Manager keeps booking Covid tests for me

[Jimbellselmbath]

We have on site covid testing at my work. No need for symptoms, anybody can have one. A few people go just for 20 minutes away, most don't want one as they do not want to isolate and lose 2 weeks wage (plus partners wage I suppose) if they were to test positive with no symptoms.

Anyway, I don't think they are getting the uptake they anticipated and suspect there are targets managers are being given for testing.
I keep getting texts saying 'your covid test has been booked for xyz' I have not attended any of them.
I had a message on my screen yesterday from my manager saying 'can you do me a favor, I have booked you a covid test for xyz' I still didn't go, manager is off site and there is no way of replying to her.
Today I got a text saying my test has been booked and I must attend even if i do not plan on taking the test (automated type texts- cannot reply)
I don't know whether to go or not. I won't be having the test but I don't think the testers would have any way of stopping these messages as surely they don't have access to that system?
Manager isn't in today, we only cross paths about once a month, i wouldn't know how to contact her outside of this. There are other managers who are more accessible, should I ask those? Is it an HR matter? Do I just keep ignoring the messages as they have not been promoted by me? I feel like complaining about the sneakyness of it all but I don't know who to.
What would you do?

ilovemypantry Where have people said that wouldn’t isolate when positive? Can you direct me to the posters who have said that?

Your workplace is trying to keep you safe but people dont want to go for the test in case they find out they have covid and have to isolate so they dont spread it.
We're truly fucked aren't we.

Perhaps you could have a quiet word with another manager you trust about why you keep getting sent messages regarding tests you haven't booked? If it's become company policy that all staff have to have regular tests, then they need to publish that policy. As to whether you then take the tests, it's entirely up to you.

Those shouting about selfish people potentially killing others because they choose not to have a test / can't afford to self isolate really need to stop and have a good look at how others live. As another poster has said, some people live pay cheque to pay cheque. If you miss 2 paycheques in a row, what do you for those 2 weeks? You don't necessarily have a couple of tins of beans or a loaf of bread available during that time. And it's hard to get to food banks, if you can get someone to sign a note saying you need one. It's not selfish. It's the reality of being poor. Perhaps you should spend more time thinking about how society needs to change and how you could contribute to that instead of blaming those at the bottom for not clawing their way out.

I thought so. It’s easy to judge when it’s never going to be a situation that you find yourself in. And people like you should be ashamed of themselves.

Yep I wonder how many people who are berating the op are in a similarly privileged position to ilovemypantry, retired with an income that isn't going to drop, furloughed, don't have to work, earn enough money that two weeks don't unpaid don't matter to them.

@newwnamme
I live pay check to pay check like a lot of people with children, no savings, everything you said, I have used all my annual 'sick pay' having to self isolate twice already, I now don't get paid if I have to go off again.

I do not work from home, I will lose half my month's money, but I can see why its important to take the test and isolate if needed.

I live in an area that was lowest cases, so everyone said F it and carried on, now we have one of the highest, Im sick of seeing people thinking they're immune or above everyone else and doing what they like.

Hundreds of people dying every day, but its only 1% so who cares, were the 99%

We live in a horrible society, when your neighbours can't even be bothered to help save the 1%...

Research from different countries has shown the key role of asymptomatic spreaders in Covid.

One Korean study found that 20% of its Covid+ respondents had no symptoms. No difference in their viral load was found - and these pellet were equally able to transmit as symptomatic patients.

So no symptoms is not a reason not to get tested if your workplace demands it.

patients not pellets! ^

I would have no issue at all for everyone to be tested regularly as long as they were getting full pay and support from employers.

But as that isn’t going to happen then I would be reluctant to be tested in their position.

Hell, even though I get paid I’m not keen to have to isolate!

Would the Test & Trace Support Payment be relevant here?

www.gov.uk/government/publications/test-and-trace-support-payment-scheme-claiming-financial-support/claiming-financial-support-under-the-test-and-trace-support-payment-scheme

Of course people don’t want to be routinely tested if they are not going to get paid as we know many have the virus with no symptoms

Some essential workers are being routinely tested we are at work (mh nhs) because it’s been a agreed by local authority we should be tested. Though others in my team are not and they work in low secure hospitals. They should be tested as they are seeing patients in the community and it seems many staff have caught it from their patients in the community

Your employer wouldn’t have in-house testing available if their wasn’t a compelling need. It’s an expensive program for them to run. They are trying to avoid a massive outbreak and complete shutdown.

Not getting a test is enough reason to fire you. Add in that you are on probation and I’m a bit surprised they haven’t done it already.

So you’d rather be walking around with the virus and passing it on to others? It’s people like you that are to blame for high rate of transmission and resulting hospitalisations and deaths

^That is a disgusting thing to say. I'd be ashamed to type out something so pathetic and vile.

I'm going back to page 1 to see if I can fill my bingo card. Have we had ventilators yet?

I suspect testing all NHS staff comes with another set of problems you may have a number of staff who are positive have no symptoms and there have been no outbreaks because they have full PPE (many nhs staff don’t it’s more basic)

For us the routine testing helps monitor the situation as we don’t have track and track on at work and many could be asymptomatic

RegularHumanBartender Thats a silly question. Of course we have had ventilators.

@PhatPhanny if it is genuinely the case that you would go beyond what is legally required of you [no-one here has said they would no self isolate with symptoms, or with positive test following this] despite the loss of half your month's wage, with no factors to mitigate this, then you are more community minded than most.

It's easy to be like @Ilovemypantry who clearly has not lost out financially from the events of 2020 and cast judgement on all those who own the fact that such sacrifices aren't feasible. And there will be some people who can isolate without losses and happily will do so - you can count me in that group. What apparently is a struggle for some people here to understand is that there are some people who simply do not share your sense of civic responsibility and, in the face of serious personal financial disadvantage, are just not going to do it.

All the statements in the world to the tune of 'we all have to do this' mean nothing in the face of some people saying 'I'm not going to', or in many people's case, saying nothing whatsoever but continuing to work to keep a roof over the heads. It's admirable - I guess - that you would make those sacrifices but its extremely naive if you think everyone else would do the same.

My personal feeling is that no-one else is looking out for me or making decisions in my interest - so I had better do that for myself and my family. It would be extremely hopeful of me to rely on society, the government or anyone else to feed and clothe my children and ensure our health and happiness. My decisions will be based on how best to achieve those things.

Someone on a ventilator is pretty invasive too.

Yep. And they have the same right to refuse medical procedures as the rest of us. This is a fundamental right. Please try to be more conscious of the value of what you seem prepared to throw away on others’ behalf.

I’m with you OP. If they are asking you to take a test when clinically it isn’t needed, then they should pay you for the two weeks you isolate.

I work in the NHS and I often wonder what will happen if routine testing takes place. I don’t think it will be longed for as it will end up with the wards being even more short staffed than they already are because asymptomatic staff will be sent home to isolate for two weeks (rightly so, of course).

I think my Matrons would go into panic mode if we all had to be routinely tested....

This is truly bizarre. Did they not have some kind of orientation/handout/message explaining to you that on-site testing was needed, even if you are asymptomatic, to avoid a huge factory outbreak? You’re acting like this is some weird nuisance and you don’t understand why they’re doing it. If they’re offering on-site testing, and paying for it, so regularly then they must be very concerned about it. You also haven’t mentioned if this is a factory that handles foodstuffs. Or if you have drivers that visit to pick up deliveries on the daily for countrywide or international delivery. A factory outbreak can have a huge COVID impact.

But I do agree it’s ridiculous to test people when you won’t pay them two weeks’ wages during isolation if they’re positive. This is part of why America’s COVID rates are so bad; almost no jobs have sick leave, and there is no NHS to pay for healthcare, so people just keep going to work sick, and avoid testing because they can’t afford to miss work, and can’t afford medical treatment anyway.

I’m sorry, OP; I don’t know what the solution is, but I would assume especially in a probationary period, you could be dismissed for refusing testing.

@Ilovemypantry You're a nasty piece of work. I'm not at all surprised to see that you're sitting comfortably with your pension coming in that won't be affected if you have to isolate. It's easy to stay at home and isolate when you're livelihood isn't at stake.

As I said, I live paycheque to paycheque therefore, I do my shopping paycheque to paycheque. If I missed two weeks pay I wouldn't get any money in those two weeks and because I live paycheque to paycheque after paying my bills and doing my food shop I don't have any money left over by the end of the week. So, you guessed it... selfish old me wouldn't have money to buy beans and toast to live on for a fortnight! As hard as it is to believe, @Ilovemypantry we don't all have a stocked pantry to love!! Crazy isn't it?!

I'll finish up by saying I work for the NHS so am paid in full for isolating and it doesn't affect my sick leave as it's counted as special leave so I am very very lucky in that regard. So I would be more than happy to sit on my arse and isolate for the foreseeable but my head isn't so far up my own arse that I can't understand why it wouldn't be possible for some. You are the governments dream, jumping online to blame the poor for being selfish and spreading covid and killing folk when the reality is it's down to the government. If they wanted people to stay at home and do their bit they would make it mandatory for people to be paid in full if they have to isolate and they would facilitate that.

Oops, didn't mean for half of that to be in bold.

Well said dazzling !!!!

Did some companies get paid or given some incentive to do mass testing - when care home staff, visitors etc etc can’t get regular tests?

@AcornAutumn

Did some companies get paid or given some incentive to do mass testing - when care home staff, visitors etc etc can’t get regular tests?

No, they re using private capacity.

Ask them what type of test it is. If it’s PCR, just decline on the basis that this should not be used for diagnostic testing, particularly for people with no symptoms. It should only be used to validate a medical diagnosis i.e. a medical professional suspects illness due to symptoms. PCR is being completely misused across the world - Kary Mullis would be turning in his grave.

If it’s not PCR and it’s an antigen test, ask what the false positive rate is, and ask what the process is if you test positive ie. will a second test be conducted?

If you decide to take one, make sure that you are covered financially ie. full ‘sick’ pay, if the result is positive.

Your income won't stop if you isolate.

I am lucky, I am now working from home - if I have to isolate I will tell my boss (who will be understanding) and continue working .... unless I am too ill to work in which case I will get sick pay.

I totally understand why someone doesn't want to be tested without good reason (i.e. symptoms) and loose income.

The unreasonable party here is the employer demanding their employees get tested without putting support in place.