Chambers back plan for 'pandemic leave'

Businesses are backing the Labour Minister’s plan for tackling the coronavirus crisis.

On Sunday night the Joint Chambers issued a statement saying they “fully support” the measures proposed by  Jennifer Baptiste-Primus at her press conference on Sunday morning.

They commended her and the Government for “taking proactive steps to address this unprecedented threat to the people of TT.”

The groups who issued the release are the TT Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Amcham, the Energy Chamber and the TT Manufacturers’ Association.

The group backed  Baptiste-Primus’s call for employers to put in place measures to encourage working from home “wherever possible.”

They also said they supported the call for “all employers to be compassionate” and as “far as reasonably possible” to grant leave to staff with unexpected childcare obligations.

This is in the light of the government ordering schools closed for the coming week in the first instance.

In addition, this should leave should be available to “any employee who needs to be self-isolated” because he or she may have contracted covid19.

The chambers supported the plan even though they also warned that the measures “will inevitably have significant effects on the economy and on private-sector companies, at a time when intense forex shortages and crippling low commodity prices already have the economy under significant strain.”

They said urgent steps would have to be taken to help businesses. Many companies, in particular small businesses, the release said, “will find it very difficult to meet payroll costs in a time when their revenue will be under unprecedented pressure.”

The chambers added that to implement the proposals, the “specific form of leave will need to be discussed by employers and employees and in some cases their representatives,” and would need to take into account the circumstances of each company and each case.

The release said, “Many of our member companies have already instituted home working policies and other measures to promote social distancing and intensified hygiene controls in the workplace.”

The group also urged everyone to take these measures seriously, saying, ”Lives depend on it.”

The release said the chambers had noted the guidelines the minister had proposed and “look forward to discussing the details…with the Government and trade union representatives at the National Tripartite Advisory Council in the coming days.”