As the wide-reaching implications of coronavirus become clearer, advice on teacher pay and absence in Scotland has been published. Here are some of the key issues addressed.
What will happen to teachers’ pay if they have to self-isolate?
The Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) - the group that negotiates teachers’ pay and conditions, made up of councils, the Scottish government and teaching unions - has agreed that coronavirus should be treated like other infectious diseases.
It says that paragraph 6.34 of the SNCT handbook should apply when a teacher is self-isolating due to potential contact or travel from affected areas.
This states: “An employee who is prevented from attending the place of employment because of contact with notifiable infectious diseases, shall advise the council immediately and shall be entitled to full pay during absence. A period of absence, in this case, should not be reckoned against his/her entitlement to sickness allowance.”
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What if I become ill?
Normal sick pay arrangements and reporting apply, says the SNCT.
What if non-teaching staff have to self-isolate?
Local authority umbrella body Cosla has issued guidance in relation to other local authority employees.
It says: “Employees who have been instructed to self-isolate by their GP or the NHS due to the possibility they may have contracted the coronavirus, but who are not currently displaying symptoms, should arrange with their manager to work from home if this is practical.
“Employees who have been instructed to self-isolate as above and who are unable to work from home will be granted paid leave under the provision within the absence arrangements in the SJC [Scottish Joint Council for Local Government Employees] Scheme of Conditions of Service (The Red Book) for the duration of the self-isolation or until they develop symptoms.”
What is likely to happen if the virus spreads?
During the swine flu pandemic in 2009, the SNCT agreed that maximum class sizes and the normal contractual hours of teachers could be “subject to temporary alteration”. Where contractual arrangements were relaxed it was agreed this would not extend beyond 10 working days - although it was acknowledged “further relaxation may be required”.
It was also agreed that teachers could be relocated to other schools if their school was closed or another school had “more pressing staffing circumstances”.
The guidance also said that councils should be “sympathetic to the pressures on staff” who may have to care for “young people, vulnerable persons and the elderly”. It said: “Councils will already have arrangements for granting leave with pay but could consider reviewing and enhancing those to reflect the exceptional circumstances.”
How likely is it that similar guidance will be issued in light of coronavirus?
It is impossible to say - that guidance could be used as a template, but teacher and headteacher organisations are cautioning against jumping the gun.
Greg Dempster, general secretary of the AHDS primary school leaders’ association, said: “Guidance will be written for the next stage as and when that becomes necessary. I would expect it to be along the lines of the swine flu pandemic guidance but it’s not worth dusting down that guidance and planning on the basis of that because it could, of course, be materially different. We just don’t know.”
Larry Flanagan, general secretary of the EIS teaching union, said: “There are so many variables - we will just have to wait and see how things develop and cope as best we can.”
