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

[RootsnAll]

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.

[vanillandhoney]

@Fluffycloudland77

It’s good advice though, I’m really disappointed so many people think it’s ok to crowd together during a worldwide pandemic of a virus we have no natural immunity to and don’t know the long term effects for.

Oh please.

It's perfectly legal to go out for meals and if everyone took the stance of staying at home and doing nothing, the economy would be even further in the shit than it already is.

[PurpleDaisies]

If everyone made an effort to keep the social mixing to a minimum (not not at all, lockdown style, but minimised) for a while longer both businesses, many of whom are in dire straits at the moment, schools and other essentials would stand a much better chance of staying open and operational.

Pubs anc restaurant businesses are going to go bust if people don’t use them.

[jessstan2]

Where you go in your free time is your business, unless the boss lives near you he is not likely to see you anyway and I'm sure you follow the guidelines.

[vanillandhoney]

Obviously you can be injured and off work after doing anything, even crossing the road, but doing a relatively high risk leisure activity that leads to you being off work might irritate the bosses.

Then those bosses are idiots. What people do in their free time is entirely their own business. Besides, what constitutes high-risk? Riding a motorbike? Driving a car? Bungee jumping? How you decide that one activity is an acceptable level of risk and another isn't?

I really wish people would stop defending shitty employment practises. Do we really want to be living in a society where our employers get to tell us we can't see our friends or do our hobbies?

[VintageStitchers]

@Iconical @ShellsAndSunrises

You’re both completely missing the HUGE point here.

Wetherspoons cannot know whether a person who has visited one of their pubs and subsequently contracted Covid, caught it from another person in the pub or caught it somewhere else. They don’t have access to that data because that level of information isn’t available.

The numbers of positive cases has risen much faster in the last few weeks but in many cases, the source of infection is unknown.

We do know that being indoors in a confined space with people talking and laughing is more likely to spread the infection than being outdoors carrying out the same activities.

I don’t think I’d actively choose to visit a pub or restaurant before next summer as the risk feels to great to me. I’ll stick with buying the occasional takeaway.

[CloudsCanLookLikeSheep]

I'm a HR bod and I'd say this is unenforceable contractually. They don't own you! (although many employers seem to think they do)

[Oliversmumsarmy]

Your employer can't stop you, but it's good advice they're giving you. I'm amazed that people are going to bars and restaurants at the moment

Why?

The ones I have been to have more safety measures in place than supermarkets.

Just been out for lunch.
Every table over 2 m distant from the next table. Exit and entrance separate

Text in order and servers who are wearing masks bring the food and drinks to the table

Then I went to a supermarket. Apart from myself and dc and one other person no one was wearing a mask correctly. One guy had it hung over one ear, one had her mask tied round her wrist. A lot were round people’s necks and the rest had their nose popping over the mask.
No SD. People leaning over others to get what they want from a shelf.

Tell me which do you think is more risky?

I definitely feel safer in a bar than I do going to a supermarket

[Lovemusic33]

My boss has asked us to do the same, I have said I will follow government guidelines and not her guidelines. No one can demand you do any more than what’s already been asked of us.

[SerendipityJane]

There are some companies that not only will not hire smokers (which suggests they can ask you in applications) but that say they will dismiss staff that do smoke.

No idea of the legality, but they recruit in the UK for UK positions. (They're a US firm, where it seems employees are pretty much the possession of employers, depending on state).

[userxx]

It’s good advice though, I’m really disappointed so many people think it’s ok to crowd together during a worldwide pandemic of a virus we have no natural immunity to and don’t know the long term effects for.

Righto. Well that’s unfortunate as I've just planned another get together in the pub, got to make the most of this weather! I’ll happily live with your disappointment.

[LearnedResponse]

Doesn’t even matter whether you think that the restaurant is safer than the supermarket OliversMumsArmy. One of them can result in you getting a phone call the next day requiring you to stay off work for a fortnight and one of them can’t.

[Saz12]

Of course your employer can’t tell you what (legal) activities you do in your own time!

There’s maybe a moral/ethical issue in whether people should avoid “high risk behaviour” if it endangers their colleagues/ clients/ pupils/ patients. But that’s not up to employer, that’s up to the individual to decide on risk v benefit v wether they care.

[fuandylp]

They can fuck right off.
No, they do not have the right to tell you what you can and can't do in your spare time.
If you break the law then that's another matter.

What were the exact words used? Perhaps it was phrased more as a recommendation than "Employees are forbidden from visiting restaurants and bars".
In any case, as I said, fuck that. As long as you are sticking to the social distancing rules you can do what you like in your own spare time.

[goldensummerhouse]

I'm amazed that people are going to bars and restaurants at the moment.

Really, you're amazed? It's what we were told to do... The government encouraged us with subsidized food out for a month with the goal of getting us back in bars and restaurants.

[Iconical]

[quote VintageStitchers]**@Iconical* @ShellsAndSunrises*

You’re both completely missing the HUGE point here.

Wetherspoons cannot know whether a person who has visited one of their pubs and subsequently contracted Covid, caught it from another person in the pub or caught it somewhere else. They don’t have access to that data because that level of information isn’t available.

The numbers of positive cases has risen much faster in the last few weeks but in many cases, the source of infection is unknown.

We do know that being indoors in a confined space with people talking and laughing is more likely to spread the infection than being outdoors carrying out the same activities.

I don’t think I’d actively choose to visit a pub or restaurant before next summer as the risk feels to great to me. I’ll stick with buying the occasional takeaway.[/quote]
Thanks for the patronising HUGE

Wetherspoons know only 66 staff in almost 900 pubs with 32 million visitors have tested positive for cv19.

I am not missing any point
That says bring in a pub for an extended period is pretty low risk and do visiting for a shorter period is unlikely to be more risky

[LakieLady]

I'm amazed that people are going to bars and restaurants at the moment

I'm meeting a friend for a drink later, but between 5 & 7 it should be pretty quiet.

We'll socially distance and sit in the pub garden, and the pub does table service, so no standing at the bar.

I'm happy that that is pretty low risk.

I'm less happy about our team of 6 meeting at the beach tomorrow though, and then having a pub lunch. I wouldn't be surprised if that was cancelled, but I don't look at work emails on my day off!

[Iconical]

And most of the cases at Wetherspoons were single employees so no mass infection of everyone else

[cologne4711]

They can't tell you what to do in your spare time (unless it would bring them into disrepute) but it is good advice. Given it's going to be a warm week (at least in the south of England), go, but sit outside?

I guess if you caught it, and the only place you could have caught it was a bar, they might have reason to be annoyed if you then need a week or more off work.

[Aragog]

I'm amazed that people are going to bars and restaurants at the moment.

And it's a good job some people are too. If no one went to the restaurants and bars they will shit down. Lots already have gone out of business before lockdown started. Lots of people who worked in these places are now out of work, unemployed.

We actually need people to be using them, hence the eat out scheme.

If we all stay home indefinitely then more will close, more people will be unemployed and they'll be much fewer to visit when this is all over.

The way things are going we will be losing more holiday companies and airlines as it is.

[Xenia]

If you look at this traditionally employers will often not pay sick pay so day 1 - 3 unpaid and after the SSP which is very very low. That is the way to keep people in work for many small employers.

if you do the same with CV19 then people who need the earnings to pay the rent may well curb their sky diving or restaurant trips as they cannot [pay the rent if they get sick.

However the simple answer is no they cannot stop you going into a restaurant in your free time if that is allowed by law.

[cologne4711]

I'm less happy about our team of 6 meeting at the beach tomorrow though, and then having a pub lunch

Why? There is little chance of transmission on the beach and hopefully they will be outside at the pub.

Although even if they are inside it may well be quiet inside if the weather is good, because everyone will be outside, instead.

[vanillandhoney]

I guess if you caught it, and the only place you could have caught it was a bar, they might have reason to be annoyed if you then need a week or more off work.

How on earth would they prove that?

And no, they have no right to be annoyed. Unless people are living in hermetically sealed bubbles, they are at risk of catching COVID. We can't hide indoors forever. Life has to go on, and if people stop going to restaurants, shops and bars, the economy will fall even further into the shit.

[vanillandhoney]

I'm less happy about our team of 6 meeting at the beach tomorrow though, and then having a pub lunch. I wouldn't be surprised if that was cancelled, but I don't look at work emails on my day off!

Why? You all work together anyway!

[Noted]

Are they also paying for taxis for all staff to get to and from work? You know in case you catch covid on a busy bus? Let me guess, no they're not. Of course they can't tell you how to spend your time outside of work.

[Oliversmumsarmy]

LearnedResponse

Doesn’t even matter whether you think that the restaurant is safer than the supermarket OliversMumsArmy. One of them can result in you getting a phone call the next day requiring you to stay off work for a fortnight and one of them can’t

It wouldn’t affect me as because of Covid I have no work.

Neither has anyone else in my family.

Dd was starting to get some work and because of a companies Covid rules (which she did stick to) has now been sacked. They called her a liar because they didn’t believe her.

Might be different if you have a long term contract (dd didn’t)