Work breaking the law?

[glindathegoodbitch]

Apologies- here for the traffic.

A friend has just contacted me saying that her husband has been told by work that he has to go in tomorrow.

Child1 was recently sent home from school to isolate following contact with a positive case in her year group.

Child2 then comes down with a high temp (38+) a cough and is generally exhausted. Child2 manages to get a test yesterday (home kit) and is awaiting the results. Still unwell.

Mum works in education and is quite rightly isolating with the family as was Dad.

Dad works in a place of national security where an outbreak could be catastrophic for the safety of the country and the safe continuation of the service that he works for (this service keeps our country running!).

His direct team leader (not sure of the actual name of the position, but that's close enough) and HR have told him to go into work, despite him providing evidence that Child2 is awaiting test results.......

Advice???

Does he go in or stay home as every fucker out there has told him to and face a disciplinary?

Stay home. They cannot discipline him for following government advice.

I don’t think he has to isolate until one of his children actually has a positive result?

@Laaalaaaa This is on the NHS site- if you replace 'you' with 'Child2' or 'your child' it states that anyone they live with must self isolate until they get the result.

"If you had a test because you had symptoms, you and anyone you live with must stay at home (self-isolate) until you get your result."

his work are saying not?

Stay home!!!

Child one isn't a reason to isolate, but child two is. He needs to isolate until the (hopefully negative) test result comes back

He doesn't have to isolate as he hasn't been in direct contact with a known case so his employer isn't breaking any laws.

Oh child2 has symptoms missed that sorry. Yes he should isolate.

@CastleCrasher- This is EXACTLY what I've said. as has our friend who is a nurse.

Fingers crossed negative, but the schools here have just started to have cases and Child1 could possibly be a silent carrier- she's had no test as no symptoms.

It's hopeless. If employers and half the posters here can't read and understand the guidelines what chance do we have?

It's simple. Child has fever. Get test for them. Whole household must isolate until they get result.

@bobbiester I know :(
have passed on reiteration that he MUST STAY HOME!!! but the organisation he works for are really pushing- I'm so surprised as if his team go down, then it puts national security at risk. Just insane!!!

@AlexaShutUp

Stay home. They cannot discipline him for following government advice.

Are you sure they can't? Because there's absolutely nothing to stop them doing exactly that. I certainly don't disagree that this is the government's advice. But since I have no idea what this very important job with this very important employer entails, I wouldn't be telling people what to do based on advice. I would be urgently speaking to my union. Or HR if there is no union. But I certainly wouldn't be taking the advice of an anonymous forum, because if there were a disciplinary, "mumsnet told me to do it" won't cut much ice. Any industry that keeps the country running would have union reps working around the clock as well.

DH was grumbling earlier this evening about people who can't follow the advice.

National security type place ignoring the advice though, colour me surprised. Not.

@bobbiester

It's hopeless. If employers and half the posters here can't read and understand the guidelines what chance do we have?

It's simple. Child has fever. Get test for them. Whole household must isolate until they get result.

You do know the difference between "guidelines" and "laws". Because half the posters here do, and there is no evidence you are in that group.

OP, your friends husband needs proper advice from his employer or union. They certainly can discipline him, and we can't stop them. It may not be fair but life isn't.

Is he in a union?

@Moondust001- fab thanks, hadn't thought about union rep.

his job is a cog in an important team within a huge wheel that would magnificently fuck up and stop turning if there is an outbreak of covid- and yes, it would be a total national security risk if it all went to shit.

HR have said to go in.
Just trying to get some idea if other HR depts are also pushing staff to go in and if it really is 'the norm'. ie what he's being asked to do is pretty standard, even though I personally think it's crazy!

He's emailed Union- but company doctor has just told him to go in!!!!!!

Anyway, I'm going to leave it there. I've told him to have absolutely every bit of communication in writing ref being made to go in. He's contacted the union and at present is going in on the company doctors & HR advice.

I know there has to be a work/covid balance somewhere, but what is the point of these bloody guidelines, or even tests if you have to go around potentially spreading it anyway?

Insanity.

If he works in "national security" then he's probably exempt from isolating unless there is a confirmed case.
It's a matter of balance, if his job is that critical, maybe it's more important for him to be at work.

He might be able to get an isolation note here - 111.nhs.uk/isolation-note

He can send that to his employers. Hope this helps x

@1stmonkey yes, good point. God knows what the right thing to do is. If he goes on and spreads it, I will be awful (and very much national news , but if he doesn't go in, he's acting against his company directive and yes, him being there is part of the cog etc.
I suppose I'm thinking from my point of view and if I was in that situation I'd be isolating etc. I could work from home, he certainly can't!

Hi wife is fuming with the whole situation. Child2 has had all the red flags and is still unwell. It's such a crazy confusing time.

Hard to know what to do, but thank you all for advice -(especially union rep- he has forwarded on all communication in case of later come back)
Really helpful to look at it from other angles.

Going via the union but obeying instructions is definitely the way to go. As someone else suggested, there are circumstances that nobody here can understand. But one thing is certain - short of dismissing someone, an employer can do an awful lot and there is no independent challenge to that. Disciplinary action short of dismissal can only be appealed internally and that doesn't work out well very often. He keeps the union in the mix and records - in writing, not secret recordings which could get him into trouble - and he has evidence that can help him.

Update: He got sent straight home. Luckily Union rep seems to have got the communication and those higher up the chain were livid!
Luckily he has all communication recorded (thank you @moondust001) in case anyone tries to get slippery as it sounds like there will be disciplinary action for those who insisted he went to work.

Still no test results and Child2 still poorly so isolating is the only way!

Utterly flabbergasted by the whole episode.

Thanks for the update, @glindathegoodbitch. That's a good outcome.

Makes me wonder how many employers are expecting people to go to work when they should be isolating though.

Hope your DC gets better soon.

@Laaalaaaa

I don’t think he has to isolate until one of his children actually has a positive result?

He has to isolate.