Lisa Nandy calls for emergency change to sick pay laws amid UK coronavirus outbreak

Labour List reported that the party leadership hopeful has joined other Labour figures and trade unionists in calling for a change to the law, which would improve matters for more than two million low-paid workers who do not receive paid sick leave from day one.

Currently, statutory sick pay is only activated after four days, leaving poorly people who are on low incomes facing a financial struggle.

Ns Nandy said: “The threat of coronavirus is concerning enough without worrying it will leave you without money for rent and food.

“Workers on insecure contracts, those with unscrupulous employers or the bogus self-employed in the gig economy are being left to fend for themselves and make unnecessarily difficult choices. Self-isolation for some means no sick pay.

“This is a global health crisis and we need to do everything we can to make sure it’s not also a personal and financial tragedy for families in the UK. People must stay at home when they need to.

“Employers need to wake up to their wider responsibilities and the consequences for everyone if ill people are attending work when they should be at home.”

She added: “The government needs to pass emergency legislation to guarantee people the rights they deserve such as statutory sick pay from day one for all workers regardless of income.

“They should also bring together employers, trade unions and public health bodies to and ensure that all workers at risk will self-isolate and not spread coronavirus to either colleagues or customers.

“Bosses should not put their profit margins ahead of public health and people need to be able to follow medical advice. The government must step in and do what it takes to help stop coronavirus spreading at work and beyond.”

One of the country's largest unions, GMB, has also demanded that NHS Trusts ensure that outsourced staff are given sick pay in suspected cases of COVID-19.

The majority of private companies providing NHS services do not offer pay sick pay for the first three days.

This means hospital cleaners, porters, security and catering feel forced to come in even when ill.

Lola McEvoy, GMB organiser, said: "Cleaners, porters and catering staff are putting their own health at risk to help contain coronavirus despite the fact that they don’t get paid if they go off sick.

“People are being left with an awful choice come into work when sick or lose their pay. It means workers are constantly coming into hospitals when ill.

“That’s a terrible risk to patient safety at the best of times – but in the face of the COVID-19 outbreak, it becomes a national crisis.

“NHS trusts must guarantee all staff – where outsourced or not – are given full sick pay in suspected coronavirus cases, like NHS staff.

“Outsourcing of public sector jobs lies at the heart of all these problems, and if the Government truly cares about the our nation’s health must reverse its failed policy of outsourcing to the private sector - and bring public sector contracts back in house.”