The Government has suggested Brits could use holiday to cover self isolation due to coronavirus.
NHS Test and Trace - seen as key to easing the coronavirus lockdown restrictions - was rolled out across England on Thursday, and there are concerns that people could be asked to self-isolate for a period of 14 days more than once in the coming weeks.
People who are asked to self isolate at home under the new test and trace regime will be entitled to statutory sick pay if they can no longer work.
But the official advice suggests that some people might prefer to use their holiday entitlement to cover the time at home.
The official guidance reads: "If people can’t work from home, employers must ensure any self-isolating employee is receiving sick pay and give them the option to use their paid leave days if they prefer."
There are fears that many workers will not be able to afford to isolate becuse statutory sick pay is just £95 a week and millions of workers are not eligible for it.
TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "We need a testing and tracing programme up and running as soon as possible.
"But it will not be effective if workers are pushed into hardship when they are required to self-isolate.
"Statutory sick pay is just £95 per week - and two million workers aren't even eligible for that.
"If workers can't afford to self-isolate, then they will be forced to keep working.
"That will put them, their workmates and their local community at risk, and undermine the entire Test and Trace programme.
"The Government must extend statutory sick pay to everyone - no matter what they're paid - and raise it to the level of the real Living Wage, £260 per week.
"And the self-employed income support scheme must remain in place as a source of financial support for those forced to self-isolate. That's how to show that we really are all in this together."
Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth called for "enhanced" sick pay when he was asked about the new system and people being expected to self-isolate for 14 days if contacted.
A spokeswoman for the DWP said: "This Government has provided an unprecedented package of support to help people through this pandemic including injecting £6.5 billion into the welfare system, rolling out income protection schemes, mortgage holidays and additional support for renters.
"We've made sick pay more generous by starting it from day one and will refund employers with up to 250 staff the cost of up to two weeks' sick pay.
"Employers can, and many do, pay more than the statutory rate - something we encourage."
Dame Gillian Guy, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said the Government must ensure people do not face a "sudden drop in income" if they have to self-isolate under the Test and Trace system.
She said: "Problems with our system for sick pay are long-standing. Even for those eligible for statutory sick pay, it may not be enough to cover essential living costs.
"The Government must look to extend statutory sick pay to those who aren't currently eligible.
"People need enough to live on so they can self-isolate if asked to without fear of being pushed into hardship."
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he believes "the vast majority" will self-isolate voluntarily under the new system and that people will not receive penalties for failing to abide by the guidelines "in the first instance", but he left open the possibility of making it mandatory for people to stay at home in the future.
