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Support for workers during COVID-19
To help slow the spread of the coronavirus, the Government has said that all non-essential shops and community spaces must close. This has had an unprecedented impact on London’s businesses and workers.
Here’s how City Hall is helping London’s workforce (including the self-employed and freelance workers), by lobbying the Government to:
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Provide clarity over compliance with “essential travel” and “critical workers” so those who have to can travel to work safely on London’s public transport.
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Deliver a comprehensive campaign to inform workers about their employment rights and the options available to them.
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Address gaps in their support package for the self-employed including for the newly self-employed and directors of the smallest companies.
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Ensure that employers can promptly access the Job Retention Scheme to prevent redundancies and protect the incomes of their furloughed employees, and that the government publishes data on how many employers have taken up the programme.
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Ensure that the incomes of workers on zero-hours and agency contracts are also protected.
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Remedy the unfair treatment of pregnant women and new parents under Job Retention Scheme and Self-Employment schemes.
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Make non-repayable Universal Credit advance payments available from day one and suspend sanctions and conditionality for all claimants.
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Suspend NRPF (no recourse to public funds) conditions.
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Support London to put in place a plan for skills and investment to support recovery.
How has your employment situation been affected by the coronavirus crisis?
What do you think of the measures above and what else do you think City Hall, the Government, and Londoners should do?
Looking ahead, what would you like to see in place to protect London’s workforce in the future?
Tell us in the discussion below.
The discussion ran from 20 April 2020 - 20 July 2020
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Log into your accountcharlesh9
Community Member 5 years agoRe future and post lockdown and back to normal as possible: 1) testing; 2) if possible, a vaccination; 3) a plan to chose and implement beneficial new ways of living that appeared during the lock down and which would be acceptable in back...
Show full commentRe future and post lockdown and back to normal as possible: 1) testing; 2) if possible, a vaccination; 3) a plan to chose and implement beneficial new ways of living that appeared during the lock down and which would be acceptable in back to normal conditions by most people.
Show less of commentFaramir
Community Member 5 years agoWhen lockdown ends, workers (and the public) will need to feel confident before they resume previous activities, even with social distancing. I suggest many more workers than before will need some PPE, in particular goggles and gloves. ...
Show full commentWhen lockdown ends, workers (and the public) will need to feel confident before they resume previous activities, even with social distancing. I suggest many more workers than before will need some PPE, in particular goggles and gloves. Public transport should be prioritised. Companies that can use WFH should be encouraged to continue to do so, and others should be encouraged to use flexible hours. Consideration might be given to activities before or after school supervised by DBS cleared volunteers, to enable parents to work unusual hours. Shops will need to continue to manage the number of people in store at any time. Ideally, in work testing should be available (already the capacity to test for the virus has outstripped the demand for it given the relative inconvenience of getting to the testing stations). TFL and other employers will need to consider how to respond when a colleague is found to have the virus, if their contacts also need isolating or testing.
Show less of commentFdaley
Community Member 5 years agoThere should be more frequent tubes so the people who need to use them aren't squashed up
Show full commentThere should be more frequent tubes so the people who need to use them aren't squashed up
Show less of commentlauramolonlabe
Community Member 5 years agoMost tubes run as frequently as logisically possible.
Show full commentMost tubes run as frequently as logisically possible.
Show less of commentAnonymous - account deleted
Community Member 5 years agoI am a self-employed Examinations Invigilator, only needed when exams are taking place in Secondary schools, adult colleges and universities. Since all examinations have now been canceled until further notice, I have lost my means of...
Show full commentI am a self-employed Examinations Invigilator, only needed when exams are taking place in Secondary schools, adult colleges and universities. Since all examinations have now been canceled until further notice, I have lost my means of income, as I am classified as a casual worker on zero contract
Show less of commentgodatum
Community Member 5 years agoUnfortunately lots of non-essential works are travelling by tube and bus, making it impossible to observe social distancing.
Show full commentUnfortunately lots of non-essential works are travelling by tube and bus, making it impossible to observe social distancing.
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