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Employer Enforcing Quarantine?

167 replies

Dominicgoings · 10/07/2020 13:41

UK based ( not Scotland) and healthcare setting.

Just had an email to say that anyone who goes abroad on ‘non essential travel’ will have quarantine for 14days on unpaid or annual leave and undergo Covid testing before returning to work.

Reasonable or not?

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Muppetry76 · 10/07/2020 13:43

Unreasonable. Contact Acas immediately. My friend had this, told the employer in no uncertain terms that they would be facing constructive dismissal if they tried to enforce this

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MilkTwoSugarsThanks · 10/07/2020 13:43

Reasonable.

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whichteaareyou · 10/07/2020 13:45

I think that's reasonable!

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Todaythiscouldbe · 10/07/2020 13:46

I think it's totally reasonable

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BarbedBloom · 10/07/2020 13:47

Reasonable

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ivfdreaming · 10/07/2020 13:47

Yes reasonable - why should the employer pay you to sit at home for an additional 2 weeks? I wouldn't want to risk my entire workforce going off on isolation because you brought it back with you because you couldn't wait a bit longer to have a foreign holiday 🤷‍♀️

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lockdownparty · 10/07/2020 13:48

Legally I don't think they can unless they're paying you for 2 weeks off at home?

Morally they're probably very worried about infecting potentially vulnerable patients.

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Dominicgoings · 10/07/2020 13:49

Ok. Does anyone who think it’s reasonable think this should apply to every employee in the UK or just healthcare workers?

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vodkaredbullgirl · 10/07/2020 13:49

We have been told to avoid pubs, beach and going abroad (carer here) Still have to wear masks in shops.

We have avoid covid so far.

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PineconeOfDoom · 10/07/2020 13:52

Reasonable. They may not be able to staff areas adequately if one person gets it and exposes everyone else.

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ivfdreaming · 10/07/2020 13:52

@Dominicgoings

Yes the majority of employees unless they work on their own obviously or don't come into contact with others

We ll all be moaning if we have a second spike and we all know planes aren't the most sanitary of places at the best of times and are breeding grounds for all sorts

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RunningAwaywiththeCircus · 10/07/2020 13:52

This reply has been withdrawn

Message from MNHQ: This post has been withdrawn

Todaythiscouldbe · 10/07/2020 13:53

I think it's down to the employer and any risk assessments they have done. In some workplaces it would be less 'essential' to quarantine as strict social distancing can be applied.

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dementedpixie · 10/07/2020 13:53

What if they are going somewhere that there is no quarantine rule when you return? Are they still telling you to take the time off?

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katmarie · 10/07/2020 13:56

I think its a grey area. If the trip was booked pre-covid restrictions and can't be cancelled or rescheduled without loss, then employees shouldn't be penalised for going, but at the same time I can understand employers not wanting to pay people to quarantine. Using annual leave/unpaid leave is a compromise, I would say. However if the trip was booked in full knowledge of covid restrictions, tbh I think employers can do what they like.

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MarieG10 · 10/07/2020 13:56

What utter bollocks. The countries open for travel have far lower infection rates than us....could understand more if they told their workers they ant go to the pub, restaurant etc!!

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heartsonacake · 10/07/2020 13:57

Of course it’s reasonable; you’re putting everyone else at risk because you wanted a holiday.

And I think it should apply in all settings, not just healthcare.

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Dominicgoings · 10/07/2020 13:57

Dementedpixie yes the current list of ‘safe’ countries is deemed irrelevant.

For transparency I have no plans to travel but am a line manager in the organisation and a number of staff are in uproar. Need to try and navigate the way forward.

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titchy · 10/07/2020 13:57

why should the employer pay you to sit at home for an additional 2 weeks?

Assuming the travel is to a country not on the quarantine list there's be no need to sit at home for two weeks. Asking for a negative CV test before returning is reasonable, but requiring an additional two weeks unpaid with a negative test isn't.

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titchy · 10/07/2020 13:58

@Dominicgoings

Dementedpixie yes the current list of ‘safe’ countries is deemed irrelevant.

For transparency I have no plans to travel but am a line manager in the organisation and a number of staff are in uproar. Need to try and navigate the way forward.

Speak to acas then. Or a union if you're a member.
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Gizlotsmum · 10/07/2020 14:02

Our company are applying this for anyone who booked their holiday after the 1st June of you booked before they are looking for ways to work around it (WFH, etc). This is to make it fair on everyone.

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Inituntiltheend · 10/07/2020 14:02

I don’t think it’s fair if the government is saying we can travel and not have to self quarantine (when returning from certain countries) If your employee goes to one of these countries then has to take 2 weeks off unpaid that’s penalising those who work in the health service. I too work innthe health service and received an email similiar to that a few weeks ago i was off yesterday and today so haven’t heard anything since the new guidelines were released

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Temple29 · 10/07/2020 14:04

I got a similar email so either unpaid or annual leave for 14 day quarantine upon return from a foreign country. Im also a healthcare worker and I think it’s reasonable. Not worth the risk of bringing it back to your workplace or elsewhere just for a holiday.

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coffeechocolatecoffee · 10/07/2020 14:04

Employees cannot be penalised for following government advice - if they are travelling to a county which is exempt from FCO advice not to travel because a travel corridor has been formed and no quarantine restrictions apply on return, the employer cannot enforce them and not pay the employee.

However, if travelling against FCO advice then absolutely is fair to enforce unpaid/annual leave for quarantine

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