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AIBU?

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Original poster

DH boss wont let him self isolate. What would you do?

111 replies

Skatastic · 06/01/2021 19:18

DH works in a retail shop that has stayed open to click and collect customers and phone orders. Worked with a female colleague all day on Monday both answering the same phone and working on the same computer. No hand sanitisers and no cleaner. Female colleague tested positive for COVID yesterday.

DH was told this morning then told he could "nip out" for a test then back to work. Boss says he doesn't need to isolate as he doesn't have symptoms. Boss says if he doesn't go to work he will get the sack.

What in the world of fuck can we do?

OP posts:
llllantisiliogogogoch · 06/01/2021 19:58

Unfortunately it is illegal to send around some very large men to the boss to scare him and make him need to change his underwear.

happytoday73 · 06/01/2021 19:59

As its a shop its not the HSE it's the local council Env health dept... They, like the HSE, are going random audits... Perhaps they could be contacted... Situation explained and a random audit happen 😉

Original poster
Skatastic · 06/01/2021 20:00

@Calmandmeasured1 I'm asking because without his wage and without a job we would be pretty stuck. We have been looking for something else for him for months but this whole global pandemic seems to have made finding new jobs a teeny bit tricky.

Definitely within 2m for more than 15 mins. The sales desk is not big and you have to squeeze past each other to get past.

OP posts:
Original poster
Skatastic · 06/01/2021 20:01

Oh we called the COVID reporting line thingy last lockdown because Twat Boss was just letting customers in. They called him and he just said no we are only open for phone orders, honest guv.

OP posts:
LakieLady · 06/01/2021 20:02

It's because of arseholes like your DH's boss that we're in the mess we're in, OP.

Definitely report.

1FootInTheRave · 06/01/2021 20:02

This is ridiculous.

No wonder we aren't gettibg rid of it. We never will at this rate.

cautiouscovidity · 06/01/2021 20:02

A test is completely pointless at this stage. The virus has an incubation period of 5-14 days. Therefore, your husband would likely have been exposed on Monday and wouldn't develop the virus himself until probably early next week.
Your husbands employer needs reporting for failing to provide a Covid safe environment to work in.

llllantisiliogogogoch · 06/01/2021 20:03

Someone could film him taking personal orders. Cameras can be a lot more than 2 metres away.

Speakuptomakeyourselfheard · 06/01/2021 20:03

I think your husband is entitled to ask to see the company risk assessment, if there isn't one, then he's entitled to leave if he doesn't feel safe. Obviously if they are frequently sharing phones and computers without adequate cleaning in between then it isn't safe - Have a read of this article:

www.unison.org.uk/coronavirus-rights-work/#heading-7

itsgettingweird · 06/01/2021 20:05

Maybe he needs the app. So at least he gets an exposure notification that way?

Frestba · 06/01/2021 20:08

Report to your local council environmental health department. They will keep you anonymous if you ask them to, although in a small company it might be obvious. They are visiting lots of businesses at the moment.

McCanne · 06/01/2021 20:10

People like your husband working for small employers have really been left in the lurch with this, I know someone who quite literally reported their own employer and nothing came of it. All those employees are just left at the mercy of their employers whims.

I’m so sorry you’re in this situation. Can he call ACAS? And also report his employer via HSE site. I know that doesn’t help your immediate situation.

curiouscat1987 · 06/01/2021 20:13

Id be very inclined to approach the local newspaper and anonymously report whats happening tbh. But obviously theres a chance the boss will know who it came from. Its a really rubbish situation and its awful hes doing this to you guys!!

ChristmasCovid · 06/01/2021 20:16

@Skatastic

I'm worried that even if he does test negative today that its too early to tell.

Cunty boss says no symptoms then you are in work. Even when our son had symptoms he said DH had to be in or sacked.

Fucking hell I could scream.

Positive colleague will be contacted by test & trace, and she can name direct contacts who will legally have to isolate. She will have been emailed a link to do it online in case it takes a while for the call to come as there are huge numbers to try and contact atm obviously, I would encourage her to do this.

If the boss is preventing her from giving contacts she can let t&t know who will alert public health to get in touch with the company.
Your husband should already be isolating if he has been within 1 metre of her for for than 1 minute or 1-2 metres for longer than 15 minutes, no matter what masks they are wearing.

maddening · 06/01/2021 20:18

It is true that you don't need to SI unless you have symptoms /get a positive result/ one of your household has symptoms or a positive result /you are contacted by track or trace etc.

But your dh has had close contact with a positive colleague - could he contact track and trace himself?, it is probably only a matter of time before your dh gets a text or email in any case.

Weallliveinamonkeysubmarine · 06/01/2021 20:19

Oh how unfortunate, your husband (or you) has now come down with a temperature and feeling under the weather. Or kids, as they spoke temperatures all the time ;-)

Then get the test as slowly as possible to hide you some time.

GypsyLee · 06/01/2021 20:28

Yes, call environmental health at the council.

ivykaty44 · 06/01/2021 20:29

Advising him to get a test is incorrect. At this stage it's almost certainly negative as he could still be in the incubation stage but infectious to others.

oh, ive been told to get test and stay home for 10 days, by my boss

RavingAnnie · 06/01/2021 20:29

Call ACAS, public health England (or whatever they are called now) and maybe the HSE. Regarding both the lack of allowing to isolate but also the lack of covid safe measures at work.

How long as he worked there? If over 2 years he can't just be sacked without good reason and without proper procedures being followed.

Rhiannon13 · 06/01/2021 20:29

They don't have sanitiser for the same reason they don't provide face masks.... because they don't.

Is there any reason why they don't buy their own? I know they shouldn't have to but...

hellejuice91 · 06/01/2021 20:33

If you are waiting for the results of a test you are expected to isolate anyway, as well as if you have been in close contact with someone. He needs to isolate and the business will get in trouble for not letting him

Foreverlexicon · 06/01/2021 20:36

Test and trace isn’t always accurate anyway.

A colleague of mine has tested positive. I was in a car with him for a couple of hours alongside another colleague a couple of days before. My other colleague got a notification and I didn’t despite me actually being nearer. However thankfully my line is work is very sensitive to this and therefore I’m isolating with no issues.

MrsHamlet · 06/01/2021 20:38

This is exactly how the lateral flow tests in schools were designed to work. Positive test isolates. Everyone else takes an LFT test daily for a number of days but carries on as normal. It's horrendous.

GettingTooOldForThis · 06/01/2021 20:39

Legally he doesn’t need to self isolate unless he gets symptoms, is told to by track and trace or the App tells him to (or the colleague lives in the same household/bubble.)

Morally and from a health and safety point of view close contacts of a positive case should of course self isolate.

PhoebeSnow · 06/01/2021 20:39

Why didn’t your husband get his own sanitizer for only himself to use?