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?

I have all of that. The thing is, I'm not allowed to wear it. I have to stick to the uniform. I think you should report then to whoever you're supposed to report health and safety concerns too. I don't think you should go in either. Do you belong to a union? But I'm curious, do they check under your uniform for thermals?!

Well if they won't let you layer up to keep warm then I wouldn't work either. They can't have it both ways.

How would they check if you wore thermals under the uniform? They can't demand you lift up your top to prove?

tell them to read the guidlines on tempratures

I’m not allowed to wear anything but my uniform either but it’s like underwear! No one can see my thermals and no one knows if I’m wearing knickers!

Raise it with higher management.

I mean it sounds awful but wear layers/thermals/leave if need be

Come off it. If OP is in the UK, this situation is unlawful. OP shouldn't be condoning it in any shape or form.

Absolutely call and say you aren't coming in. Your health comes way before a bloody McDonald's who would happily replace you in ten seconds flat.

It sounds horrible and cold, but you are exaggerating for effect. No one can stop you wearing thermal underwear - and that will make a big difference in keeping out the cold.

You also said there’s no hot water, but then said you have a hot water urn for cleaning and a hot water tap for staff hand washing.

Those contradictions make me wonder if it really is as horrifically cold as you say, or whether it’s just a bit nippy and you just need some warm undies…. 🤷‍♀️

If it absolutely is 12 degrees, that’s below the legal working temperature and that needs to be pointed out. You shouldn’t be working in a room that is that cold.

Also the McDs staff in my local branches often wear little body warmer things on top of their shirts so the McDs uniform does have warmer options - maybe ask your manager about that for the future.

@ShaneTheThird

Absolutely call and say you aren't coming in. Your health comes way before a bloody McDonald's who would happily replace you in ten seconds flat.

Yeah and then who pays her bills when she no longer has a job because she's chosen to just not turn up rather than following proper procedures?

I'd not go in but I'm sure he'd legally have to close in those sort of circumstances. X

You should all not turn in.

Have a day off!

@Lostmyheart101

Life’s to short to work 10 hours in that freezing cold!

Take the day off if you can afford it, go get yourself some lovely soup and a box of chocolates and enjoy it by the fire

I love this 😂🙏🏻

[quote KeepPortlandWeird]@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![/quote]
She can't dress appropriately!

@QuestionableMouse you keep saying you have to wear the uniform but thermal base layers wouldn't be visible under the uniform.

Don’t go in and spend the day doing your cv. There are other jobs, other sectors.

I’ve said YABU because it would be dishonest to call in sick. I would however go in with a thermometer and a print out of the health and safety regs PP put a link to and explain that you are leaving as unsafe workplace. And then go home. Take a photo of the thermometer etc so you have all the evidence.

It’s not acceptable to fake a sickie. Not only is it childish and deceitful, plus puts you in the wrong, it wouldn’t actually solve the problem - are you going to throw a sickie every time it’s cold? Your employer needs to ensure an acceptable temperature. There is no legal minimum temperature but employers have a duty for it to be ‘reasonable’ and the guidance on this is 16C. You say the manager won’t close the business but she should look at putting out extra heaters, etc. You and your colleagues should speak to your manager about heating, fixing the door etc. Then if she refuses you need to escalate it. You don’t say what the business is but mention a dining room- customers won’t want to freeze surely! Good luck.

Did you go in today @QuestionableMouse?

I really don't get why you say you can't wear long johns or a vest under your uniform, they're hardly likely to check are they?! I have to wear uniform for work as well but no one cares what I wear underneath it!

Incidentally there's actually no legal minimum temperature although there is guidance. I'm guessing if you're working in McDonald's it would count as physical work for these purposes so would be towards the lower end of the scale.

YANBU to be pissed off about being cold though! Btw is your employer aware of your medical condition and how it affects you?

www.gov.uk/workplace-temperatures

Thermal underwear & a thin uniform is not enough when it’s this cold.
All very well people saying I work doing x,y,z & it’s colder - you can probably wear appropriate clothes

@QuestionableMouse

I wonder what you decided to do? The thing is a Mac Donald's will be warmer behind the counter in the kitchen so I wonder if that's how they got away with it

It does sound awful though it is very cold out and i can imagine few customers stayed if it was that cold inside in the dining area!
I'm hope you got it resolved

I would say no, I would if I was you, say you have a stomach bug, I guess you work in food? Or somewhere that serves food, so you cannot work with stomach problems. But surely no heating or hot water, isn't great, let alone the door not shutting.

@QuestionableMouse

Did you go in today or not?

Did you report the temperature?

Did you wear thermals? They cannot police your underwear!