Should I go to work tomorrow?

[NC1001]

Name changed.

Background: I’m a pharmacy technician working in community pharmacy. My role is a roving role, so I work at 30+ different pharmacies depending on where needs me. I’m 20 weeks pregnant. My employer hasn’t carried out a risk assessment yet.

I’ve asked to be based in a maximum of 3 branches at the moment. The one they have asked me be in most is out of convenience for them (they have a vacancy there to fill so short staffed) rather than concern for me. It’s a small branch, not able to socially distance but wearing face masks. Company procedure is that cleaning should be carried out 4 times a day minimum, and all staff should have their temperature taken on arrival. I’ve been there for the past 2 days, and have observed one brief instance of cleaning in that time and no temperatures taken. I raised it with the manager today whose response wasn’t very reassuring, and I doubt things will change tomorrow as I raised it at lunchtime today and he said nothing to the rest of the team all day. I have told head office about the issues and I was basically told to deal with it.

My issue now is, do I continue to work there tomorrow? Part of me wants to say that I don’t feel comfortable or safe working there until they can demonstrate that they are following covid procedures. I don’t feel like I should be put in a position where I’m the one enforcing this and being there whilst it’s still a work in progress. I know that the official guidance is that it’s only post 28 weeks pregnancy that you should WFH (NHS at least), but surely without a risk assessment having been carried out I shouldn’t be putting myself at extra risk regardless? I don’t want to be awkward but I do want to feel safe at work.

AIBU? What would you do?

YABU - go to work
YANBU - don’t go to work

Help! Trying to decide tonight!

I wouldn’t go in. I would assess based on your own knowledge of the branches you have been at recently which is likely to follow the rules. I would ask to go there. Or say that you will only visit the other 2 branches on the list.

Unless you desperately need the money, don't go into work if you don't feel safe.
Email management explaining everything: why you haven't gone in & what needs to improve to make the workplace covid secure.

It’s absolutely appalling that a pharmacy would put you in that position. Have they said when why will risk assess you? YANBU. Are you a member of a union?

Look for the thread about envoking section 44 of the employment rights act, maybe it applies to you??

I think at 20 weeks you're at the point where your smp is based on your earnings over a few weeks around this stage of your pregnancy (can't remember he exact weeks but think it's 17-25 weeks or something).
As pp said, if you don't need to be stringent in maximising your pay, don't go in.
I don't imagine they'll change much though.

I wouldn’t go in, but I would get very clear on the legalities first- send them an email setting out in detail why they have made it unsafe for you to be at work.

@SparklingLime I’m not part of a union.

The annoying part is that I can actually do work from home, I do it quite often when there isn’t demand for me in any branches. So realistically, I could and should be working from home! But it’s more convenient for them to have me somewhere short staffed til they fill the vacancy. There is a team of around 5 of us doing this role, so I am not an absolute necessity.

To clarify, I am not suggesting I don’t work tomorrow. Just that I don’t work in branch tomorrow. I have asked to work from home tomorrow, and advised them that I won’t be working in that particular branch until they follow procedures. Interested to see what the say. I feel nervous and guilty and not sure why.

It’s probably not a coincidence that the branch that’s being badly run is the one with an unfilled vacancy, and head office are probably fully aware of the problems. It’s impossible to say what you should do without knowing how it would impact you financially but I’d prioritise my health over my job if I could.

Good for you OP. The guilt is probably just from the unfamiliar feeling of standing firm and putting yourself first! I think you’ve done the right thing and if they are a good company they will respect you for it. There are no prizes for being a doormat. I hope it goes well.

Unfortunately this is common in pharmacy. Too much work and too little support. I've been off sick for a while but we never had time to clean "properly" and only in the early days when we had protected time when we got to close for lunch and first/last hour was any cleaning ever really done at all.

I seriously wish pregnant women were protected like in the first lockdown. Now it's just get on with it- in workplaces that are not covid secure. A mask and some hand gel is not enough when you're standing so close to other staff you bump into each other, share computers, have patient contact all day.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-pregnant-employees/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-pregnant-employees

Updated today to include pregnancy under 28 weeks

@Blackhawk12 thank you! I should really be working from home then as they haven’t done a risk assessment and when they do, they wont be able to mitigate or remove the risks.

That’s awful op, I work in construction and they’re absolutely on top of stuff like this, they’re being incredibly strict (for which I’m grateful for) so basically just saying you’re absolutely NBU.

People have to make some tough calls right now

I really empathise , and you should stand your ground

It’s totally shit

I left pharmacy because of this kind of crap treatment of employees. I think your solution sounds reasonable

As a nurse, I would say don't work. Either get signed off sick or get them to properly risk assess. If you don't work the world won't fall over and you and baby will be safe.

I would go in with a packet of antiviral wipes and immediately wipe everything down from area I would be working in, door handles, toilet flush, taps, kettle and anything else I might handle, then wear tight fitting rubber gloves and a medical quality mask. Take in antiviral hand wash if employer not providing any. Rub it into hands every couple of hours. I have a gun thermometer and both adult sons use it everyday when they go out to work and again when they return. Also as soon as you get home from work shower and put clothes in to wash. I insist adult sons do that too as DH CV. A lot of employers are not providing masks and gloves but my adult sons just provide their own. One drives s lorry and uses own antiviral wipes to wipe over steering wheel, door handles, gears and dash board before he sets off every day, provides his own clean mask each day and takes a spare, wears gloves when unloading and buys his own hand gel. It is not expensive and then you know you have everything you need. Most people already have masks and hand gel at the very least. B&Q do gloves and you can get antiviral wipes anywhere, probably at chemist to will be working in. I don't know what else an assessment would say you needed.

A pharmacy not properly cleaning in non-Covid times would be bad enough. Unless you know that you will be able to ensure the cleaning is done, don't go in.

Does anyone know where I can access a generic pregnancy covid risk assessment? I’m going to need to do my own as they aren’t doing it.

@caringcarer I can’t do my job with thick rubber gloves on. And it seems a bit futile for me to clean yet for no one else to do the same. The staff at that branch don’t take things seriously, often joke about new procedures etc. Constantly bumping into people because it’s too small and we have to work on top of each other. I’m not exposing myself to the extra risk.

Your choice. I was just making a suggestion of what I would do.

@caringcarer I appreciate that. If I wasn’t pregnant, that’s likely what I would do. I’m just getting increasingly concerned about my employers lack of concern for my well-being I guess.