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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Sick hairdresser

89 replies

YorkshirePuddingsGreatestFan · 11/03/2018 08:21

I've been going to a hair salon for years. It's close to home and I know the owner quite well now.

I was booked in to have my roots done on Thursday. When I got there, the lady who put the colour on was very quiet and not chatty which isn't like her, but I just assumed she was having a rough day or something.

When she was washing my hair, she said "oh I feel wobbly again!" and explained she had a viral bug. She said she'd been in bed the previous day with a fever, aches and pains and vomiting and she still felt really unwell.

She felt wobbly again while blow drying my hair, so I just got her to blow it straight and not style it as I just wanted to get away from her.

I started feeling sick myself on Friday night. I had the fever and pains all day yesterday so I couldn't go on a family day out I'd planned with my children. I still feel ill this morning and I'll have to cancel a mothers day meal at my parents as my Dad is terminally ill so I don't want to pass my germs on to him.

AIBU to think she shouldn't have been in work if she was still ill? I'm just upset my weekend has been ruined as it seems like I've caught her bug. I'd rather have rescheduled the appointment than be ill.

Should I message the salon owner with a friendly complaint? I'm not going to rant or bad mouth him to others - just explain what has happened so he can stop his staff passing bugs onto other customers in future.

OP posts:
Chocywockydodahhhhhh · 11/03/2018 11:50

If you had said a kid at your child’s school had been vomiting the day before and come in everyone would have been on your side Op. Yet and adult who is just as likely to pass it on especially if they work with the public it’s somehow ok

DaisyInTheChain · 11/03/2018 11:59

You have to think of it from a financial loss point of view, plus the fact that she maybe thought it was something she'd eaten, a reaction to something. I know that being sick doesn't always mean crazy bug.

But I did wish OP to get better soon, I think going out, unless you're going to wear a mask and be super OTT with hygiene you never know what you'll come across.

My bug bear is kids apparently too unwell to be at school, but parent/carer uses day for impromptu shopping trip, dragging the poor mite around the shopping places.

As someone immunocompromised that is hard not to get annoyed at.

Viviennemary · 11/03/2018 12:03

I can see your point. But there would have been as many irate customers if she had cancelled all the appointments. And would have lost money. It's a no win situation.

BumpowderSneezeonAndSnot · 11/03/2018 12:07

Those of you saying about the financial loss to the hairdresser, what if the OP were self employed and the bug developed on her working days?

What if she were the sole carer for her father?

Yanbu OP the hairdresser is incredibly selfish

GreatDuckCookery6211 · 11/03/2018 14:05

Also those saying the OP is BU are you as tolerant when your colleague that you sit next to comes into work poorly or when children are sent into school with some sort of illness?

TheQueenOfWands · 11/03/2018 14:10

If she's on minimum wages she may not have a choice.

I'm a care worker and have had to go to work unwell, mortgage to pay, child to feed and clothe, etc. Some of us don't have a choice despite knowing we can pass it on. Dropping a shift will cost me about £90. I can't afford to do it.

The situation stinks. And it's totally unfair on the people I look after.

Whatshallidonowpeople · 11/03/2018 14:15

Surely d&v bugs are not transmitted that way.

BumDisease · 11/03/2018 14:19

Yeh because going to work, especially when you do a physical job, when you feel like shit is everyone's idea of a good time. I doubt she'd have gone in if she could afford not to!

Sprinklesinmyelbow · 11/03/2018 14:22

I think this is just life tbh. People go into work feeling unwell every day. Seems odd that you caught it from her- maybe it’s just coincidence.

cucaracha · 11/03/2018 14:25

YANBU

There's a reason for the 48h rule after being sick, and it's not right to pretend it doesn't apply to you. You could send a word to the owner, but frankly nothing will happen.

In busier salon, they do try to offer you a session with another stylist, but if they don't have enough staff, not much they could do.

I do hate people who willingly spread germs, with no regards for the effects it can have for some people. It's not as simple as staying home for a day or 2, it's much more serious

BumpowderSneezeonAndSnot · 11/03/2018 14:25

@thequeenofwands again drop the shift. I have a relative who developed pneumonia after a care worker insisted on doing their shift with a heavy cold. My relatives condition is such that they cannot cough effectively anymore hence the pneumonia.

Selfish.

Differentcorner · 11/03/2018 14:32

I can promise you that the advice to NHS employees is most certainly NOT to return after 24hrs! It is 48hrs for a very good reason. I personally would send a friendly message to the salon, it's not ok wages or not to make other people ill. At best it is selfish and, for some very harmful. People are so thoughtless and it really gets my goat! No excuse for intentionally spreading illness to others, yes it would have been inconvenient to have changed your hair appointment or cancelled other clients but actually given the choice I'm sure they'd all rather that than have D&V. Willing to bet you're not the only one who was affected by this act of selfishness. Hope you feel better soon OP

Differentcorner · 11/03/2018 14:36

Also in terms of transmission if she doesn't wash her hands well then is breathing all over you, to using your face, hair of course it can be transmitted. I bet she has made her other colleagues ill too now, perhaps the manager should consider that next time too

TheQueenOfWands · 11/03/2018 14:37

Gunpowder it's not selfish. I have bills to pay.

It's selfish of my employer not to offer sick pay.

But I have to go to work. Tesco won't give me food for nothing. And I can't see Lloyd's letting me off a month's mortgage.

I hate it as much as anyone but we have to do what we have to do. I agree that it's unfair. But this is the reality.

TheQueenOfWands · 11/03/2018 14:39

And my boss wouldn't allow time off for a cold anyway.

I doubt the care worker 'insisted'. I expect they were either told to come in or couldn't afford to drop the shift.

cucaracha · 11/03/2018 14:40

It doesn't occur to you that the reason you are sick is mainly because other people didn't respect the 48 h rule?

iamthere123 · 11/03/2018 14:41

The school I work in has changed their advice to come in after 24hrs because OFSTED penalises absences. As WHO says staying away is only a RECOMMENDATION not a rule we have loads of children coming in who were sick yesterday and are now passing it merrily on to all and sundry so we have more children off sick! 48 hrs is recommended for a reason, but some places/people think it doesn't apply to them!

MichaelBendfaster · 11/03/2018 14:41

It's not really fair to assume she gave you her bug.

And hairdressers are essentially self-employed, as I understand it, and when you're self-employed you can't afford much sick time.

BumpowderSneezeonAndSnot · 11/03/2018 14:42

It is hugely selfish. Your actions could kill someone.

TheQueenOfWands · 11/03/2018 14:43

But it's okay to risk my child's happiness and home?

So what's the solution?

I can't afford time off. Nor can a lot of people. What is it we should do??

Sprinklesinmyelbow · 11/03/2018 14:48

I can’t believe people are suggesting someone who lives hand to mouth with a family to support should sit and home, well and unpaid, rather than take the minuscule risk that they’ll infect someone. None of you know why your gran got pneumonia or your child got Nuro. You can guess, and you can easily be wrong.

Take the hairdresser. So she doesn’t wash her hands and has the virus on it. She touches your hair. She washes it, heat dries it etc. You touch your hair. You put your hands in your mouth. I mean c’mon. It’s possible, yes. Similar transfers happen on the bus, tube, shops when you take money, office loos, etc etc etc

cucaracha · 11/03/2018 14:48

The school I work in has changed their advice to come in after 24hrs because OFSTED penalises absences.

Really? Local schools here had to CLOSE because too many kids and staff were off with a sick bug, and they had to do a deep clean of the whole schools. I can't think of anyone in their right mind who would willingly do anything to help spread D&V

cucaracha · 11/03/2018 14:51

rather than take the minuscule risk that they’ll infect someone
we are not talking about a runny nose here, but of someone who has been sick the previous day. Her boss should have sent her home to be fair, paid or not paid.
There's more than a "minuscule" risk, don't be ridiculous, why do you think GP surgeries and hospital beg people not to come if they have vomited within the last 48 hours? (unless they need urgent medical treatment, obviously)

BumpowderSneezeonAndSnot · 11/03/2018 14:55

Yes. Happiness or someones life...hard choice isn't it Hmm and yes when a carer is coughing over them as they hoist them from their bed I think it's clear who patient zero was!!

Carers need to be better looked after and that is on the agencies to do that however if you have a contagious illness you should not be around vulnerable people.

TheQueenOfWands · 11/03/2018 14:59

It's not a hard choice. My child comes first.

And like I said, my boss wouldn't allow time off for a cold unless you had a doctor's note. She's very tight with time off.

Unless legal guidelines are put in place it won't change.

But again, a mortgage provider won't let you off a month's mortgage because you have a cold. You still have to pay it.

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