The government published a defined a list of work sectors, professions and specific roles which are classed as ‘Critical Workers’ who shall be allowed to continue to travel to work during the national lockdown, and whose children will be eligible to continue to attend school. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision

Further, published on 10 January 2021, the government announced that Critical Workers shall be eligible for free weekly asymptomatic COVID-19 testing. Employers are asked to encourage their staff who cannot work from home to get tested weekly at community sites organised by local councils. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/asymptomatic-testing-to-be-rolled-out-across-the-country-starting-this-week

The current national lockdown in England which began on 5 January 2021 reinforced the requirement for ‘Clinically Extremely Vulnerable’ people to shield and therefore not to attend the workplace. If such employees are not able to work from home, the current guidance confirms that employers can choose to furlough such employees under the Job Retention Scheme. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-you-could-be-covered-by-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme

Following the expiry of the transition period on 31 December 2020, the transitional period now running requires EU nationals currently working and living in the UK to secure Settled Status before the deadline of 30 June 2021 if they wish to remain in the UK. Whilst the responsibility to apply lies with the individual, it would be prudent of employers to encourage and remind their workforce to make their applications to the EU Settlement Scheme as soon as possible. The government has published an Employer Toolkit which includes information leaflets that can be distributed to staff to inform them of the required steps to take to complete their applications. https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/eu-settlement-scheme-employer-toolkit