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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Colleague started coughing and sniffling halfway through the day but just sat there

496 replies

JesusIsAnyNameFree · 28/10/2021 17:27

This isn't a guy who has allergies or anything, it just came on all of a sudden.
I legged it after an hour or two of his random coughs and sniffles. AIBU here or should he have buggered off to WFH after the 3rd or 4th cough? Fun, the wait begins!

OP posts:
PrincessPaws · 28/10/2021 17:46

@daisypond

How can he just “bugger off to WFH”? Who can unanimously decide that? Surely that would get him sacked.
An awful lot of offices have implemented policies which expect you to do exactly that. You are more likely to get into trouble for breaching the covid policy than by following it...
ShanghaiDiva · 28/10/2021 17:46

@JesusIsAnyNameFree

Seeing as the rule is you're not welcome in the office with any coughs, runny noses, weird headaches, fevers or sore throats where I work, I clearly know I'm not being unreasonable in the slightest.

But it's eye-opening to see how people still don't get it. Well, on mumsnet anyway (and this one asshole).

If you are so confident in your assumption that YANB, why start a thread?
driftcompatible · 28/10/2021 17:46

He coughed four times and your manager didn't shoot him in the face?

It's staggering how lax people are becoming tbh. You should be burying his body right now not telling us about your workplace incompetencies on mumsnet.

Thanks
JesusIsAnyNameFree · 28/10/2021 17:46

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

PinkWaferBiscuit · 28/10/2021 17:46

I do know he doesn't have fucking allergies

You don't though, you just think you do. Why would he feel the need to tell you if he does, it's none of your business.

GreenWheat · 28/10/2021 17:47

Good grief. I really dislike the use of the phrase "don't get it" when what you actually mean is "do not share my ridiculous level of risk aversion ".

Original poster
JesusIsAnyNameFree · 28/10/2021 17:47

@Ijustknowitstimetogo

I don’t see why he can’t just work from home if he can anyway. In fact why can’t everyone? Why do people need to be crammed in an office? It’s unnatural and mostly not necessary.
Good question. We can all work from home. We all sit at our desks and don't move. Nothing is f2f. But the big man wants us there, for reasons.
OP posts:
LorenzoVonMatterhorn · 28/10/2021 17:48

I clearly know I'm not being unreasonable in the slightest. Grin Hmm
Yabridiculous.

Ijustknowitstimetogo · 28/10/2021 17:49

Yeah reasons. It’s pure control freakery and justifying unneeded ‘management’ jobs.

Hankunamatata · 28/10/2021 17:49

if he is symptomatic then he has been contagious for at least the last two days

LadyTiredWinterBottom2 · 28/10/2021 17:49

I really think this depends on the measures your workplace has put in to respond to this situation.

If coughing more than once is a trigger, yanbu.

To be honest l am over it now. We just need to get on with it and hope for the best. We can't keep shutting ourselves away.

Original poster
JesusIsAnyNameFree · 28/10/2021 17:49

@PinkWaferBiscuit

I do know he doesn't have fucking allergies

You don't though, you just think you do. Why would he feel the need to tell you if he does, it's none of your business.

Gonna start ignoring you seeing as you've decided I'm a liar. Kisskiss
OP posts:
Mynameismargot · 28/10/2021 17:50

@PinkWaferBiscuit

I do know he doesn't have fucking allergies

You don't though, you just think you do. Why would he feel the need to tell you if he does, it's none of your business.

Oh ffs she clearly means that him coughing and sniffling at his desk where she has sat beside him for 10 years isn't a usual occurrence like it might be is he has allergies. Why is everyone so bloody literal around here?
HaudYerWheeshtYaWeeBellend · 28/10/2021 17:50

JesusIsAnyNameFree

I think you should read the WHO guidance instead of making up your own interpretation!!!

You stated he should have buggered of home after random coughs and sniffles over a period of time.... after he coughed 3 or 4 times.... can you explain in your OP where this explains to us he had persistent bouts of coughing.... or should we all just have a crystal ball Hmm

I didn’t ask you to take his temp Hmm I asked did he have a temp, you know by ASKING HIM etc...

From the info you’ve provided it screams of a common cold!!! In which you don’t need to be legging it out of the office due to him having random coughs and sniffles (again random does not remotely mean persistent!)

Original poster
JesusIsAnyNameFree · 28/10/2021 17:50

@Hankunamatata

if he is symptomatic then he has been contagious for at least the last two days
And luckily for me, the last 2 days were spent at home. So today was the first day he could give it to me.
OP posts:
PinkWaferBiscuit · 28/10/2021 17:51

Oh fuck off. He is senior enough that he decides that. Surprised at how much you know about my office

Cool so if you can just up and leave as soon as you cough once surely the simple logical solution is for you to cough and go home.

CallMeNutribullet · 28/10/2021 17:51

Op if you've been colleagues that long could you not just suggest he buggered off?

SummaLuvin · 28/10/2021 17:52

I sometimes cough because I manage to choke on my own spit, not exactly contagious....

HalfShrunkMoreToGo · 28/10/2021 17:52

If it was a new onset of symptoms and he hadn't already done a test then yes he should have left and isolated at home till he got the results of his PCR.

If he has already done a PCR and got a negative result then it's just a cold/virus and he's ok to be at work, although personally I'd prefer people with a cold not to spread them around because no one wants to catch a cold.

Mynameismargot · 28/10/2021 17:52

@PinkWaferBiscuit

Oh fuck off. He is senior enough that he decides that. Surprised at how much you know about my office

Cool so if you can just up and leave as soon as you cough once surely the simple logical solution is for you to cough and go home.

She went home, it is right there in her OP.
Cbeebiesrehab · 28/10/2021 17:54

I’m unsure why you started this thread just to respond to posters disagreeing with you passively aggressively and using unnecessary swearing. If him coughing is making you this angry maybe talk to him instead of swearing at randoms on the internet?

Original poster
JesusIsAnyNameFree · 28/10/2021 17:54

@HaudYerWheeshtYaWeeBellend

JesusIsAnyNameFree

I think you should read the WHO guidance instead of making up your own interpretation!!!

You stated he should have buggered of home after random coughs and sniffles over a period of time.... after he coughed 3 or 4 times.... can you explain in your OP where this explains to us he had persistent bouts of coughing.... or should we all just have a crystal ball Hmm

I didn’t ask you to take his temp Hmm I asked did he have a temp, you know by ASKING HIM etc...

From the info you’ve provided it screams of a common cold!!! In which you don’t need to be legging it out of the office due to him having random coughs and sniffles (again random does not remotely mean persistent!)

Well, i thought it was pretty clear I didn't mean a little clearing your throat-cough.
OP posts:
Batshittery · 28/10/2021 17:54

No point to the thread if you don't think YABU.
I think you are.

VillanellesOrangeCoat · 28/10/2021 17:55

If you were worried did you have a conversation with him about the work policy?

Tailendofsummer · 28/10/2021 17:57

We wouldn't have been able to work from home but if it was a persistent cough we'd have to PCR and be off till it came back. Was he at least wearing a mask?
No one wants a cold now, if it affects you in a Covid-similar way will cause all sorts of problems