Nissan confirm staff have been disciplined over breaking Covid rules after reports of faking self-isolation

The Japanese car giant has confirmed that ‘a small number of staff’ at the Sunderland plant have been disciplined after using fake self-isolation screenshots from the NHS Covid app to gain time off work.

The Mirror has reported that “up to 60 employees” faced disciplinary action over the issue however Nissan has said on Monday, July 26, that the numbers quoted in those reports are not ones that the company recognises though the firm declined to say how many staff have faced action.

A Nissan spokesperson said: “A small number of our staff have been disciplined after breaking Covid-19 rules.”

On Thursday, July 15, production in certain areas of the plant had to be adjusted as hundreds of staff were required to self-isolate.

At the time, a spokesperson commented: “Production in certain areas of the plant has been adjusted as we manage a number of staff being required to self-isolate following close contact with Covid-19.”

The latest adjustment to production is just one in a long line of disruption at the Sunderland plant caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

In June, Nissan used the furlough scheme for hundreds of its workers after positive cases at the factory, leading to the suspension of production on parts of both its lines.

At that point, it said it was only its night shift which was affected, with fewer than 50 cases, with most self-isolating as a precaution.

Support your Echo and become a subscriber today. Enjoy unlimited access to all of our news and sport, see fewer ads, experience faster load times, test your brain with daily puzzles and get access to exclusive newsletters and content.

The Sunderland Echo has been on Wearside since 1873, and your support means we can continue telling your stories for generations to come.

Click here to subscribe.