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Thread: Covid and being told not to go to work..

  1. #1

    Covid and being told not to go to work..

    There are people far cleverer than me here.
    We still do lateral flow tests at home and my wife tested positive, she's fine so far and says it feels like a cold.
    She then told a couple of her bosses and said she's fine to work but will stay out of the way as much as possible whilst still being able to do her job.

    They've told her not to go in but will only pay ssp.. not her normal wage until she's had two negative results. They are effectively making her isolate even though she doesn't need to and punishing her for being honest. Nothing in the contract has been changed regarding covid etc.

    If I was told not to go in and couldn't work from home I'd expect my normal pay.. but is that right?

    Citizens advice can't make their mind up either and should be in touch later this week.

  2. #2
    Craftsman
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    Quote Originally Posted by minkle View Post
    There are people far cleverer than me here.
    We still do lateral flow tests at home and my wife tested positive, she's fine so far and says it feels like a cold.
    She then told a couple of her bosses and said she's fine to work but will stay out of the way as much as possible whilst still being able to do her job.

    They've told her not to go in but will only pay ssp.. not her normal wage until she's had two negative results. They are effectively making her isolate even though she doesn't need to and punishing her for being honest. Nothing in the contract has been changed regarding covid etc.

    If I was told not to go in and couldn't work from home I'd expect my normal pay.. but is that right?

    Citizens advice can't make their mind up either and should be in touch later this week.
    Pretty sure they have to pay normal wage , saw a video on Tiktok about this so sure there is info out there if you search

    She is available to work and legally can do, the company cant force her on SSP

  3. #3
    Master mondie's Avatar
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    This is a bit of a HR minefield right now and will take some time (and quite a few employment tribunal rulings to become clearer).

    I am not an expert and don't take this as advice, but from a session on this very issue I attended last week, I believe the employer can order her to stay home but she has to be on full pay.

  4. #4
    Grand Master JasonM's Avatar
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    Cheers..
    Jase

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by JasonM View Post
    I don't think so Jase. Shes not ill and doesn't want to be off.

  6. #6
    Grand Master learningtofly's Avatar
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    The way I see it...

    1) Mrs Minkle has tested positive, and absolutely shouldn't be in the office (should be confirmed with a PCR test, though).
    2) There should be no deviation by the company from their stated and usual policy on sick pay.

  7. #7
    Master
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    Similarly, my wife is the honest type and when our almost 3 year old had a bit of a temperature on Sunday, gave her a COVID test. Positive result. Which means 10 days off Nursery. So now we're stuck supervising a toddler for 8 working days. Little one was under the weather for all of 1 hour Sunday afternoon, now she's her usual chaotic self. Getting f'all work done.

  8. #8
    Craftsman
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    Quote Originally Posted by minkle View Post
    There are people far cleverer than me here.
    We still do lateral flow tests at home and my wife tested positive,( —she's fine so far and says it feels like a cold !!.— )
    She then told a couple of her bosses and said she's fine to work but will stay out of the way as much as possible whilst still being able to do her job.

    They've told her not to go in but will only pay ssp.. not her normal wage until she's had two negative results. They are effectively making her isolate even though she doesn't need to and punishing her for being honest. Nothing in the contract has been changed regarding covid etc.

    If I was told not to go in and couldn't work from home I'd expect my normal pay.. but is that right?

    Citizens advice can't make their mind up either and should be in touch later this week.
    Sorry, butI have to ask- what did you hope to achieve by testing?

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by meridian View Post
    Sorry, butI have to ask- what did you hope to achieve by testing?
    If I was positive I wouldn't visit my grandmother in her house.

    My wife was feeling like something wasn't right and after someone else was off at her place with it she did one at the same time as me.
    Her mistake was telling her work when she didn't have to.

  10. #10
    Grand Master Saint-Just's Avatar
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    So the DADT policy has now crossed the Atlantic and applies to Covid. How ridiculous!
    'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.

  11. #11
    Master
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    If you are positive, you should isolate.

    This virus still kills people. Lots have it with few effects. I have it now, been ill for 8 days, still going. People who picked it up at the same time as me are far less unwell. I have no pre-existing conditions. It affects different people in different ways, and you don't know how it will affect you, or someone you come into contact with.

    We are still seeing tens of thousands of cases per day, and many deaths.

    The fact that the employer are being dicks about it is unfortunate, but comes from the government telling us, basically, that COVID is done now. It's not. We can certainly be more relaxed, but if you have it, take precautions to not spread it.

  12. #12
    Grand Master Onelasttime's Avatar
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    I hate having to sit next to a colleague with a stinking, snotty cold because they 'felt welll enough to come in'.

    Add in the chance to pass on a virus that's potentially fatal for certain groups, then it becomes bloody-minded selfishness.

    The employer got this right in my view.

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by learningtofly View Post
    The way I see it...

    1) Mrs Minkle has tested positive, and absolutely shouldn't be in the office (should be confirmed with a PCR test, though).
    2) There should be no deviation by the company from their stated and usual policy on sick pay.
    If she is fit enough to work and the legislation says you should now treat covid like any other illness then her company is unfairly penalising her.

    The law is clear.

    If we had proper levels of SSP and weren't rushing to declare Covid "over" then Mrs Minkle would be being properly looked after, but as it is she is being unfairly treated.

    Companies don't get to decide when their staff are sick. The staff decide.

  14. #14
    In case anyone thinks I am a covid denier, don't worry, I'm not.

    After a grim couple of days my 5 year old finally tested positive this morning. We had suspicions so kept her off school yesterday (5 class mates tested positive over the weekend and 3 others had temperatures including my daughter).

    This morning we pinged our full time nanny to tell her to stay at home for the week on full pay, even though the law says we could have carried on as normal.

    It makes me really annoyed when employers don't do the right thing.

  15. #15
    Grand Master Onelasttime's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by guinea View Post
    This morning we pinged our full time nanny to tell her to stay at home for the week on full pay, even though the law says we could have carried on as normal.
    How simply super for her. Ra ra ra!

  16. #16
    Just had an update from Citizens Advice.

    They say the workplace is right and they need to cover themselves as they may face legal action from other staff if they have knowingly allowed someone with Covid to go into work.
    The chap also said that because it was the workplace that said don't come in, the right thing to do would be to pay as normal but they don't have to (and won't because they are generally dicks about many things).

    No doubt I probably phrased the question badly, I didn't want a debate on whether people should isolate or not, just wanted more of an idea if being told not to go into work when you don't have to actually tell anybody you are ill meant you should get your pay as normal.

    What also annoys me is we both know that none of the other guys there will test or have time off if they do have it.. even less likely to do so now after this too.

    Anyway, thanks for the replies.

  17. #17
    Master blackal's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by minkle View Post
    Just had an update from Citizens Advice.

    They say the workplace is right and they need to cover themselves as they may face legal action from other staff if they have knowingly allowed someone with Covid to go into work.
    The chap also said that because it was the workplace that said don't come in, the right thing to do would be to pay as normal but they don't have to (and won't because they are generally dicks about many things).

    No doubt I probably phrased the question badly, I didn't want a debate on whether people should isolate or not, just wanted more of an idea if being told not to go into work when you don't have to actually tell anybody you are ill meant you should get your pay as normal.

    What also annoys me is we both know that none of the other guys there will test or have time off if they do have it.. even less likely to do so now after this too.

    Anyway, thanks for the replies.
    They don't sound like great employers. Probably the kind who will keep certain levels in management on-pay, citing 'discretion' if found out.

    I'd certainly be checking the T&C of employment, but it should be a lesson for all - 'don't phone up saying 'i have tested positive for Covid' - phone in with flu.

  18. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by blackal View Post
    They don't sound like great employers. Probably the kind who will keep certain levels in management on-pay, citing 'discretion' if found out.
    Easy job, very small business, father and daughter run it. Daughter has done nothing else and has no clue about the real world. Full sick pay for her funnily enough.

    Shes applied for a few things whilst she's been off.

  19. #19
    Master sweets's Avatar
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    She needs to make her employers aware that their policy will discourage other employees from either testing, or possibly from reporting any positive test.
    As such they may have mitigated risk in this single instance, but they may have increased the risk to other emlloyees overall.
    It is absolutely their right to enforce isolation, but it should also be their responsibility to ensure the employees are treated fairly as a result of that enforcement.

  20. #20
    Grand Master Saint-Just's Avatar
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    Didn't she catch it at work (potentially?)
    In that case she can start the complaining...
    'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.

  21. #21
    Quote Originally Posted by sweets View Post
    She needs to make her employers aware that their policy will discourage other employees from either testing, or possibly from reporting any positive test.
    As such they may have mitigated risk in this single instance, but they may have increased the risk to other emlloyees overall.
    It is absolutely their right to enforce isolation, but it should also be their responsibility to ensure the employees are treated fairly as a result of that enforcement.
    Fairly certain she did in the initial messages on Monday and she certainly told them she wouldn't test again nor tell them if she was ill. That really should have got them thinking but I doubt it.

  22. #22
    Quote Originally Posted by Saint-Just View Post
    Didn't she catch it at work (potentially?)
    In that case she can start the complaining...
    Quite likely, one chap is still off with it. Took my Mrs a couple of days pestering him at work to test.

    My wife has been told by her employers that his is a strong strain.
    Not sure how they gathered that from a lateral flow test.

  23. #23
    Master
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    Everyone at work has been told to still self isolate and I presume we will still get full pay I do work for a big organisation though

  24. #24
    Master sweets's Avatar
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    Why can't companies appreciate that trust and loyalty are very important in employees, and the company has to earn them to get the most out of their staff.
    Small things like this will ensure that she won't stay the extra hour to get anything finished, she'll be off home as soon as the contact allows.
    Save a penny or two, but lose the pounds.

  25. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by minkle View Post
    Fairly certain she did in the initial messages on Monday and she certainly told them she wouldn't test again nor tell them if she was ill. That really should have got them thinking but I doubt it.
    Well that depends on their objectives. If the objective is to keep their employees safe, healthy and at work, then yes, food for thought.

    If however their objective were to keep their employees at work, regardless of covid and at the same time avoid any potential liability ("Nothing we could have done, Fred didn't tell us he had Covid"), well I'd say they're doing OK...

  26. #26
    Grand Master Saint-Just's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mikeveal View Post
    Well that depends on their objectives. If the objective is to keep their employees safe, healthy and at work, then yes, food for thought.

    If however their objective were to keep their employees at work, regardless of covid and at the same time avoid any potential liability ("Nothing we could have done, Fred didn't tell us he had Covid"), well I'd say they're doing OK...
    Well if Minkle's wife mentioned this in her initial message, there is now a paper trail...
    'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.

  27. #27
    Quote Originally Posted by Saint-Just View Post
    Well if Minkle's wife mentioned this in her initial message, there is now a paper trail...
    And they sent her home on reduced pay.
    My point is that no one in the office is going repeat Mrs. Minkle's mistake.

  28. #28
    Just to reiterate, companies don't get to decide who is healthy. Only the person affected has any right to make that call.

  29. #29
    Grand Master Saint-Just's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mikeveal View Post
    And they sent her home on reduced pay.
    My point is that no one in the office is going repeat Mrs. Minkle's mistake.
    And my point is that the paper trail will allow any claimant that the company created this situation and thus cannot claim ignorance as it will be proven it had manufactured this situation of plausible deniability.
    'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.

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