[Misc] Hazard Pay ( and not Eden !!!! )

Westdene Seagull · Mar 30, 2020

I need to pay some of my team hazard pay - those that have no choice but to come into contact with customers in the current situation. I've no idea what a good rate is and how's best to pay it so want to open it up to the great and good of NSC. Who has experience of this and how is it approached at your company ?

Is it paid as a bulk sum at the end of each month - such as a 10% hazard bonus ? Or as an extra amount per hour like the American supermarkets are doing ? Or as a 'per incident' payment of say £200 per contact ?

Some background, my team consist of Data Centre engineers who have to escort customers to their racks and in some instances help them rack and configure kit. There are also some fibre engineers who have to install fibre to customer ( business only ) premises.

Any advice appreciated.

Springal · Mar 30, 2020

Most data centres are severely restricting customers access are they not?

And why do they need escorting, never used to be the case in many data centres I worked with 5-10 years ago. Can the key card not be used to restrict access to doors only needed to get where they are going.

Also offering ‘hazard’ money for something health related sounds like asking for trouble.

father_and_son · Mar 30, 2020

FWIW, if your staff are reasonably secure job-wise and will be paid if they are off sick then I'm not sure what the hazard is. They are the lucky ones and don't need more incentive IMHO.

If however, they are at risk of losing out if they are ill or have time off then yes, i'd say they should get a discretionary bonus at the end of each month. Personally I wouldn't even go near calling it hazard pay or anything like that, stick with discretionary payment or discretionary bonus.

middletoenail · Mar 30, 2020

Are they essential staff, can't it be done remotely?

Westdene Seagull · Mar 30, 2020

Springal said:
Most data centres are severely restricting customers access are they not?

And why do they need escorting, never used to be the case in many data centres I worked with 5-10 years ago. Can the key card not be used to restrict access to doors only needed to get where they are going.

Also offering ‘hazard’ money for something health related sounds like asking for trouble.

Yes. our DCs are now locked down but we have blue light customers as well as customers such as supermarkets. Staff from the customers still need signing in and out and if they are co-lo then they need our engineers in attendance.

Not sure why offering extra money is asking for trouble - IMHO is shows we, as a company, appreciate the work they do .... even under these type of circumstances. You'll also be surprised at how rude some customers have been since we locked down.

father_and_son said:
FWIW, if your staff are reasonably secure job-wise and will be paid if they are off sick then I'm not sure what the hazard is. They are the lucky ones and don't need more incentive IMHO.

If however, they are at risk of losing out if they are ill or have time off then yes, i'd say they should get a discretionary bonus at the end of each month. Personally I wouldn't even go near calling it hazard pay or anything like that, stick with discretionary payment or discretionary bonus.

They are at no risk of losing their jobs. They need to meet customers and also work with other colleagues who are present ( obviously using the distancing rules ). Nowt to do with risk of losing their jobs and everything to do with showing they are appreciated. Openeach are paying hazard money.

middletoenail said:
Are they essential staff, can't it be done remotely?

Yes, no.

beorhthelm · Mar 30, 2020

middletoenail said:
Are they essential staff, can't it be done remotely?

sounds easy with good planning, use these to escort vistors. :moo:

Springal · Mar 30, 2020

Well by calling it hazard pay could be problematic. You can bet lawyers will get hold of this in the future as new PPI

Just give them a bonus

middletoenail · Mar 30, 2020

Westdene Seagull said:
Yes. our DCs are now locked down but we have blue light customers as well as customers such as supermarkets. Staff from the customers still need signing in and out and if they are co-lo then they need our engineers in attendance.

Not sure why offering extra money is asking for trouble - IMHO is shows we, as a company, appreciate the work they do .... even under these type of circumstances. You'll also be surprised at how rude some customers have been since we locked down.

They are at no risk of losing their jobs. They need to meet customers and also work with other colleagues who are present ( obviously using the distancing rules ). Nowt to do with risk of losing their jobs and everything to do with showing they are appreciated. Openeach are paying hazard money.

Yes, no.

I think they're trying it on with you, to be honest. Fair enough if they need protective equipment, but what good is extra money against a virus?

Westdene Seagull · Mar 30, 2020

middletoenail said:
I think they're trying it on with you, to be honest. Fair enough if they need protective equipment, but what good is extra money against a virus?

They're not trying it on as this is an offer senior management want to make - the engineers haven't asked for it nor do they know it's being discussed. Obviously money doesn't protect anyone from the virus but they are keeping the business running so it seems fair to reward them ( although judging by the answers on this thread maybe not ).Oh - and they have PPE.

middletoenail · Mar 30, 2020

Westdene Seagull said:
They're not trying it on as this is an offer senior management want to make - the engineers haven't asked for it nor do they know it's being discussed. Obviously money doesn't protect anyone from the virus but they are keeping the business running so it seems fair to reward them ( although judging by the answers on this thread maybe not ).Oh - and they have PPE.

Fair enough, that sounds like a really decent thing that you're doing and I applaud you.

That said, I would imagine that they're fairly relieved to be fortunate enough to be in a position that they are not being made redundant or on reduced hours. I'd suggest to give them a decent year end bonus to keep it simple.

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[Misc] Hazard Pay ( and not Eden !!!! )

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Westdene Seagull

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