WORKERS at a BT call centre claim the company has threatened staff who are taking time off work with coronavirus symptoms or to protect their families.

Several workers at the company’s Blackburn offices contacted the Lancashire Telegraph expressing concern over its response to the outbreak.

A customer service adviser claims staff are being told to work “regardless of our symptoms or people we live with” and feels the company has “no concerns” for his health.

Another worker, who went home ill after developing coronavirus symptoms, said: “After suffering for longer than one week with a temperature and shortness of breath I contacted 111 and Public Health England, who advised me to self-isolate until these symptoms subsided.

“Seven days later I had a call from work and was told this would now go down as sick leave and my status in the company could be jeopardised if I did not return to work.”

One worker had told managers she is self-isolating to protect vulnerable family members, and the company told her to come back to work, while another claims he was told that BT would “take action against me” if he did not return to work.

In response to the claims, a BT spokesperson said: “Our priorities are to help everyone stay connected and to keep our colleagues safe.

“We’d like to thank our amazing colleagues for their critical work at this critical time.

“Our colleagues are coming to work only if they’re healthy and able to do so.

“If not, we’re continuing to pay them, even if they need to self-isolate so they can make the right decisions for them and their families.

“Our colleagues who can do their role from home are doing so.

“We’ve increased cleaning and continue to ask our colleagues to protect themselves by strictly following personal hygiene measures.

“We have arranged for people to work at recommended safe social distances by opening up training and communal areas for working as well as providing free meals.

“We’ve increased cleaning and have arranged for people to work at recommended safe social distances by opening up training and communal areas.

“We’re constantly reviewing our approach to reflect government advice.”