My employer is forcing me to come in to do non-essential work. Why won't the government protect me?

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I write this out of concern that employers are going to be abusing the job retention scheme. Although I work in a non-essential business, we’ve still been made to come into work to do our jobs behind the scenes. There are never more than a few of us in the building at any time, so technically the restrictions about distancing are being followed.

However, it has come to our attention that our employer plans to claim our wages from the job retention scheme from 1 March, and say that our work has been voluntary. Furthermore, it has been heavily implied that unless we continue to work voluntarily, we won’t receive our 80 per cent wages. I’ve also heard from various friends that their employers are attempting to do something similar. Will the government be doing anything to prevent such abuse of the scheme and stop employers from forcing their employees to carry on working, despite the government’s advice for all non-essential workers to stay home?

Anonymous

Footballers in need

Having ceased following football over 30 years ago, I was rather pleased with myself to stumble across a solution to the financial crisis threatening clubs, players, and the very structure of professional football in this country.

All we have to do is contact Fifa president Sepp Blatter and respectfully request that he looks under his mattress to ascertain how much money he can spare us in our hour of need. Depending on how many mattresses he owns, he could possibly help other countries out too?

Happy days.

Robert Boston
Kingshill​, Kent

If Premier League footballers are concerned that cutting their salaries will have a negative impact on the NHS due to the drop in tax payable, I have a solution. Why don’t they simply donate the thirty per cent of their salaries direct to the NHS? This will alleviate the problem, save HMRC some trouble, and allow the players to be crisis heroes.

Matt Minshall​
Brittany, France

Here to stay

A Voices article yesterday highlights that, over its lifecycle, electric vehicles (EVs) produce on average only 30 per cent less carbon dioxide than a typical hydrocarbon-fueled car. This of course would improve as the electricity generation increasingly comes from renewable resources, but the point is taken. However, suggesting we get rid of private vehicle transport altogether is neither imaginative nor realistic. While encouraging people to cycle and walk has merit – both for personal fitness and emissions – people will always want a means of individual transport. Self-driving EVs could achieve a huge reduction in emissions if combined with the phasing out private ownership of vehicles – but EVs are here to stay.

Scott Peacock
Stavanger, Norway

Clever Starmer

The new leader of the Labour Party has certainly shown his complete grasp of the current emergency, by calling for a national vaccine programme. I bet the government is kicking itself for not thinking of that.

Michael Clarke
Portishead, North Somerset

Forgotten crises

Isn’t John Rentoul overlooking the Cuban Missile Crisis? I haven’t forgotten going to school not knowing if I or my home would be there at the end of the day.

Mike Brown
Newcastle upon Tyne