Working from Home Coronavirus UK - request letter examples

Updated : 10/04/2023

While the world is facing an emergency with the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) it is important to remain calm, maintain good hygiene habits, and (in case you need it) know how to request a work from home letter or a sick leave letter if you are unable to continue your duties.

Table of contents

Introduction

It’s a good idea for everyone to understand how to handle workplace absence in regards to Coronavirus (COVID-19). As part of the global effort, it’s suggested that a sick employee or one with a sick family member, temporarily quarantines and works from home.

1. Request letter to work from home

Try talking with your superior and supervisors about the contingency plans the company has to combat this virus if an outbreak occurs in your work community. Start a conversation with your boss on whether you have the opportunity to work from home. Make sure you let your supervisor know how you feel towards this situation. You can also write a formal letter requesting to work from home. Feel free to use our sample letter below as a guide in creating your letters, and be sure to customise your letter with a cover letter builder:

2. Work from home letter sample – Sick leave

If you are experiencing any symptoms such as fever, coughing, sneezing, you can help your community and coworkers by staying at home as much as possible. This doesn’t mean you have Coronavirus, but as mentioned in the previous point, staying away from crowds and work spaces will help prevent others getting sick.

Ms. Diane Rabinowitz Director Human Resources Zeppelin Communications LTD. 227 First Street, Suite 222 Cleveland, OH 42367 Dear Ms. Rabinowitz, As per our conversation this morning, I am submitting this letter to request sick leave. I have already covered the details of this matter with you and my department manager and supervisors and with this letter I hope now we can get this matter processed quickly. My primary doctor and medical team are advising me to stay at home as much as possible due to the recent events regarding the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). My doctor has told me that the CDC and the WHO are recommending sick people to be at least twelve (12) days in self quarantine to prevent others from getting sick and to monitor the flu to make sure symptoms don’t get worse. I have attached the necessary doctor’s notices and medical reports that human resources needs, if you need any other verification or information about my sick leave, please let me know soon so I can provide the info requested. I hope to hear from my department that everything has been approved. While I do expect to be back at work twelve days after the preventive quarantine, if symptoms worsen and more time is needed, I will contact both human resources and my department managers immediately. My overall desire is to minimize disruption as much as possible. I do know this is fairly quick notice, but I hope you understand the global effort we are making to prevent others from getting sick. I appreciate everyone’s prompt attention to this matter. Respectfully, Leonard G Barnard

3. Work from home letter sample – Family emergency

What if you are feeling well, but someone in your household (your children, your partner, etc.) is sick or having symptoms that match those of the common flu or the Coronavirus (COVID-19), could you request a family emergency sick leave? Yes. Even though flu symptoms in another family member are not a reason to take an emergency family leave, due to the spreadability of this pandemic disease we should not take it lightly if someone near us does have symptoms. You should consider quarantine. Here’s an example of a family emergency leave letter adapted to our current emergency:

Ms. Diane Rabinowitz Director Human Resources Zeppelin Communications LTD. 227 First Street, Suite 222 Cleveland, OH 42367 Dear Ms. Rabinowitz, As per our conversation this morning, I am submitting this letter to request sick leave to attend to an immediate family emergency. I have already covered the details of this matter with you and my department manager and supervisors and with this letter I hope now we can get this matter processed quickly. As you know, I have a 15 year-old son, Jeremy, who is having common flu symptoms. His primary doctor and medical team are advising him and the whole family to stay at home as much as possible due to the recent events regarding the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The doctor suggested that we quarantine to prevent others from getting sick and to monitor the flu to make sure symptoms don’t get worse. I have attached the relevant doctor’s notices and medical reports– if you need any other verification or information about my sick leave, please let me know soon so I can provide the info requested. While I do expect to be back at work twelve days after the preventive quarantine, if I develop symptoms or his condition worsens and more time is needed, I will contact both human resources and my department managers immediately. My overall desire is to minimize disruption as much as possible. I do know this is fairly quick notice, but I hope you understand the global effort we are making to prevent others from getting sick. I appreciate everyone’s prompt attention to this matter. Respectfully, Leonard G Barnard

4. What are the symptoms of Coronavirus (COVID-19)?

First things first, let’s learn a little about the symptoms of Coronavirus (COVID-19) so you can make a better decision on whether you need a “request letter to work from home” or a “sick leave letter”. I you think you or anyone in your household might have the virus, these are the symptoms to look out for:

Respiratory symptoms
Fever and tiredness
Cough
Muscle pain
Breathing difficulties
Shortness of breath

In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death. Since the symptoms of this virus are similar to the common cold some coronavirus survivors might not have been tested and their cases may have gone unreported. Without a proper test you cannot know if you have Coronavirus (COVID-19) or the common flu. That’s why you might want to consider working from home to prevent yourself from getting infected.

5. Frequently asked questions and answers of Coronavirus

Q: Why does everyone keep asking me to “wash my hands”?

A: Washing your hands is the most effective way of staying healthy and preventing transmission. Try to wash your hands after coughing or sneezing, before meal preparations, after using restrooms and when you get home from work for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice. If you are not able to access water and soap the CDC is recommending you keep handy a travel size hand sanitizer. Make sure it has at least 60% alcohol. Sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of germs on hands in many situations, however, they do not get rid of all types of germs, may not be as effective when hands are visibly dirty or greasy and might not remove harmful chemicals from hands like pesticides and heavy metals.

Q: What is a novel Coronavirus?

A: A novel Coronavirus is a new coronavirus that has not been previously identified. On February 11, 2020 the World Health Organization announced an official name for the disease that is causing the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak, first identified in Wuhan China. The new name of this disease is coronavirus disease 2019, abbreviated as COVID-19. In COVID-19, ‘CO’ stands for ‘corona,’ ‘VI’ for ‘virus,’ and ‘D’ for disease. Formerly, this disease was referred to as “2019 novel coronavirus” or “2019-nCoV”.

Q: Do I have to wear a surgical mask?

A: If you are feeling coronavirus symptoms or common cold symptoms, you should consider wearing a mask. You can keep surgical masks at home ready if you are feeling unwell or if there’s someone sick that might need it. Disposable face masks should only be used once.

Q: Why do I have to “stock up”?

A: It is important to have basic hygiene products at home and at work. If a coronavirus outbreak occurs in your community you won’t have to leave your home and will be able to avoid large crowds and public spaces. Here’s an example or short list of products you could need: