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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to complain about the germ bag in ASDA

58 replies

MrsMoosickle · 07/01/2011 17:17

Ok, so I know I was being unreasonable having a quiet cup of raw sewage coffee in this quality establishment, however, I was served by a lady who literally snotted and spluttered her way through my transaction.

So shocked by her demeanor was I that I continued to study her flu like antics as I sipped. She wiped her nose repeatedly with her hand, took money, gave change and handed over the coffee cups etc and all the while, not a drop of Anti Bac gel passed her hands.

Utterly minging. She should have stayed at home or been sent home. I don't think its cricket at all.

Mrs M x

OP posts:
scurryfunge · 07/01/2011 17:19

She is probably making a public performance about having to be at work. Perhaps a word with the manager might be enough.

charliesmommy · 07/01/2011 17:19

Did you actually drink the germ ridden brew?

I would have asked for a refund and gone back to the chemist section to buy some flu capsules just in case.

Seriously though, people with infectious illnesses should not be handling food. I am sure that is Environmental Health law too.

Original poster
MrsMoosickle · 07/01/2011 17:24

I Milton wiped the cup, but yes, drank it. I agree some of the antics seemed a bit " I am a trooper, in work and so ill etc etc"

I spoke to the Duty Manager, he said he saw her at the morning brief and she seemed fine! Shock He scurried off to " deal with it"

OP posts:
bupcakesandcunting · 07/01/2011 17:27

Are you referring to the woman herself as a germ bag?

usualsuspect · 07/01/2011 17:29

Some employers are quite arsey about people taking time off though

VivaLeBeaver · 07/01/2011 17:29

I had similar in the co-op today. Lady on the till blew a load of snot out her nose, fair enough into a hanky. Then stuffed the hanky back up her sleeve and then handled all of my weekly shop to swipe it through. Never used any anti-bacterial gel so now all my shopping has snot germs on it. I just keep telling myself that its all either in containers or the veg/fruit will be washed before use. Guess you don't get that option in the cafe though, its not good.

Original poster
MrsMoosickle · 07/01/2011 17:29

I sure am

OP posts:
MackerelOfFact · 07/01/2011 17:29

More than 2 sicknesses in 6 months and she'll be put on a warning. :( And 'sickness' includes being sent home for half a day. It's Asda head office you should be taking it up with, not the poor woman who is having to work when she feels like shit so she doesn't lose her crappy job. I hope she didn't get sent home and then have to worry about losing her job on top of feeling awful.

bupcakesandcunting · 07/01/2011 17:30

That's fine, just wanted clarification Grin

usualsuspect · 07/01/2011 17:30

Supermarkets are terrible for giving warnings even if you are off sick

charliesmommy · 07/01/2011 17:32

They should be putting her on washing up duties then, its not fair on the woman, or the customers to expose them to germs like that, certainly not at the moment with the flu going round in the way it is.

mrsscoob · 07/01/2011 17:34

Yep what Mackerel says. Also she probably wouldn't have been paid if had called in sick. As regards to the handgel at the till, checkout staff aren't allowed to take any personal items with them so it wasn't her fault. I agree though it isn't nice, if you are concerned though like Mackerel says, take it up with head office, don't blame the staff.

Original poster
MrsMoosickle · 07/01/2011 17:34

I didn't complain to the woman, I complained to the Duty Mgr. I'm not that bothered about Asda's absence management policy, but I am bothered about unneccesary spreading of germ.

I'm sure she could have been deployed behind the scenes if she really HAD to be at work

OP posts:
usualsuspect · 07/01/2011 17:36

I'm sure the woman was bothered by the absence policy ..which is why she was at work

Original poster
MrsMoosickle · 07/01/2011 17:45

I know, I'm sure she was Usualsuspect. My gripe is not really with her.

An Asda GM is paid around £65k pa. I think this level of salary should dictate some kind of social responsibility.

I don't think she should have been deployed in an environment where food is prepared and served.

OP posts:
FabbyChic · 07/01/2011 17:55

YOu cannot give someone a warning for being off sick, there are employment laws you know, and you can certainly not sack someone on sick leave.

charliesmommy · 07/01/2011 17:58

I just found this on google

Should food employees with the flu, or those who have family members who have the flu, be permitted to work?
A food worker with the flu does NOT present any risk to the safety of food because you can't get the flu from eating food

And if that is the case, then what fecking point is there in hand gel etc...

Surely if someone has just spluttered all over your cup, the germs are being passed around...

charliesmommy · 07/01/2011 17:58

Fabby, my SD worked for Sainsburys, and the supermarkets do seem to be a law unto themselves.

fairygirl3 · 07/01/2011 18:04

fabby-they can and do give warnings for being off sick,mr T does this

bupcakesandcunting · 07/01/2011 18:06

I'm pretty sure you can get flu if you use utensils/eat food prepared by freshly snotted on hands. I agree with you, charliesmommy.

My friend who is a nurse says that the handgel is more effective at helping prevent the passing on of things like norovirus/rotovirus which are passed on by hand to mouth contact.

FabbyChic · 07/01/2011 18:07

They would not get very far if taken to a tribunal then. My son worked for Asda up till a few months back, as a fill in whilst at college. None of his handbooks that I have here say anything about a warning if off sick.

VivaLeBeaver · 07/01/2011 18:09

"YOu cannot give someone a warning for being off sick, there are employment laws you know, and you can certainly not sack someone on sick leave.

"

The NHS do this. We get a formal warning and an interview with HR if we have 3 episodes of sickness in a 12month period. Last month my DH had swine flu, I was ill with a temperature, sore throat, cough and headache. Went into work as a midwife working with newborns and vunerable women. Someone from Occy Health saw me and said I wasn't fit to be at work but if I'd gone off it would have been my 3rd episode (I had a couple of weeks off after hurting my back at work, then one day off with d&v). Its terrible that we have to go into work when we're so ill and put peoples lives at risk!

We're having a new rota policy at work soon which isn't going to be popular. I muttered something about how sickness rates will go up because of it (we're gettign allocated shifts rather than choosing which ones we want to work). The manager turned round and said well if sickness rates go up people will be sent to HR and they will be sacked! Not sure if they can be sacked but the manager certainly seems to think so and there is a definate warning after 3 episodes.

skydance · 07/01/2011 18:12

Lots of work places give warnings for being off sick fabby, seems to be standard practice nowadays at lots of places.

bupcakesandcunting · 07/01/2011 18:14

What do the HR people say to you when giving you a warning for being off sick? "I am warning you not to be sick again."?

Hmm
VivaLeBeaver · 07/01/2011 18:25

Apparantly they warn you that if it happens again then they will deem you as been incapable of being fit to work and sack you.