How bad employers could spread coronavirus further

The two-tier labour market may force workers into a terrible dilemma, writes James Moore

NHS staff should be able to self-isolate. But what about contractors? (Getty)

Fresh evidence of the problem created by Britain’s – and for that matter the world’s – two-tier workforce emerged this week. Twitter told employees to work from home. Potentially exposed to the coronavirus? Need to self-isolate? No problem.

Greggs is in a rather different position. The much loved British bakery chain – at first for its sausage rolls but now just as much for its vegan offering – has a lot of bricks and mortar retail outlets that obviously require staff to be on site.

But chief executive Roger Whiteside nonetheless said his firm would pay those who have to self-isolate, in stark contrast to some other firms, which have defaulted to the miserable statutory sick pay minimum of £94.25 a week that’s available only after day four. In cases where staff qualify for it. Many part-timers don’t work sufficient hours or earn enough to do that.