Usdaw welcomes clarification that spitting and coughing is assault, but calls for shop workers to be specifically protected
15 September 2020
Retail trade union Usdaw has today responded to a Sentencing Council consultation on assault offences, which proposes the introduction of ‘intention to cause fear of serious harm, including disease transmission’ as a high culpability factor, with 'spitting or coughing' as an aggravating factor. Usdaw welcomes this, but says it needs to be clearer that all workers who provide a service to the public in the course of their employment are covered and specifically retail workers.