'Essential' workers calling in 'sick'

[twinkletwinkle00]

What would you do?

My wife and I both work for businesses considered essential. She works for a bicycle company and I work for a food seller (online, specialised food so not a supermarket or anything along those lines).

We have two young children who aren't in nursery/school as we don't want them to be in contact with others if we can help it.

We're currently splitting our days and doing 3 each for our employers (one of us works on Saturday). We both work for small independent businesses with no cash flow issues, who realistically could shut up shop for a couple of months and get through fairly unscathed. Both our bosses want to keep making money which I understand but I really don't think it's fair for them to value cash over the health of their workers?

Would we be unreasonable to happen to come down with symptoms that require us to self-isolate? We could get a mortgage holiday and juuust scrape by on SSP. What would you do? I just don't feel it's right to put ourselves at risk like this. I wish our bosses would just close and take the government grant. I just feels so unfair.

Sorry if this should be in the coronavirus topic... I couldn't find it!!

@Xenia thank you. We're trying to avoid using nursery to lessen the contact our family has with others.

How many times do you think you'll get away with it before one of you actually catches it and needs the time off?

I have so much respect for our drs and nurses and teachers and everyone keeping the country running during this difficult time. But we are not in that category.

Yes, you are! But you are looking for ways to convince yourself that it's okay to lie and defraud your employer and all of us, well, you won't find it. It's wrong, that is NOT sanctimonious to point out. Every single crook who comes up in court has a reason why they needed to do what they did, justify it. It doesn't hold up.

@blackswan80 If your wife has asthma should she not be self isolating for 12 weeks? I know it's on the list but not sure on severity.

The 12 week list is for severe asthma, most people with asthma that is controlled won't be expected to isolate for 12 weeks. I think during a time like this posters need to fact check before posting as it spreads false information.

I know it sounds shitty. I know it sounds selfish. It feels so bloody frustrating to be forced into work when try neither of use are truly essential. I just want to try and keep myself and my family safe. I think most people would feel this way in my shoes.

Bicycle shops being essential s daft from the point of view of people going in and touching the bikes over and over as the virus sits happily on the handle bars etc.

But no, don't commit fraud.

I think it's fair for one of you to take unpaid leave. The other can keep working.

Bicycle repairs are deemed essential in the same way car repairs are. They help get keyworkers to work and back. I'm an NHS nurse and (thankfully) I have just had to use one so I can cycle into work instead of using public transport and putting myself at risk of catching coronavirus.

@TheArchSorcererofContwaraburg the sanctimoniousness was you comparing us to doctors. We sell bikes and gourmet food. We are not bloody essential.

Sounds to me that you want to stop at home and spend time with yours kids but still have money coming in. You are jealous because you see others at home while you have to work.

How do you know all about your bosses finances?

. It feels so bloody frustrating to be forced into work when try neither of use are truly essential. I just want to try and keep myself and my family safe. I think most people would feel this way in my shoes.

People have told you how they would feel so stop suggesting we would all feel the same, mskt of us have said we don't agree with committing fraud. As I and others have said, if that's how you feel than you should quit your job.

Don't do this. You're just fucking everyone you work with over for, what, a week off? You do realise you'll have to go back afterwards?

Only isolate if you are being genuine- ie are in the vulnerable groups and cannot WFH/socially distance, OR someone/yourself has genuine symptoms.

Or, quit and let your employer hire temp staff.

"I'd like anyone reading this post to put themselves in our shoes and ask yourself honestly what you'd do."

Honestly there are literally millions of people all over the world in your position and thankfully most of them go to work. Absolutely, stay at home if you want but don't expect to get paid🙄

It's bloody scary and I'll be honest and say I've thought about calling in sick however what the hell will happen if we all do that?
I do understand how you are feeling re your jobs aren't front-line though and if you are both prepared for no job to go back to after all this is over then it's your call realistically.
My huge worry would be what happens if you isolate and in two weeks time when you are due to return the situation in our country is much,much worse?

@nagynolonger yes very jealous. Jealous others get to be paid and be safe and we're forced into working for businesses that aren't essential and are putting our lives as well as the lives of our children at risk.

I think you're all right it's immoral to commit what's essentially fraud. Perhaps we need to request unpaid leave. Thank you everyone for commenting so far.

@Greyt It wasn't false information. I said it was on the list but didn't know in terms of severity who has to self isolate, nor do I know if the OPs wife has severe asthma so it would be up to the OP or his wife to check the details.

@twinkletwinkle00*....*@Lllot5 it's not about a holiday. We both enjoy our work. We want to try and stay healthy.

YABU in my opinion. So does everyone. Why is your family/children more important than others? You are saying you are not essential despite being classed so. If the government turned round and said they were only paying the wages of essential workers, would you still say you were not essential?

I am a nurse who has been called back into clinical practice from my education role. I am already seeing front line staff who are not coming in to work as their partner is "vulnerable" even though there are no symptoms. Is this person therefore not going to work for the next x amount of months, get full pay etc because they want to protect their partner.....at the tax payers expense?

Many families will have someone who could be classed as vulenerable. Bascially you are saying you want everyone else to go to work (NHS, police, fire, shop assistants etc etc) but not you so that your family can be protected at the expense of everyone elses. Its very selfish indeed.

@Doggybiccys if it came that then yes I'd still say we were not essential. I'd rather take time off unpaid and try and struggle through than out myself and my family at risk.

unfortunately not really possible to stay 2m apart. We also do not have hand sanitiser readily available or anything else that might afford us some protection

Your employer has a duty of care to ensure you can be 2m apart and provide hand sanitiser. If they can't; they have to close.

Jealous others get to be paid and be safe

You do realise not everyone who is forced to be home and not at work are getting paid? Loads of people have lost their jobs and others have been forced to take unpaid leave and some have also had to take a 20% cut in their salary. Get some perspective

PS in a potential life or death situation then most people would be selfish.

I sympathise with you OP.
I would say though that if you continuously phone in sick saying the kids have another cough, your employer may be about to sack you. Because this could go on a long time and it would become obvious.
Asthma that is controlled and where you are not in the shielded group is unlikely to be an issue if you caught it, but of course no one can say for sure.
Ultimately you have to do what you think is best for your family. But I suspect you could be identified through this post.

the sanctimoniousness was you comparing us to doctors. We sell bikes and gourmet food. We are not bloody essential.

You are essential! You're still trying to justify why fraud is okay, it's not! You're jealous of people who are now not getting any money? Do you realise that, the 80% of wage and all that, that no one's getting any money right now?! That the queue to apply for UC is hours long now and it still takes 5 weeks of no money? Get over yourself! EVERYONE is having to make hard decisions. Perhaps consider re-training for a job that can be done from home then and quit your jobs. But you're still thinking it's okay to lie and commit fraud. It's not.

Please don’t - my husband manages a team in an essential business - if his team did what you’re thinking about doing - people would probably die - don’t help make this acceptable