By Alan Jones, PA

MORE than 1,000 people have contacted a committee of MPs raising concerns about being told to continue going to work despite the plea to stay at home.

Office and call centre workers, TV engineers and estate agents are among those replying to an appeal for information by the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy committee (BEIS).

Concerns include not being offered enough support at work, or why some have been told they are essential workers.

Rachel Reeves, who chairs the committee said: "Following my public appeal for workers to come forward with their concerns about working during the coronavirus pandemic, we’ve received over 1,000 emails and tweets in recent days of people highlighting their often distressing personal stories about being forced into work or lacking protection in their workplace.

"From the evidence we’ve received it’s clear that many businesses are still not doing the right thing. This must change now. This is a health emergency - it cannot be business as usual.

"Workplaces, even those deemed essential, should be doing all they can to ensure that their workers are able to work from home or, if they do have to attend work, that they can undertake social distancing.

"The Government came forward with an income replacement scheme - there can be no question of workers being, in effect, forced to take annual or sick-leave when they are doing the right thing and keeping themselves safe.

"Businesses need to stand by their workers and keep them safe. In time, businesses will have to answer for their decisions during this pandemic and whether they did the right thing."

Those contacting the MPs work in a wide range of sectors, including office-based staff, furniture manufacturers, travel agents, estate agents, law firms, and TV engineers.

An estate agent said his employer was making staff travel to offices, even though this involves using public transport, and continue to go on viewings where sellers will allow them.

A worker at a debt collection firm said the business was open as usual, adding: "It scares us all to be there. It is a call centre environment and social distancing is near impossible."

A TV engineer questioned why his job was classed as ’key’, saying: "Our forums have been full of engineers disputing this, asking where it leaves protection for us and our families against the virus.

Unions representing staff at the Health and Safety Executive have raised concerns about employers trying to keep as many people as possible in work.

Garry Graham, Prospect deputy general secretary said: "The Government has been consistently behind the curve on its response to the epidemic in its advice to workers and employers.

"We are now in lockdown but we still see the situation where morning Tubes are rammed with people, many of whom are in no way essential workers.

"The HSE has a regulatory duty to protect health and safety at work. They need to intervene on workers’ behalf and make sure the Government is crystal clear on who should be going out to work, and who should not.

"If you leave things open to interpretation, some employers will inevitably take advantage and put workers at risk."