Home › I have recruited a new employee but they have said they cannot start until much later due to the pandemic. Should I withdraw the offer?
Frequently asked questions for Trust staff
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Coronavirus
As a manger you should have a conversation with the newly recruited member of staff to discuss their situation. You may also be able to discuss alternative hours to allow them to start employment in the short term.
If they are still unable to start you could look at the possibility of covering the role with a redeployed member of staff from the talent pool or from a retire and return employee in the interim period.
Please think carefully before you withdraw the offer of employment as you would still have to recruit to the post and unless it is an essential post this could be at a later time.
If you’ve had a test for Covid-19, let your manager know. If you have had a positive test within the past 70 days, then you do not need to isolate again if someone in your family develops symptoms. You only need to re-isolate if you develop symptoms again yourself.
As shielded staff return to work the Trust recognises that not all will be able to return to their full substantive role without some adjustments and this may affect their pay .
The employees in alternative roles or substantive roles with adjustments that would affect their pay will continue to receive an average of their pay prior to lockdown for a period of 2 months initially. This arrangement will be reviewed by the Trust on a bi-monthly basis.
Within England, breast screening service personnel are advised to be aware of the potential for enlarged nodes following a Covid-19 vaccination. However, the advice regarding the scheduling of mammograms has not altered. There is currently no requirement for women to be advised to wait for a period of time following a Covid-19 vaccination before attending a screening appointment.
Both the MHRA and EMA (regulatory bodies who authorise medicines for use) continue to state there is no evidence of a link between administration of the vaccine and blood clots (DVT and PE) in light of several countries suspending the vaccination programme as a precaution.
In Europe, as of 10th March, 30 clots had been reported against 5 million doses of vaccines administered. This would be lower than that expected in the general population.
The MHRA states there is very reassuring evidence that there is no increase in blood clot phenomenon in the UK and reports that “Blood clots can occur naturally and are not uncommon. More than 11 million doses of the COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca have now been administered across the UK, and the number of blood clots reported after having the vaccine is not greater than the number that would have occurred naturally in the vaccinated population.”
Over the next two weeks, there is going to be less Covid-19 vaccine available than planned, and supply will mirror when second doses are due within the 12-week period, according to when first doses were administered.
What you need to know:
• If we need to rearrange your appointment we will contact you – so please do not contact the helpline to check if you need to rearrange
• If your 2nd dose appointment is rebooked, it will still take place at the place where you received your first vaccination ( particularly of relevance to those who received this vaccination elsewhere other than at SWYPFT).
• Your appointment will still take place within 12 weeks of your first appointment
We are strongly encouraging everyone who is isolating with symptoms to book a test through the national system.
The family member with symptoms should book a test where there is household isolation.
If you cannot book a test through the national system please contact the infection prevention and control team on 01226 644340.
If you receive notification of having contact with a confirmed PCR Covid-19 positive case through test and trace and are asymptomatic you will be required to undertake a PCR test and lateral flow tests if you are double vaccinated.
If you refuse to take a PCR test and wish to isolate there is a procedure that your manager will follow. If you continue to refuse a PCR test you will not be eligible for special leave and will be placed on unpaid unauthorised leave for the remainder of the period of isolation.
You must isolate for 10 days if you have symptoms and book a PCR test immediately.
If someone in your household has symptoms you must isolate for 10 days and book a PCR Test immediately. You cannot attend the workplace.
If you are contacted by Test and Trace as a close contact of a positive coronavirus case and you are asymptomatic and are fully vaccinated, you must inform your manager and must arrange to have a PCR test and undertake daily lateral flow tests. You must not attend work until you have done this. If the tests are negative you do not have to isolate.