The leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats said the proposed fines for employees who do not work from home if they are “able to” should be immediately dropped.

MS for Mid and West Wales Jane Dodds voiced her concerns about the fine for employees which was announced by First Minister Mark Drakeford earlier this week during his press conference.

Ms Dodds said: “It is inaccurate to state the system of fines is the same as in the past. Regulation 18B, which covers the fines referred to was introduced in a different context and while it was voted for by the Senedd, we voted for it under very different circumstances.

“At the time all of Wales was under a stay at home mandate, while at the present time the guidance only applies to certain employers and employees.

“Concern over these fine is not down to “unhelpful reporting”, but rather a serious concern the Government is not recognising the power dynamics between workers and employers. It is not a relationship of equals and a great many people will not feel comfortable having to challenge their employer or face a fine.

“I join workers and unions across wales once again urge the Welsh Government and First Minister to drop these fines aimed at employees.”

From Monday [December 27], workers who go to work when they could work from home could be slapped with a £60 fixed penalty notice meanwhile companies could receive fines of up to £1,000 every time they break the rule.

Until the announcement by the Welsh Government, home working had only been “encouraged” under Covid guidance.

Meanwhile GMB union has also criticised the Welsh Government’s decision to fine workers who don’t work from home.

The union said it is worried that the new rule will impact the most vulnerable workers and could leave people open to exploitation from bad bosses.

Kelly Andrews, GMB senior organiser said: “We think this strikes the wrong chord.

“We have major worries that this could lead to bad employers pressuring their workers to work away from home without a paper trail and place any financial risk on them.

“Those workers are also the most vulnerable and can least afford to take the financial hit.

“But the truth is for a lot of families a £60 fine over Christmas will have a severe financial impact”. 

However the First Minister has continued to defend the new rule in the face of criticism.

A Welsh Government spokesperson told The Brecon & Radnor Express: “Home working was a legal requirement under the first set of Coronavirus restrictions regulations, as a consequence of the requirement to stay at home. There were exceptions for people to leave home to work where they could not do so from home and their place of work was not closed. This requirement to work from home remained in place after the stay at home restriction was eased.

“The obligations are on the employer and the employee. Failure to meet the obligations would be an offence in the regulations which could attract a Fixed Penalty Notice. That is not, and has never been, the first recourse for enforcement of the regulations –a proportionate response has been adopted throughout of advising and informing before enforcing.”

Wales Conservative Senedd leader Andrew RT Davies also criticised the latest restrictions to be announced and how they will impact on businesses which have struggled through the pandemic.

Mr Davies also said he was disappointed to see the Labour Government announce rules to the press before the Senedd.

He said: “It’s been once again disappointing to see the Labour Government announce another set of rules firstly to the press rather than the Senedd. The drip-drip of information over the past few days is no way to administer such significant changes to people’s lives, especially when we are talking about restrictions that nobody wanted to see return.

 “The introduction of restrictions on businesses – some of which will be losing out on custom during their busiest time of year – will be hugely damaging for firms, particularly in the sports and hospitality sectors, and it’s imperative they receive substantial financial support to survive and protect jobs.

 “At the present time, it’s clear the government’s reasoning for the return of these restrictions is due to the transmissibility of the Omicron variant and the extraordinary pressures that puts on highly valued workforces from public services such as the NHS to supply chains.

 “Given this concern, we welcome the changes to isolation rules for those deemed as close contacts which will limit damage to personal and economic wellbeing, but ministers must also urgently review the 10-day rule in light of the latest advice from the UK Health and Safety Agency.

 “Providing booster jabs to the population at great speed remains essential. Sadly, there are regional inconsistencies with some vaccination centres closed on certain days during the Christmas period, which simply doesn’t match the urgency of the situation or ministerial rhetoric.

 “In light of questioning by my colleague Russell George in the Senedd this afternoon, it’s important the First Minister and Welsh Government also publish the figures of people in Welsh hospitals with the Omicron variant.

 “This is crucial information, and this should be done on a daily basis. Full transparency when it comes to the data and advice being used to underpin such decisions is vital for understanding the situation and for public confidence, and this should be published as a matter of routine alongside announcements.

“Moving forward, we will also need to have a serious national conversation on how we learn to live with this virus and the increasing demands we, as a nation, put on our national health service.”

While Mr Drakeford apologised that a written statement was not released updating ministers beforehand, he also said that he “can’t be responsible for the way journalists breach embargo or report things”.

At the Senedd meeting on Wednesday, December 22, the First Minister said that he felt the debate around the severity of the Omicront variant of Covid-19 “missed the point” to an extent.

He said: “Can I say that I think the debate about the severity of omicron does miss the point, to an extent? The sheer numbers of people who will fall ill with the omicron variant means that even if it were to be less severe, that will not stop the huge increase in demand that there may be there from people falling ill.

“One of the deputy chief medical officers for England explained it at a COBRA meeting in this way: that if omicron was only half as severe as delta, that buys you 48 hours in terms of the impact that omicron will have on our public services.

“So, it’s a sort of secondary issue, rather than the top-line issue, which is the transmissibility of omicron, and I don’t think that the evidence as it’s being reported in some newspapers today is quite as straightforward as they are making out. I add the normal caveat here, which I know the leader of the opposition will understand, that new evidence is emerging every day.

“The evidence I have seen so far is that if you’ve had coronavirus already, then omicron may have a less severe impact on you if you are reinfected, but if you’re getting coronavirus for the first time and your first dose of it is omicron, it’s likely to be just as severe as any other earlier form of the virus.” 

Businesses in Wales impacted by the rapid spread of the Omicron virus will be eligible for emergency financial support under a new Welsh Government support package.

The Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething, has announced the details of the £120m funding which will be available for retail, hospitality, leisure and tourism business and their supply chains affected by the move to alert level two, as announced by the First Minister on Wednesday.

Under the latest package, retail, hospitality, leisure and tourism business who pay Non Domestic Rates will be entitled to a payment of £2,000, £4,000 or £6,000 depending on their rateable value. Businesses will need to re-register their details, through a quick and easy online process, with their local authority in order to receive their payments. Registration will open via local authority websites from the WC 10th of January

The Welsh Government has decided to extend this support to non-essential retail so that smaller shops, and Travel Agents will be supported and our high streets can continue to thrive. In England, support is not available to non-essential retail.