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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Employer telling us not to go out to restaurants and bars?

204 replies

RootsnAll · 14/09/2020 12:54

We’ve been told by the head of our department that we aren’t to go out to restaurants or bars as that’s where Covid is being spread the most. Obviously I understand the reasoning behind but surely they can’t tell us what to do/not do in our spare time? AIBU?

We’ve worked throughout the pandemic in the office as our work is essential but we wear masks constantly (unless eating or drinking away from others) and keep socially distanced at all times. Lots of hand washing and hand sanitising. Not in a job that involves visiting or seeing other people outside of the department.

Not sure if I’m being unreasonable feeling fed up being told what to do? I keep to the gov rules etc but going out for a drink with my husband is such a nice break after a hectic week at work. Sad

OP posts:
Thewiseoneincognito · 14/09/2020 13:39

Not sure they can make you do that however maybe consider their reasons for why they are saying it. I can’t understand anyone wanting to go into a bar or restaurant at the moment but each to their own. It’s sound advice but I’m sure plenty here will disagree 🤨

Hotcuppatea · 14/09/2020 13:39

@InfiniteSheldon

Will you lose your job if you ignore their advice and have to isolate?
If the OP tests positive, she could have picked it up from anywhere- the supermarket, public transport, the hairdresser, anywhere. She can't lose her job if she's told to self isolate.
Hotcuppatea · 14/09/2020 13:40

They'd be getting a big fuck off from me too. There's no way they can dictate what you do in your free time.

Thehop · 14/09/2020 13:42

I’m in a nursery and we were told if we didn’t stay home outside work we would be laid off. Though o can’t see that it’s legal at all!

Doingitaloneandproud · 14/09/2020 13:43

It's your free time, so they can't tell you what to do with it. Fair enough they can advise but cannot tell you what to do. I went to a restaurant and it was really good social distancing, ordering and paying via the app, and if my work told me not to go in my spare time I'd be less than impressed Grin

UnfinishedSymphon · 14/09/2020 13:43

@GreekYogurtWalnuts

They can get to fuck
This
Doobydoo · 14/09/2020 13:44

I work in a Nursing Home. We have been reminded to follow Gov guidelines etc. However,many of us are steering clear of pubs etc

VintageStitchers · 14/09/2020 13:45

@Iconical

Trust Wetherspoons data?

Are you being serious or just taking the piss?

Ok, so they’ve admitted that some of their staff have tested positive.

They’ve also said they’ve had 33 million visits.

They DO NOT COLLECT the data of anyone who has visited their pubs and contracted Covid so you have absolutely no way of knowing whether Covid has been spread by being INSIDE a pub.

However, we do know that being indoors in a confined space and not wearing a mask will obviously increase the risk.

YANBU OP, your employer doesn’t own you 24hrs a day but maybe there are some staff in your workplace that need reminding to act sensibly?

StormzyInaDCup · 14/09/2020 13:47

@Judystilldreamsofhorses projecting much? This thread wasn't about teachers. Fed up of hearing the moaning from SOME teachers on here. Some of us work in a job where we have to go to peoples houses.. This means we need to be responsible for our actions outside of work too. As should teachers IMHO.

@RootsnAll it's unfair of your employer to say this. Especially if you're not customer facing!

Pobblebonk · 14/09/2020 13:48

How far do they propose to take this? Are your relatives supposed to avoid going anywhere where they might catch Covid? Are you supposed to keep your children off school in case you catch it off them?

Cocomarine · 14/09/2020 13:48

What has your employer actually done?
You say it’s your head of department.
There’s a difference between a company wide written edict telling you that all staff are expecting to stay out of pubs, to a department head verbally saying, “come on guys - we need you all here if we’re going to get this project finished on time - please, don’t be in the pub every night!”

ShellsAndSunrises · 14/09/2020 13:49

@VintageStitchers They may well not collect data, but I thought Wetherspoons now only allows ordering via app? So they will have data of how many visits/how many unique visits, purely from people ordering digitally and using the app...

(Caveat that I haven't been to Wetherspoons, and I have no idea if the data he has said is true, but they will have it from the app).

Asdf12345 · 14/09/2020 13:51

We are being asked not to socialise with each other outside of work to reduce the chance of a cluster bringing down the service.

It seems to be a matter where they can ask but not enforce. It may limit progression later though if one didn’t follow the requested behaviour.

LadyOfTheImprovisedBath · 14/09/2020 13:51

We’ve been told by the head of our department that we aren’t to go out to restaurants or bars as that’s where Covid is being spread the most

I thought most parts of the country it's spreading though households and social contacts - though we're in a city with a noted pubs outbreak and closing the pubs is one option being considered.

They can't tell you want to do outside work - so you can keep going though if you were in my city I'd re-think at the minute but that's a local situation and is being looked at by the governmnet and will probably bring more restictions anyway.

Iconical · 14/09/2020 13:52

[quote VintageStitchers]@Iconical

Trust Wetherspoons data?

Are you being serious or just taking the piss?

Ok, so they’ve admitted that some of their staff have tested positive.

They’ve also said they’ve had 33 million visits.

They DO NOT COLLECT the data of anyone who has visited their pubs and contracted Covid so you have absolutely no way of knowing whether Covid has been spread by being INSIDE a pub.

However, we do know that being indoors in a confined space and not wearing a mask will obviously increase the risk.

YANBU OP, your employer doesn’t own you 24hrs a day but maybe there are some staff in your workplace that need reminding to act sensibly?[/quote]
They 100% collect data here
Which Wetherspoons have you been to that didn’t get the details?

Iconical · 14/09/2020 13:53

With only a few cases at Wetherspoons staff even if they were all contracted at work it it minuscule.

Elsewyre · 14/09/2020 13:54

@BrightYellowDaffodil

Quiet tip off to a local paper about how a local company is treating its employees?
Giving them advice to protect themselves and their potentially vulnerable colleges?

The bastards!

ddl1 · 14/09/2020 13:54

If you work with vulnerable people (NHS, care home , etc) then they have a point. Otherwise, they are overstepping, provided that you are following the guidelines,

FruitLoopyLoo · 14/09/2020 13:55

No they can't tell you to do that. I'd ignore them.

The most our work have said is that they won't pay us to quarantine for 2 weeks if we book to go to somewhere like Spain now (but they will honour people who booked prior to the rules changing) which I think is fair enough!

Batshitbeautycosmeticsltd · 14/09/2020 13:55

@ddl1

If you work with vulnerable people (NHS, care home , etc) then they have a point. Otherwise, they are overstepping, provided that you are following the guidelines,
No, they don't.
vanillandhoney · 14/09/2020 13:55

@ddl1

If you work with vulnerable people (NHS, care home , etc) then they have a point. Otherwise, they are overstepping, provided that you are following the guidelines,
They're over-stepping regardless! They don't get to tell employees they can't participate in perfectly legal activities.
JalapenoDave · 14/09/2020 13:56

Your employer has no right to tell you what you can and can't do during non-work hours! You sound like you've been very sensible and your company should trust that you can be just as sensible in a bar or restaurant. YANBU.

Boulshired · 14/09/2020 13:57

For some employees at the moment their employers have much more power. It’s easy for someone especially in a public sector job to quote regulations but for some businesses they are on a knife edge. If DP had to self isolate once he will be ok, if however he had to repeatedly self isolate he would be expecting to be in the next lot of redundancies. His company have not given warnings but DP and many of his colleagues are avoiding crowded places. Those with more sickness were first to go.

TheABC · 14/09/2020 13:57

It's your free time and your judgement.

PurpleDaisies · 14/09/2020 13:58

If you work with vulnerable people (NHS, care home , etc) then they have a point.

They don’t.

If people are going out and following the rules, no one has the right to say not to.