot work from home, you can check government guidelines for back to work safety. Your employer must ensure that proper safety requirements are enforced to government standards; making your workplace as secure as possible from the virus.
If you are working from home
With implemented lockdowns, your employer is still responsible for your health and safety. Your employer should consider that you have the correct equipment to do your job, that your workload is at a safe level, and that your mental health is not under unreasonable stress. Moreover, you can seek help from your employer if you have technical troubles that affect your job performance. Even if you work from home you are still entitled to your normal salary.
