Ikea cuts sick pay for unvaccinated in isolation after contact with a positive

From £452 a week to a minimum of 96 pounds: Ikea makes controversial choice to cut sick pay for those in isolation.

Ikea ‘s heavy-handed, albeit legitimate but debatable, decision to cuts sick pay for unvaccinated people in isolation after contact with a positive, according to Britain’s Mirror. The Swedish company has decided to reduce the emoluments of unvaccinated and quarantined staff to the legal minimum, but it is not official, according to the source, if this decision is “parameterized” on the UK or about to be set on the various national situations.

Ikea cuts sick pay to the legal minimum: here’s who and under what circumstances

The company has reportedly cut sick pay (SSP) to the legal minimum for unvaccinated staff who it believes have “high levels of absence“, then for those who have to go into quarantine due to close contact with a Covid case.

In short, Ikea has cut sick pay entitlement for some staff who are unfit for work if they have been forced to self-isolate after a swab.

Quarantines and £96 a week: Ikea cuts covid contact sickness benefit

Unvaccinated British citizens are required, like others countries, to be quarantined for 10 days after close contact with a positive case. However, according to reports cited by the Mirror, employees of the furniture giant will only receive £96.35 per week in Sick Pay; this is the legal minimum in such circumstances.

Comparison of weekly pay after Ikea cuts sick pay: from £452 to less than £100

To compare, the average pay of a member of staff in an Ikea shop goes up to £10.10 per hour outside London and up to £11.30 in the metropolitan area of the British capital. We are talking about £404 and £452 per week respectively. As of last August, UK citizens who have had a double dose of the vaccine no longer have to isolate themselves if they come into contact with a Covid case.