Wilko has issued an apology on their Covid policy after it was revealed that thousands of workers had been told to attend work, even if they had tested positive for the virus.
The high-street retailer has revised their policy and admitted that they "got it wrong" after a memo was sent to staff and warehouse employees regarding their Covid guidance.
In the memo, more than 20,000 staff and warehouse employees were told that they could still come into work if they caught the virus but presented no symptoms.
The memo read: "If you test positive for Covid-19 and feel well you can continue to come to work., if you feel too unwell to work, you should follow the absence policy."
Wilko's policy was due to come into effect in Scottish stores and warehouses from Monday, March 21, but has since been revised following concerns from the public and staff members.
Chief Executive, Jerome Saint-Marc, issued the apology and clarified that employees who test positive should "still stay home and avoid contact with others."
Mr Saint Marc went on to say: "When we get something wrong, we hold our hands up admit it, and work to correct the situation. Today’s news has highlighted some miscommunication within our Covid-19 policies, and I wanted to reassure all our customers and team members that."
The apology comes after a Mirror investigation found that employees were still being told to come into work, despite the number of Covid cases rising.
The policy meant that if they called in sick to avoid spreading the virus to staff and customers, they would not get paid.
Wilko's policy was shared online by the parent of a staff member after they returned home with the memo.
Clara Phillips, whose daughter works at the retailer, said: "We have clinically vulnerable family members in our household, as do many of her coworkers," she told The Mirror.
"We are utterly dismayed by this callous interpretation of the current guidelines."
People in England are no longer legally required to self-isolate after testing positive for Covid-19, under government guidance that came into force in England on February 22.
That means you can technically go to work even if you have the virus.
However, guidance is in place until April 1 for people to isolate for five full days.
"We have CEV members in our household and this lax attitude to health is deeply troubling," Ms Phipps said.
The guidance remains that if you are able to work from home you should do so to avoid spreading the virus to others.
If you are not able to work from home but feel well enough to work, you should speak to your employer.
One anonymous employee at a Wilko UK warehouse told The Mirror staff were informed of the new policy last month.
"In a briefing, team members were told if they have Covid-19 and are well enough, they can still come to work, but if they have Covid-19 and don't come in, it will be regarded as a regular absence.
"How it works now and whether you get paid for the absence is at the manager's discretion," she said.
Mrs King, whose name has been changed to protect her anonymity, said the company's Covid absence policy states you'll only get full sick pay for your first sickness.
"Staff are entitled to one Covid related sickness on company sick pay, after that it's SSP," one worker told us.
Another said: "So if you have time off with an injury for instance, and then get Covid-19, you won't get paid the second occasion, it's basically them telling you, you won't get paid even if you have Covid-19," she said.
Mrs King said staff, many of whom are on just above the minimum wage and facing a cost of living crisis, are worried that if they take a day off, they will lose a vital days' pay.
"Employees are now coming to work with the virus, because if it's their second occasion they won't get paid."
She said hundreds of staff have already left the business since it announced a sick pay policy shake-up earlier in the pandemic.
A Mirror investigation as Covid numbers surged in 2020 exposed the chain's plans to withdraw sick pay for all 21,000 workers after their second absence.
The rules meant if a worker is ill more than once in a year, they won't be paid for it beyond the statutory minimum.
While the chain later put the sick pay reforms on hold, it pushed them through in August last year.
Until then, Wilko employees were entitled to up to four sickness days on company pay before reverting to the first three days of sick leave unpaid.
But under new rules, if a Wilko employee has a single day of sickness they will have no further entitlement to company sick pay for the next 12 months.
"The amount of good people who have left is scary, everyone is looking for work elsewhere," she said.
The new policy came just two months after Wilko announced plans to close 15 stores, resulting in the loss of around 67 jobs.
The home retailer opened up negotiations with landlords and in January confirmed that stores with 'non-favourable terms' would close this year as a part of the chain's "long-term growth strategy."
Jerome Saint-Marc, Wilko chief executive, said: “Our history is steeped in serving our customers and communities going back to 1930 but there’s no denying the way people shop with us and where they want to shop with us is changing."
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