Commenting on the latest Government guidance on Coronavirus, Tamzen Isacsson, MCA Chief Executive, said:
“Government needs to act decisively today to give more certainty to businesses working under unprecedented pressure. All firms large and small need to work together to protect the well-being of staff, support working from home and at the same time maintain some level of productivity needed to secure livelihoods across the nation.
“We need to pay special attention to small businesses and those in the supply chain and it’s been disappointing to hear some large firms will penalise our members if they work from home. Guidance is needed for businesses whose revenues go to zero and for those in the hospitality industry - where customers have been told to keep away for health reasons but firms have been given no guidance on paying staff. More clarity is also needed on what the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme will actually mean and how it can help with current cashflow issues. Short-term decisions are required but longer-term measures are also needed to address how we as a nation mitigate the issues.”
