Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

DH can't get into bother at work for needing to isolate twice, or can he? Positive result in the home.

61 replies

Yellowc · 23/07/2020 20:47

Yesterday I received a positive result which obviously means my household now has to isolate no exceptions and we will.

The concern DH has is that he has already had a 14 days quarantine period off work in March and he's worried he's going to face a disciplinary for needing another, and is worried they'll think he was pulling a fast one before.

Me and DS had some of the textbook symptoms in March but couldn't get tested, we had to quarantine just in case.

I have the text and email confirming my positive result as of yesterday and he can also show evidence of me being contacted by track and trace. He's going to email these over.

He shouldn't be worried should he?

For context his boss isn't remotely understanding and is widely disliked in the work place for his poor treatment of staff.

OP posts:
Original poster
Yellowc · 23/07/2020 20:50

Sorry if I wasn't clear -

This is a new infection. It doesn't appear that I had it in March as it's v unlikely to get it twice in such a short period of time.

But due to guidelines, we had to isolate in March just in case.

OP posts:
CaptainMyCaptain · 23/07/2020 20:53

Surely they would have to accept he'll have to stay off to avoid infecting other people. It is what it is and the official instruction is to quarantine.

Original poster
Yellowc · 23/07/2020 20:55

That's what I've said too yes.

Logically we know that to be the case but the boss is an arsehole.

A lady in the department reported that her family member had tested positive some months ago and was told "That's her not you"

DH has a test coming tomorrow so will know whether or not he has it within a couple of days.

OP posts:
Iliketeaagain · 23/07/2020 20:57

I would have thought any employer wouldn't have a leg to stand on telling someone they have to come in with a family member who tests positive. Despite all the relaxation, the 2 weeks isolation requirement is very clear.

FAQs · 23/07/2020 20:58

There is a lot of legalisation under the Covid Act, H&S Act, Dangerous Sunstances and one other which escapes me, I’ve got a whole list on my work laptop which isn’t with me, but in a nutshell if an employer is aware of a risk and doesn’t ensure the work premises are Covid secure they are open to being sued by their employees. I can have a look tomorrow if someone else doesn’t come along first.

killerofmen · 23/07/2020 20:58

He could be subject to disciplinary action depending on his company's policy. That would be very unreasonable of them but there's nothing to prevent it

Original poster
Yellowc · 23/07/2020 20:59

I don't think he'll tell him to come in, for no other reason than to cover his own backside, but DH is concerned about the potential of a disciplinary or god forbid being sacked.

Obviously the boss couldn't give this as a reason to sack him but he could probably do it under the guise of something else.

OP posts:
Orangesox · 23/07/2020 20:59

The whole household needs to isolate and your DH’s manager needs to suck it up. It’s not like he’s rung in every other week saying someone in the house has had symptoms.

Just to be 100% clear though, if your DH’s test comes back negative, he still has to self isolate because you are positive so I’m not entirely sure why you’ve ordered him a test unless he also has symptoms?

FatherBrownsBicycle · 23/07/2020 21:00

Is he in a Union?
There is guidance from unions, I’d imagine they are all saying pretty much the same thing. Employees are not to be pressured into work when they should be isolating.

www.tuc.org.uk/resource/covid-19-coronavirus-guidance-unions-updated-16-april

Original poster
Yellowc · 23/07/2020 21:01

He's ordered his own test because he has asthma and is worried, it's for his peace of mind only.

He's going to be isolating for 14 days regardless of his result.

OP posts:
Original poster
Yellowc · 23/07/2020 21:03

He's not in a union no.

It's a relatively new job which he has only been in for 13 months. He's a good employee and works hard, no previous disciplinary history or anything like that, but the length of time he has been there would go against him.

OP posts:
FusionChefGeoff · 23/07/2020 21:07

In all honesty OP, sounds like you need to accept that boss is going to do whatever boss is going to do because he is a dick and DH doesn't have long enough service to be protected.

You know that the right thing to do is for him to isolate. He is going to do that and you'll just have to take any consequences on the chin as there's fuck all you can do about I'm afraid.

Cheeseislife2020 · 23/07/2020 21:08

So you quarantined in March but it wasn’t corona and now you actually have it you have to quarantine again? Or you’ve been positive the whole time ? It doesn’t matter really, until people can access testing we have had to do an ‘assume the worst’ type scenario sooo...

gamerchick · 23/07/2020 21:10

He should join a union. They don't have to be attached to work. Do that ASAP.

Original poster
Yellowc · 23/07/2020 21:11

@FusionChefGeoff

In all honesty OP, sounds like you need to accept that boss is going to do whatever boss is going to do because he is a dick and DH doesn't have long enough service to be protected.

You know that the right thing to do is for him to isolate. He is going to do that and you'll just have to take any consequences on the chin as there's fuck all you can do about I'm afraid.

I realise that, it's just a worry.

It's a stressful time for obvious reasons and we really cannot afford for him to lose his job.

He'll be quarantining without question its just the repercussions we're concerned about but we will deal with them as they come.

In a ideal world the boss wouldn't be the way he is.

OP posts:
Original poster
Yellowc · 23/07/2020 21:14

@Cheeseislife2020

So you quarantined in March but it wasn’t corona and now you actually have it you have to quarantine again? Or you’ve been positive the whole time ? It doesn’t matter really, until people can access testing we have had to do an ‘assume the worst’ type scenario sooo...
I don't know whether it was corona in March or not, I'm confused about that myself. It's unlikely to have been this I would have thought.

In march i was ill with something that included symptoms of coronavirus but I couldn't get a test. NHS111 gave DS a preliminary diagnosis of covid over the phone based on symptoms he had. We couldn't get tested because we weren't ill enough.

We recovered from whatever it was.

Fast forward to late last week I come down ill, I ordered a test kit and sent it off and it's come back as positive for covid 19.

OP posts:
Clumsyduck · 23/07/2020 21:24

We were told quite clearly at work before testing Came along that anything that could remotely possibly be Covid symptoms to ring in sick And isolate , I mean That’s what the government advised . Likelihood is that most people who did just that before testing ( generally , not just at my work ) will have had a cold / some other virus - but people weren’t to know that and as i said it’s what the government said to do so imagine there will be loads of people that have Had/ will have more Than one lots of time off work Covid or not . However if the boss is an arsehole then he may well be about this . not sure he’d have a leg to stand on though

Mulhollandmagoo · 23/07/2020 21:25

See, this is the problem with our rubbish government and the lack of testing in the early days, if access to testing was available back in march/April/may whilst we were in the thick of it, then you would have known it wasn't covid and none of you would have had to isolate for the full 14 days (if it wasn't of course, it's highly likely it wasn't back in march if you have tested positive now, but it's possible)

Pleased your husband isn't feeling the pressure to go into work, his boss sounds like an arsehole, your husband is isolating to keep the rest of the staff safe and his boss needs to suck it up! Could he speak with HR in the interim and explain his situation and see what they advise to put your mind at ease? His boss will likely have to take direction from HR on the issue so would be good for him to have some foresight. Hope you don't feel too rough Flowers

Stuckforthefourthtime · 23/07/2020 21:25

@Cheeseislife2020 plenty of people who had symptoms back in march (including my family) were told to self isolate but also not allowed to get a test unless we had travelled to an affected region or had interacted with someone who had since received a positive coronavirus test.

Op I totally see how stressful this must be, I'd spend a bit of time reading up on ACAS guidance in case, and keep fingers crossed. Is your husband able to do any part of his work from home, or volunteer for some extra jobs that can be done from home while he still feels well, even dull ones like filing etc? He shouldnt have to (especially if only receiving statutory sick pay) but might help show willing for an unreasonable boss...

pandafunfactory · 23/07/2020 21:29

Track and trace contacted you? So weren't you already isolating?

Lockdownseperation · 23/07/2020 21:30

If DH tests positive then he only needs to isolate for 7 days.

Original poster
Yellowc · 23/07/2020 21:32

He works in a shop so is unable to do anything from home unfortunately. I'll suggest he speaks to HR explains his concerns and see what they say.

He had to phone in sick last Wednesday because had diarreah. That was before i even thought about ordering a test or felt as though I needed one.

We're now wondering if that was a symptom of covid Sad

He was ok the next day and went back to work but of course we didn't know then what we know now.

OP posts:
Northernsoullover · 23/07/2020 21:33

He needs to isolate from when your symptoms started. So if your symptoms started say on the 7th, his 14 days start on the 7th too. So he may only have to isolate for another 7 if your symptoms started a week ago iyswim

FelicityBob · 23/07/2020 21:35

I’ve had two periods off as at the start of the pandemic we had symptoms so we isolated, then we had symptoms again recently and isolated until had a negative result. Work didn’t question it. They’d rather be short staffed than everyone go down with covid. Hope you just have a mild case

Original poster
Yellowc · 23/07/2020 21:37

@pandafunfactory

Track and trace contacted you? So weren't you already isolating?
I was already isolating when they contacted me yes.

They contacted me as standard procedure. When somebody tests positive they'll contact you and ask you to provide details of those you've been in contact with and where you have been.

I got my results at 7:30 Yesterday morning and T&T contacted me a few hours later asking me to provide details.

OP posts: