Citation and commencement

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Statutory Sick Pay (General) (Coronavirus Amendment) Regulations 2020 and come into force on 13th March 2020.

Amendment of the Statutory Sick Pay (General) Regulations 1982

2.-(1) The Statutory Sick Pay (General) Regulations 1982(3) are amended as follows.

(2) In regulation 2 (persons deemed incapable of work)-

(a)in paragraph (1), in the introductory words, omit "either";

(b)at the end of paragraph (1)(a), omit "or";

(c)after paragraph (1)(b), insert-

"; or

(c)he is-

(i)isolating himself from other people in such a manner as to prevent infection or contamination with coronavirus disease, in accordance with guidance published by Public Health England, NHS National Services Scotland(4) or Public Health Wales(5) and effective on 12th March 2020; and

(ii)by reason of that isolation is unable to work."

(3) After paragraph (3) insert-

"(4) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(c)-

"Public Health England" means the executive agency of that name of the Department of Health and Social Care; and

"coronavirus disease" means COVID-19."

Expiry

3.-(1) The Secretary of State must keep the operation of these Regulations under review.

(2) These Regulations cease to have effect at the end of the period of eight months beginning on the day on which they come into force.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Statutory Sick Pay (General) Regulations 1982 ("the 1982 Regulations").

Regulation 2(1) of the 1982 Regulations provides for categories of people to be treated as incapable of work for the purposes of claiming statutory sick pay. These Regulations amend regulation 2(1) to provide that a person who is isolating himself from others in accordance with advice on coronavirus disease is deemed to be incapable of work. That guidance is published in digital form and hard copies can be provided on request by writing to Legislation Team, Department for Work and Pensions, Caxton House, Tothill St, Westminster, London SW1H 9NA.

There is a requirement for the Secretary of State to keep the Regulations under review, and they will cease to have effect eight months after they come into force.

No regulatory impact assessment has been produced for these Regulations in view of the urgency required to extend statutory sick pay to the new category of employees, in order to encourage self-isolation and to minimise the risks to public health arising from coronavirus disease.