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Heading to work in red storm warning

115 replies

jocktamsonsbairn · 23/01/2025 22:33

Dd has to work in a well known UK high st sportswear store tomorrow at the height of the storm. We are on the Atlantic coast of Scotland, all schools, council offices and all non essential places are closed. Had a warning to phones saying not to travel, leave roads open for emergency vehicles etc.
Manager has asked head office to close, told no. Only 2 shops in the shopping centre are open this one and one other. Why they F are they making their staff go in when the police /government etc are saying to stay at home. What come back does she have if she says no, it's too dangerous? A tribunal? It's a permanent contract but a temporary job for her. She will need a reference and has always proved herself, never called in sick etc. I've told her not to go in as her life is worth more than selling a pair of trainers to whichever idiot goes shopping g tomorrow. All public transport cancelled so unlikely to be busy.
Any help needed to convince a teenager that sometimes you need to listen to yer mammy??

OP posts:
Debtfreegoals · 24/01/2025 08:08

Report it to a newspaper. Tell her not to go in, it’s disgraceful

Magnoliafarm · 24/01/2025 08:11

This is absurd. I work in a hospital so I have to go in in bad weather. Twice within the last ten years they've brought in the army to drive people home in 4×4s and once they set up emergency staff accommodation so you didn't have to go and come back through the snow. She just shouldn't go. Perhaps you could call in for her if she goes to the loo and you get a minute? Once the call is done she'll realise they aren't going to come after her and chase her in

dynamiccactus · 24/01/2025 08:12

ForAzureSeal · 23/01/2025 22:45

She doesn't need to lie. She just tells them she refuses to come in when Police, Government have told people not to travel. She needs to learn early in her working life that no job is worth risking her life.

Agreed. Red warning = don't go in unless healthworker, fire officer, that sort of thing.

dynamiccactus · 24/01/2025 08:14

No doubt there will be an employer who insists its employees go into the office today even though they could work from home. If they paid for a hotel overnight, it's not so bad (though they've still got to get home and may have commitments like children and elderly parents to look after) but even then, it's dictat over common sense.

Magnoliafarm · 24/01/2025 08:15

MeanderingGently · 24/01/2025 07:20

Of course she shouldn't lie, and you are setting her a bad example by suggesting she does so. I admire her determination to do the right thing and get into work if they ask her to.

As she's old enough to work, she's old enough to make the decision herself. She either explains she's following the government warnings and won't be able to get in, or she gives it a go and sets off. She may get in, or she may find it's impossible, in which case she has at least tried and can say so.
That's what a responsible adult would do.

If she was a nurse, police, emergency services worker she'd be expected to come in despite the weather.

I work in healthcare and during really bad weather like the beast of the east, they did a survey the day before to see who lives closest and we all swapped days to make sure the only the closest people had to travel. Then when it got really bad there were army 4x4s on offer to pick us up and staff accommodation for if you couldn't get home. So no they didn't just expect us all to make our own way in as normal

Redglitter · 24/01/2025 08:19

Noone needs anything her store sells today. They'll have no customers.

I'd be encouraging her to just say no she's following Police & government advice and not travelling today.

Phthia · 24/01/2025 08:20

Name and shame on social media, and message the newspapers. With any luck the employers will be shamed into backtracking.

diddl · 24/01/2025 08:23

I work in healthcare and during really bad weather like the beast of the east, they did a survey the day before to see who lives closest and we all swapped days to make sure the only the closest people had to travel. Then when it got really bad there were army 4x4s on offer to pick us up and staff accommodation for if you couldn't get home. So no they didn't just expect us all to make our own way in as normal

That's interesting.

I was just thinking that being a worker who needs to go in doesn't magically make your journey safer!

Sinkintotheswamp · 24/01/2025 08:30

"If she was a nurse, police, emergency services worker she'd be expected to come in despite the weather."

And not a single member of the emergency services want her out there increasing their risk and workload. The idea is to keep the roads empty and everyone safe so they can deal with the incidents like flooding, fallen trees or roofs coming off.

Bjorkdidit · 24/01/2025 08:44

@diddl It's risk reduction, it's not 'safe' vs 'not safe'. They need A&E to be staffed so by only having the closest people travelling, fewer miles are travelled as well as less time is spent out on the road so reduces the risk of something bad happening.

Of course, if it's not essential you are out, it's best to stay at home because as well as it being safer for people to do this, it reduces the chance that they'll end up in A&E, meaning less pressure on them and they'll get away with lower staffing levels.

ssd · 24/01/2025 08:51

I bet its JD

batshitaboutcatshit · 24/01/2025 08:51

SeaUrchinHat · 24/01/2025 08:02

Getting sacked from Sports Direct for following government warnings (while demonstrating a mature attitude to personal safety) will not harm her CV in the slightest.

I feel like it may even enhance your CV to show resilience against idiocy

ThatsNotMyTeen · 24/01/2025 08:57

My son works in Ikea and they are closed today

PlantDoctor · 24/01/2025 08:57

diddl · 24/01/2025 08:23

I work in healthcare and during really bad weather like the beast of the east, they did a survey the day before to see who lives closest and we all swapped days to make sure the only the closest people had to travel. Then when it got really bad there were army 4x4s on offer to pick us up and staff accommodation for if you couldn't get home. So no they didn't just expect us all to make our own way in as normal

That's interesting.

I was just thinking that being a worker who needs to go in doesn't magically make your journey safer!

But others staying home does make it safer. Fewer road users mean less chance of accidents.

OP, I am shocked that the shop is even bothering to open as surely not worth the cost, even if they don't care about their employees. If I were DD I would absolutely refuse to go in. I'm sure she can get another similar job if necessary. Her manager is spineless for not standing up to head office

Needspaceforlego · 24/01/2025 08:59

Nobody is going to be out shopping today.

I think she should call in sick or say it's stress / anxiety. Nobody can argue with illness

mirrorglitterball · 24/01/2025 09:01

Say no and if they try and argue against that then publicise as much as possible- social media, Twitter, go to the newspapers.

Jellycatspyjamas · 24/01/2025 09:06

I think she should call in sick or say it's stress / anxiety. Nobody can argue with illness

No one is going to believe sudden illness in the face of a storm. It’s far more powerful to say she’s following Police Scotlands warning to not travel, which is both the truth and sensible behaviour.

Bjorkdidit · 24/01/2025 09:10

I dread to think how windy it is in Scotland and Ireland, it's awful here in West Yorkshire and we're not in the red zone, or experiencing the worst the storm is going to bring either.

Utterly ridiculous that non essential businesses are refusing to observe national safety warnings. It's not like they're going to have many customers anyway.

DazzlingCuckoos · 24/01/2025 09:22

If she doesn't want to lie, I'd go out and let the air out of one of her tyres without her knowing. That way if she did decide to try and go in, she can't as she's got a "puncture" and you're refusing to take her and there's no public transport.

Then "fix" her tyre on Sunday.

"How strange, DD, the valve must have been a bit leaky - did you clip a kerb on your way home the other day?"

YANBU at all.

My DH works for a company based in Falkirk and they were all specifically told that the office is shut and they should WFH if they can.

If your DD's shop is in a shopping centre, is the shopping centre even open??

jocktamsonsbairn · 24/01/2025 09:46

She sent her manager the message saying that due to the red weather warning she was going to follow government band police guidance so she couldn't go in. Offered to work tomorrow instead (was her day off). Manager messaged back saying that she would swap her shifts and she didn't need to go in today.
Obviously couldn't tell her in writing that she was to go against the police guidance! So all has worked out in the end and I'm relieved!! Glad she'll be finished with them in a few months though and I'm proud of her for standing up for herself.
Weather is wild and I can't imagine anyone wanting to go out in that for an emergency let alone to buy trainers!

OP posts:
Mummyratbag · 24/01/2025 09:47

It's so hard to stand up to this twattery even when you have been in the world of work for a long time, for someone young it's even harder. In a few years this job will fall off the bottom of her CV under the banner of "temporary jobs I did before I started my career". At worst she can a) explain why she left b) say it was a temporary position c) pretend it never happened (this would need to be after April though as P45 would be needed in new job rather than declaration of not having worked this tax year).

I'd be tempted to message the company on Twitter and ask if it's true they are asking their staff to ignore police/government warnings and come in to work.

Mummyratbag · 24/01/2025 09:48

Just seen your update! Great news ..phew!

HoneyBadger76 · 24/01/2025 09:59

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larklane17 · 24/01/2025 10:02

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Are you from Head Office? You sound like you would fit right in there.

larklane17 · 24/01/2025 10:04

A great result OP, well done to you and your daughter.