Employee News 2020, Issue 25, Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

To support social distancing, especially for our emergency front line workers, who may currently travel to work or to a job/client in the same vehicle as others, we are suspending the conditions relating to car mileage.

This will allow employees to use their own cars (providing they have the necessary insurance to do so) for travel to jobs or clients during the course of their working hours.

Employees who do so should claim for all associated business miles.

To claim you should submit an electronic claim form (which is available on the Hub in the 'Business - Forms & Requests' – Payroll section) to your line manager for approval in the normal way.

If you don’t have access to the electronic form, please ask your line manager for a paper version and once you have completed it, return it to your line manager for approval.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the actions being implemented to manage its spread, impacts on us all, and we are particularly aware of the wellbeing of all our employees at his challenging time. 

Whether delivering frontline services or having to work from home, all employees and line managers should be in regular contact, particularly if now working remotely or if working patterns have changed.

Here are some tips for staying safe and well:

• Get timely, accurate and factual information about COVID-19 from a reliable source no more than a couple of times a day.

• Take care of your basic needs at work. Eat and drink regularly and healthily. Always take your break during shifts.
• Allow time for sleep, rest and respite between shifts.
• Try and stay as connected to your friends and family as much as possible via technology.
• In line with public health guidance and the measures that have been put in place by Government, maintain, where you can, your normal daily routine and a healthy diet, and get fresh air when you can.
• Think about creating a consistent routine to ensure you get the amount of sleep you need, but also about ensuring your bedroom is quiet, dark and a relaxing environment to sleep in.

• Speak to teammates and line managers as they may be feeling the same way. It’s good to talk. Peer and social support are often the best buffers against stress and adversity.
• Look out for each other and share small successes about what’s gone well.
• Be kind to each other. This can have a profound impact on staff wellbeing.

A range of other support measures are also in place:

We have produced a coronavirus (COVID-19) page on the Hub, which will be regularly updated as new information becomes available. The Pay and Recording Guidelines and our FAQs are also included on this page:

Coronavirus (Covid-19) Employees

Frequently Asked Questions

Here is a reminder of our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), Time for Talking, which is available to all employees and the service offers:

• A 24 hour helpline for one-to-one support/advice service which can be accessed whenever you need it
• Telephone Counselling
• Website – with a variety of tools and resources including podcasts to help employee’s self-manage life’s challenges, including information on psychological, emotional, personal and physical wellbeing
• Secure online chat application, allowing 24/7 real-time access to a counsellor

The EAP can be accessed by all East Dunbartonshire Council Employees as follows:

Tel: 0800 970 3980
Time for Talking Website [opens in a new window]
Password for live chat: TfTnow – please note the password is case sensitive.

The NHS Inform website [opens in a new window] continues to update their guidance and advice in relation to Coronavirus (COVID-19) with all the details on how to keep yourself and your family safe, including:

The latest information in relation to Council Services has been published on a dedicated Coronavirus (COVID-19) page on the Council website, which can be reached from the link on the homepage and will be updated on a regular basis