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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Boss pushing me to break lockdown rules

95 replies

VapeVamp12 · 08/01/2021 18:45

I’m in a sales role and prior to lockdown a lot of this would have been on the road visiting customers etc.

Since March I’ve been mainly doing phone calls and also video meetings with customers and my sales have stayed quite steady, hitting my target 9 times in 10 months.

Today I customer called my office (we are all working from home and the phone is on divert to the boss).

A customer I have been trying to get hold of since about September complained they had not seen me in months. (I would usually pop in once a month prior to Covid). I record all my call attempts and have tried calling this customer 9 times in the last 8 weeks.

My boss called me very angry and said to get down there today. It’s 55 miles from where I live. I told him we shouldn’t be leaving our local areas etc. He sort of scoffed and laughed like I was being a wimp or something.

I phoned the customer and someone else answered and once I said who I was they said “oh yeah, john (customer, not his real name) is pretty pissed off with you - we haven’t seen you for months. I was quite taken aback and had to stop my self saying “do you not watch the news?”

I didn’t go today because I’m just not taking the risk but my boss and the customer have made me feel like I’m just being stupid. I’m not sure what to do because I think my boss will ask me again on Monday.

AIBU to really put my foot down and say I’m 100% not going any time soon.

To be clear what I sell are definitely not essential items! Also I feel like I’ve actually lost a lot of respect for my boss and the customer but I need my job

OP posts:
UntamedWisteria · 08/01/2021 19:45

@BBCONEANDTWO

So how come tradespeople can't work? This is very confusing.
Tradespeople can work.

Why do you think they can't?

LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett · 08/01/2021 19:47

They both sound like dinosaurs. Agree that you probably should go if it's a 'keep your job' scenario, but also agree you're right to be pissed off about it. I bet the next client on your route would be equally pissed off if you dropped in on them! Nowt as queer as folk.

vanillandhoney · 08/01/2021 20:00

@BBCONEANDTWO

So how come tradespeople can't work? This is very confusing.
They can work Confused
Original poster
VapeVamp12 · 08/01/2021 20:09

From what I gathered the only reason I can’t do it over zoom or whatever is that the customer “doesn’t do computers”

OP posts:
RaininSummer · 08/01/2021 20:21

I think you have to go but boss and client are being dicks and it isn't in the spirit of not making unecessary journeys is it?

Mummyoflittledragon · 08/01/2021 20:40

He will see you as equally unreasonable because you’re expecting him to use computers when he doesn’t. I’d go and see him this once and offer to set him up on zoom to keep each other safe. I imagine he’s older so he’s more at risk than a younger healthy person.

topcat2014 · 08/01/2021 20:45

There was never a rule about your work being essential. That was dreamt up by the papers.

Thus you can travel for work.

Admittedly all our sales team are wfh but our service engineers are travelling

user1487194234 · 08/01/2021 20:54

IMO it is legal and while I can see why you don't want to do it,if it is that or lose your job do you really have a choice

FFSAllTheGoodOnesArereadyTaken · 08/01/2021 21:07

The customer wants a visit. You've tried an alternative way and you've raised your objections but the customer still wants you to go and so your boss still wants you to go, which if you've not clinically vulnerable and given its still legal, is a reasonable demand. I dont think you can reasonably refuse to be honest. I'd go, provided its covid safe ie masks and distancing, and take a shitload of sanitiser

BBCONEANDTWO · 09/01/2021 00:51

I thought tradespeople could only work for essential purposes - e..g. boiler repair, emergency plumbing - have I got that wrong I'd be very happy if that was the case. In Scotland the law does seem to be that it's only essential trades - due to no mixing in houses.

peak2021 · 09/01/2021 07:26

No is a complete sentence.

My understanding is that visits are only for things such as decorating, electrical work, boiler repairs, not something that can be done remotely, and sales people can.

Tell your boss if he asks again that you consider it harassment, and advise you will be reporting this to the police if he asks a third time.

KatherineJaneway · 09/01/2021 07:38

Personally I think you are being unreasonable. You can legally travel for work, you're a salesperson and a customer wants to see you. I can see why your boss is angry. I'd go and see the customer talking the usual precautions.

BarbaraofSeville · 09/01/2021 07:44

@BBCONEANDTWO

I thought tradespeople could only work for essential purposes - e..g. boiler repair, emergency plumbing - have I got that wrong I'd be very happy if that was the case. In Scotland the law does seem to be that it's only essential trades - due to no mixing in houses.
Not mixing households is for social reasons.

It clearly says in the guidance that if you cannot work from home, you can go to work, including in people's homes, whether the work is essential or not.

Eg a decorator could still work even though decoration is usually a nice to have, rather than essential.

However, whether it is social or work contact, it should still be covid safe, so no hugging, not touching same items, stay apart, basically behave as if you have the virus, as we are now being told.

OP, you should be able to contact this client over zoom, but it seems that he's stuck his head in the sand for the last 10 months and resisted joining everyone else in the new normal as far as doing business is concerned. I'd make sure both he and your boss know that you have tried to make contact, but possibly go visit, but make a big show about socially distancing, hand sanitising etc.

Fatladyslim · 09/01/2021 07:45

@peak2021

No is a complete sentence.

My understanding is that visits are only for things such as decorating, electrical work, boiler repairs, not something that can be done remotely, and sales people can.

Tell your boss if he asks again that you consider it harassment, and advise you will be reporting this to the police if he asks a third time.

Award for the best post of the day!Daffodil

Can you imagine that phone call to the police! Please please please can you write a script as to how you see that conversation going @peak2021?

DrWankincense · 09/01/2021 07:47

I think the whole situation sounds weird.
Your boss should have you, his employee, as a priority and support you regardless of his personal opinion of the current situation. Just because you can travel for work doesn't mean you should if it isn't necessary.
The customer 'doesn't do computers'. Tough shit, that's his lookout in this day and age.
He presumably can use a telephone. Just seems like a weird powerplay?
Unless there is a specific business reason for you to meet with him, I would refuse.

Seasaltyhair · 09/01/2021 07:47

Honestly if you want to keep your job - go. You can travel for work and you can wear PPE.

Seasaltyhair · 09/01/2021 07:51

Tell your boss if he asks again that you consider it harassment, and advise you will be reporting this to the police if he asks a third time

Grin

I don’t think people realise how many women are being made redundant right how due to childcare issues Even though they desperately trying to stay in work. OP is perfectly able to travel for work, SD and wear PPE. I think people have become too used to working from home and feel entitled to feel aggrieved when they are asked to go back to actual work.

impostersyndrome · 09/01/2021 07:53

YANBU, but if you’re obliged to do this, remember that it’s not just social distancing, and masks, but the room you meet in should be ventilated before you arrive and all through the meeting. A window left a crack at the least.

PleasantVille · 09/01/2021 07:54

@peak2021

No is a complete sentence.

My understanding is that visits are only for things such as decorating, electrical work, boiler repairs, not something that can be done remotely, and sales people can.

Tell your boss if he asks again that you consider it harassment, and advise you will be reporting this to the police if he asks a third time.

Have you ever had a job?

If so doing what, I'd consider a career change to one where you can tell your boss “no”

What a load of bollocks

movingonup20 · 09/01/2021 07:54

The customer is being very unreasonable. I would suggest speaking to the customer and suggesting a zoom meeting this month and to pencil in a date for late feb in the hope the stay at home order has been lifted. Technically you can travel for work but only if it can't be done from home which this reasonably can

peak2021 · 09/01/2021 07:57

@PleasantVille yes and am wfh. I am not allowed to visit suppliers and none have asked me to visit.

PleasantVille · 09/01/2021 08:01

[quote peak2021]@PleasantVille yes and am wfh. I am not allowed to visit suppliers and none have asked me to visit.[/quote]
And from that you conclude that the rest of us can tell our employers that we won't carry out our jobs in a perfectly legal way and then report them to the police Confused

That makes absolutely no sense at all,

peak2021 · 09/01/2021 08:01

@Seasaltyhair yes I realise about unreasonable bosses. Hence I would have had the 'work from home if you can' guidance include a number of professions where it was obligatory, and had proper penalties and enforcement.

Around 80,000 people have died from the virus and many more because of delayed hospital treatment or not seeking medical help. A company having sales calls and account management by phone, Zoom or some other remote method is the least that should happen.

peak2021 · 09/01/2021 08:03

@PleasantVille employers and employees have a joint duty about health and safety.

Notgoingouttoday · 09/01/2021 08:05

I am very confused by this. I am self employed and sell non-essential goods and services so have assumed i have to stop during lockdown as I can't visit my customers. Just because we are allowed to travel for work, surely doesn't mean we can travel if our job is restricted.