Guidance

Guidance on the mobilisation of Reserves supporting Civil Authorities in delivering COVID-19 community testing

Updated 1 February 2021

MOD is working hard to provide support requested at a local level through the Military Aid to the Civil Authorities ( MACA) process, to effectively assist other government departments and civil authorities including Greater Manchester and Kent.

What is MOD doing, and why?

We are providing military assets to assist the authorities in Greater Manchester and Kent to carry out Covid 19 community testing, which has been requested for a period of around 2 months.

How many Service people are involved?

Numbers will change over time, but around 90 Reservists are working in Greater Manchester, and around 150 may be required in Kent.

What tasks will they be doing?

They will be undertaking a range of outputs to enable mass testing, including logistics and transport. However, they may be required to support additional requirements, for example, Reservists have been involved in helping to transport vital PPE supplies to hospitals and care homes. They have been helping with logistics planning to ensure that equipment is moved efficiently from one location to another. They have helped to set up Nightingale Hospitals around the country and have helped to staff pop-up COVID Testing Facilities.

Why did you need to use Reservists when you had regulars available?

Local Reservists who wish to support their own communities allow us to benefit from their knowledge of locations, institutions and local people. Reservists possess particular skills and experience from their civilian jobs that are in short supply in the military. Reservists are a key component of our Whole Force and we expect them to be involved, to some degree, in most military operations, whether these are overseas or at home.

Are these Reservists being mobilised?

The nature of this task requires a flexible approach. We may use some Reservists on Reserve Service Days (RSD). RSD are attendance-based pay, and are used for short term tasks where full mobilisation might not be required. Other Reservists may be mobilised in the traditional sense.

Can I be compelled to release my employees for RSD work? As a Reservist, can I be compelled to attend on RSDs?

No, attendance on RSD is voluntary, based on a discussion between you, your employee and their Reserve unit. We would anticipate volunteers being available on RSD if they and their employers agree that time away from work is manageable on all counts. This should take place only with the civilian employer’s agreement and on the basis of special paid/unpaid leave, or by using the Reservists’ annual leave allowance. Personnel who undertook these tasks will be paid their normal Reservist daily rates of pay.

How long can I expect my employees to be away on RSDs?

RSD are normally not used for tasks requiring more than 14 days although this has been extended to 28 days for operations in support of the national effort against Covid 19. Tasks requiring more than 28 days will normally require mobilisation. It is important to understand that 28 days is an upper limit; it does not mean that every volunteer for RSD service will be required for this period of time. Some may be required for significantly shorter periods.

I am a Reservist. We have been told that there is little funding available for routine training until the end of this financial year. Why does that not affect this task?

The Covid 19 pandemic has presented an unprecedented challenge to the nation, and has affected many areas of normal life. Routine training across all 3 Services has been disrupted to some extent, including Reservists. The task described above however is not routine: it is part of the Government’s specific response to Covid 19, and in that context it is part of operations in support of the NHS that have been going on since March 2020.

What are my legal responsibilities in relation to my Reservist employee who is mobilised?

Employer responsibilities are set out on-line on the Employee Reservist page. Additional information regarding the employment of reservists is at: Your guide to employing reservists and Employee reservists: returning to work.

What are my legal responsibilities in relation to my Reservist employee who is employed by the MOD on RSDs?

Reservists who either want to volunteer or have volunteered have the same employment rights and protections as any other employee. If a Reservist needs to take leave to volunteer they can follow your normal procedures for applying for annual leave or you can both agree to some other arrangement such as special paid or unpaid leave to help them contribute to the national effort. If you do agree any kind of special arrangement communication between your Reservist and you is key, in particular to ensure you both understand how long they will be away and any conditions that apply.

My employees are key workers; should I release those who are Reservists? I am a Reservist, but also classified as a key worker. Can I be asked to work on RSDs?

During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, in acknowledgement of the national effort to combat the virus and support essential services, Defence does not intend to utilise Reservists whose civilian role is key to the nation’s response and where the pandemic makes it impossible for the employer to substitute such a Reservist or manage their absence during the period of RSD service. However, if such a Reservist is willing and able to volunteer for service on RSDs, and their employer is willing and able to fully support them, and to mitigate their absence, then that Reservist may volunteer.

Find out more about mobilisation and employer support through Defence Relationship Management.