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AIBU?

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Original poster

Partner’s Colleague Came To Work Despite Daughter’s School Being Shut Early

89 replies

CatherineHale · 23/12/2020 05:52

My partner’s colleague has been coming into work since Dec 10th. (It’s 23rd Dec at the time of writing this). His daughter’s school was shut early due to a COVID outbreak. The colleague never mentioned this until yesterday (22nd). He only mentioned it after it turned out her test result was positive. Turns out the whole family were asked by the school to get tested over the weekend. They all got tested on the 20th. His results came back negative. He never once mentioned the school being closed/the outbreak. He also never mentioned that they all had to be tested over the weekend - only mentioned on the 22nd that the daughter had tested positive.

AIBU in thinking that’s highly irresponsible and dangerous?! Most colleagues are working from home from their office due to their roles allowing them to do so but this colleague needs to be in the building due to the nature of his job. My partner said they work in different areas of the same building but obviously share a front door/kitchen; but he feels like he doesn’t need to isolate and get a test at any point because they have so little actual contact. I’m really annoyed at his colleague but also annoyed at my partner for seemingly being so lax about it all. I’m not seeing my parents this year for obvious reasons - and my partner isn’t doing the same (his father has cancer). I find the colleague’s attitude really horrible and am wondering if someone can be fired for knowingly coming into work when their child is supposed to be isolating at home?!? At no point did he think to mention it to my partner who is his boss?!?!

OP posts:
Hercwasonasnowball · 23/12/2020 10:33

Once he knew she was positive he did stay home

PurpleMustang · 23/12/2020 10:50

Once his daughter was positive he should of been isolating as a close contact and also once tested should not have gone anywhere either (although should of been at home anyway)

ImPrincessAurora · 23/12/2020 11:22

Without quoting a barrage of guidance this is my understanding.

  • The person (DD) who is a close contact isolates. At this point the rest of the household is free to go to work.
  • This person can get a test without symptoms if instructed to do so by a health professional or similar organisation ie school.
  • Once this person has their test the whole household needs to isolate.
  • if the test is negative the close contact remains in isolation and the rest of the household are free to mix.
  • if the test is positive the whole household remains in isolation until the end of the stipulated period.

I think it would’ve been courteous to have informed their employer of the situation but they were under no obligation to do so until the child was instructed to get a test.

Once the child was instructed to get a test the employee should have remained at home.

Whether it is a disciplinary matter would be something for your husband to investigate if he was so inclined. Again whether your husband gets a test would depend on whether he is displaying any symptoms or whether he has been instructed to do so by a health professional or other organisation, for example his employer.

ImPrincessAurora · 23/12/2020 11:25

@Princessdebthe1st wasn’t the child instructed to test because she was a known close contact of a positive case?

MadameButterface · 23/12/2020 11:31

His answers are disjointed and unclear because the guidance is disjointed and unclear, hth

OhWhyNot · 23/12/2020 11:37

No he doesn’t need to be tested unless colleague is positive and they had contact in the last 48 hours or he himself has symptoms

If you are out and about you are highly likely to come in contact with people who are positive

Think about it if we all had to self isolate because someone we live with had been in contact with someone who is positive hardly anyone would be at work. And then there are many of us who have regularly been in contact with someone who is police

Original poster
CatherineHale · 23/12/2020 15:05

Update: He texted the WhatsApp group (didn’t use work email) to say he’s taken a LFD test and it’s positive. The nurse said we now should isolate too.

OP posts:
Original poster
CatherineHale · 23/12/2020 15:09

@ImPrincessAurora Thank you for your response. As per my previous comment he said his only ‘symptom’ was feeling fatigued. Not sure if that means he shouldn’t have come into work.

He’s since said he shouldn’t have come in at all - and ‘obviously’ not whilst awaiting test results.

If it was so ‘obvious’, not sure why he went to work!!

OP posts:
nosswith · 23/12/2020 15:16

The colleague should be dismissed on health and safety grounds. If what the OP says is correct

PurpleHoodie · 23/12/2020 15:20

Oh give over.

OhWhyNot · 23/12/2020 15:26

Sorry to hear that it’s a worry and a pita

He won’t get disciplined

He didn’t have any of the three symptoms

The waiting for results doesn’t always apply (again due to situation at work we have been routinely tested we couldn’t possibly wait for results we would be too short staffed)

HelloDulling · 23/12/2020 15:29

Who are the nurses that you keep hearing from, OP? The test and trace people?

Waveysnail · 23/12/2020 15:57

I thought as soon as you take a test you isolate and wait for the results. So if whole family were tested and his dd came back positive, even if his were negative the family should isolate.

Original poster
CatherineHale · 23/12/2020 17:16

@HelloDulling The nurses are nurses from private practices that do home visits - which is how he got his test (and his for his family) - and how everyone else in the company got theirs too.

It’s a mess now. The story just keeps unfolding. Wine is needed.

OP posts:
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