A MANCHESTER nursery was today slammed for telling workers not to call in sick amid the coronavirus crisis.
Staff at Nina's Nursery Offerton received a terse message telling them the pandemic was not a chance to "take a week off work just because".
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The Whatsapp message added: "I do not dispute that from time to time we may be feeling unwell however, this morning we have had 2 staff phone in sick already!
"If our nursery is unable to function due to staff calling in with coronavirus symptoms, Nina will have to make the decision to close.
"That means that nobody will be entitled to any kind of sick pay. This is an extremely serious matter!
"Anyone who I have reason to believe is not being genuine will face disciplinary action."
Current coronavirus advice from the UK government warns Brits to stay at home if you have coronavirus symptoms.
One employee said they had been shocked to receive the message.
They told The Sun Online: "I'm really annoyed about it.
"We're a pretty busy nursery and not really got many people calling in sick.
"I'm worried in case it backfires."
She said at least one of the sick employees had a cough and a fever – two symptoms of coronavirus.
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And the employee claimed nursery staff had been given a similar message a few months ago, with an illness spreading between employees.
She added: "It's not very supportive."
A spokesperson for the nursery said: "All staff have been encouraged to follow the strict government guidelines when it comes to any symptoms of the virus.
"We are taking this extremely serious in order to protect our children."
WILL IT WORK OUT Your rights to sick pay if you have to self-isolate due to coronavirus
If you think you may have come into contact with someone who's been infected by the virus then you should tell your employer straight away.
You will also need to tell them if you have travelled to the UK from Italy, Iran, Hubei province of China, Italy, or the Daegu, Cheongdo or Gyeongsan zones of South Korea.
It's also worth mentioning if you've been to Spanish cities such as Madrid and La Rioja or the municipalities of La Bastida, Vitoria and Miranda de Ebro, after the UK government warned against travelling there last week.
Boris Johnson says Brits who qualify for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) and who self-isolate over coronavirus fears will get sick pay from day one rather than the usual day four.
During the Budget, chancellor Rishi Sunak also said employees will no longer have to provide a sick note if they're off work due to coronavirus.
Instead, the government and NHS say workers will be able to use the 111 call service to get a notification that can be used as evidence of being unfit to work.
This will come into effect in the coming weeks.
Your employer can choose to pay you your full salary while you're off sick but the statutory minimum entitlement is currently £94.25 per week.
People who are not entitled to sick leave include members of the armed forces, those who have received Employment and Support Allowance in the past three months, people in prison or those who have already received SSP for 28 weeks.
Meanwhile, businesses with fewer than 250 employees will also be able to claim back the cost of providing statutory sick pay due to staff being affected by coronavirus from the government.
The costs will be met by the government in full for up to 14 days per employee.
Many offices are operating with skeleton staff numbers, while the rest of the employees work remotely.
Stations have been left empty, with commuter hotspots Cambridge and London Euston, much quieter than usual on a Monday morning.
It comes after Britain’s death toll leapt from 21 to 35 – including Nick Matthews, 59, the youngest UK victim.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock confirmed the elderly will be told to stay indoors for four months as cases climb and spreads throughout the country.
Ministers also warned they could be forced to ration products such as toilet roll and beans, if panic buying continues.
Thousands of Brits are likely to work from home for the foreseeable future as Britain joins the countries all over the world reducing daily activities.
The empty streets are set to be a common sight while the chaos continues and the country tries to get a grip on the killer virus.
The Prime Minister has bee urged to close schools and ban mass gatherings – after the London Marathon was postponed and the country moved into the "delay" phase.
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