To refuse to work tomorrow?

[QuestionableMouse]

It's been hell today. No heating. No hot water. Door playing up because of the wind so at times we've had snow and sleet blowing in. It's fucking freezing. I'm also really feeling the cold due to anemia so once I get cold it takes me an age to get warm again.

I'm meant to be on a ten hour shift tomorrow but I'm honestly thinking about ringing in sick because it's so damn cold. I did a temp and it was 12c on the dining area. Manager refuses to close and it'll be the same tomorrow.

Wibu to refuse to work?

[quote Helpstopthepain]@Gwenhwyfar I agree which is why I said not to go in. I was just saying that I wear thermals at work, not that it’s acceptable.[/quote]
Fair enough, but thermals won't be enough imo. Some people have to work outside and that's part of the deal. This is not the case for the OP so she needs to be in humane conditions.

Many people have to work in the cold.
MOT garages.
Warehouses.
Outdoors jobs.

Take a small hot air fan in if you’re sitting down in an office job. It will only be temporary Im sure.
I work in a warehouse and am ‘bone cold’ for 8 hours a day. Just have to layer up and keep active.

@THisbackwithavengeance

It's people pulling sickies that means that people who are genuinely sick get treated like shit and disbelieved.

Plus it means that you leave your colleagues in the shit.

It's always the same people who are always "sick". Ringing up 5 mins before they are due to start with a pitiful bleating voice and fake cough.

Pathetic.

I've had exactly ten (10) days off this year and that was with Covid. Less last year.

And I wouldn't be pulling a sickie - I'd be telling them exactly why I wasn't going in.

It's a McDonald's. We had snow blowing into the dining area today. They should have closed but the business manager said no. Wasn't him freezing though.

@KeepPortlandWeird

Many people have to work in the cold. MOT garages. Warehouses. Outdoors jobs.

Take a small hot air fan in if you’re sitting down in an office job. It will only be temporary Im sure.
I work in a warehouse and am ‘bone cold’ for 8 hours a day. Just have to layer up and keep active.

It's not an office job and I'm not allowed to take a heater in. Also can't wear anything other than the uniform (long sleeved shirt and trousers) because it's not allowed.

Volunteer to do the ironing all day (staff iron aprons and uniform - Ive seen them through the drive-in serving window taking orders whilst ironing!) or flip burgers next to the hot stoves. Then you’ll be toasty all day until the heating gets fixed.

I'm regularly in and out of a minus 18 freezer! That's cold!

@Elderflower14

I'm regularly in and out of a minus 18 freezer! That's cold!

Are you stood in front of the freezer door for ten hours? Because that's essentially my day tomorrow.

Look, you have two choices here, anaemia or not : put on some layers, or pull a sickie.

If you’re feeling guilty enough about a sickie that you need to moot it online, you know that it’s wrong already, so just wear leggings or tights under your work trews, and put some layers on under your top.

If your manager says he’ll sack you because you’re not in full uniform, he’s bluffing. He runs a franchise branch (otherwise he wouldn’t be worried about sales if they closed for repairs) so be the reliable employee who never pulls sickies and he’ll ensure you’re not sacked.

@Paradisebeach many people work in the cold, we can’t all ring in sick if it gets too chilly. Dress appropriately and go in to work. Don’t be that skiving employee who gives the rest of us a bad name!

It's not franchised. It's a company store. BM is just very sales focused and has form for this kind of behaviour. 😣

Not feeling guilty, just wasn't sure if I was BU.

And just for the record, I worked outside for many years. Wasn't so bad because at least then I could have layers/hat/gloves.

It's not an office job and I'm not allowed to take a heater in. Also can't wear anything other than the uniform (long sleeved shirt and trousers) because it's not allowed.

That's where layers come in.

Thermal underwear, a t-shirt and long johns under the uniform.

Always have the uniform ordered a little too big to account for the winter layers.

Unless you live in the middle of nowhere, get thee to a supermarket that has clothes and look for long sleeved t-shirts the same colour as the shirt, tights or leggings (if long johns aren't available), extra warm socks and gloves the same colour as the uniform.

It is illegal for it to be open in the uk without hot water

How do you clean if there’s no hot water. How about washing hands after using the toilet ? Does that not breach health & safety?

You can refuse to work in unsafe conditions - which this is, as it doesn't meet minimum temperature requirements. And you're not even allowed to mitigate the cold with appropriate clothing.

I'm guessing customers don't want to sit down either - the food must be going cold before it's eaten...

If it’s a Mac Donald’s what are they doing about water? How do you wash your hands?

Fuck that, I wouldn't be going in.

If it were an office where I could wear a coat, gloves scarf- sure I might stick it out but not way would I be wearing a flimsy uniform in 12c.

I’d be more concerned about no hot water in a place handling food tbh.

Gross

@Gingernaut

Unless you live in the middle of nowhere, get thee to a supermarket that has clothes and look for long sleeved t-shirts the same colour as the shirt, tights or leggings (if long johns aren't available), extra warm socks and gloves the same colour as the uniform.

A couple of people on the thread suggesting someone pay their own money to mitigate an employer's recklessness.

Why? Employers aren't gods, they aren't automatically to be deferred to, sometimes they're doing the wrong thing and need to be told.

@jesusmaryjosephandtheweedonkey

It is illegal for it to be open in the uk without hot water

This

@Divebar2021

How do you clean if there’s no hot water. How about washing hands after using the toilet ? Does that not breach health & safety?

We had a hand wash station thing that heats the water for staff hand washing, but the customer loos only have cold water.

They also got a hot water urn thingy for hot water for cleaning.

@Gingernaut

Unless you live in the middle of nowhere, get thee to a supermarket that has clothes and look for long sleeved t-shirts the same colour as the shirt, tights or leggings (if long johns aren't available), extra warm socks and gloves the same colour as the uniform.

I have all of that. The thing is, I'm not allowed to wear it. I have to stick to the uniform.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO TO WORK IF IT'S THAT COLD!

You've measured it at 12 degrees, tell your manager to read his health and safety manual!

Don't phone in sick but do call HR for advice.