Update for Inverclyde Council Members Quarantining following a trip abroad
The council have today issued this guidance in respect of employees having to quarantine following a trip aboard.
“Council employees who have booked holidays abroad must discuss this with their line manager. If a period of quarantine is required, whether known about at the date of departure, or subsequently announced, this will be granted as unpaid leave or where appropriate annual leave or a combination of both. This approach ensures all employee groups are treated consistently and this approach has been agreed with the trade unions.”
This issue was discussed at some length with the trade unions and in particular whether home working could be an option in these circumstances. The view taken by the trade unions
collectively was that this would represent a fundamental unfairness. It would effectively mean that those employees who have the capacity to work from home would be receiving more favorable treatment than those who cannot. Another factor was that many of our members who cannot work from home tend to be in frontline lower paid jobs such as learning support/admin in schools, home care, cleaning and libraries – grades 1 ,2 & 3. Members who can work from home will usually (not exclusively) be in higher graded posts including team leader and management roles – grades 4 and above.
I hope that as trade union members, regardless of your role in the council, you will understand the reasons why we took the position we did.
Robin Taggart
Branch Secretary
Unison (Inverclyde Branch)





