Office is still open

[Junesopramo]

My office is still open. Over Christmas I was exposed via a family member and also in the new year.

I don’t think I’m eligible for a PCR and none are available in my area, no symtoms.

We can work from home, we did it for 15 months.

Surely with Boris telling us to close the office, we should close the office? A couple of employees did get covid before Christmas. I don’t believe lateral flows are mandatory. We’ve been asked to buy a certain type of mask and they will reimburse.

Aibu by refusing to go to the office?

do you want to keep your job? if so, yabu

YABVU, do you stay locked indoors at weekends? If not, then you should go to work - I find it funny some people have no issue going pubs or shopping but have an issue going to work!

I thought the rule now was if you’re exposed do LFT for seven days?

The work from home advice is ‘if you can’ so yes, your workplace should really be offering it right now, what’s their reason for wanting people in?

Of course you need to go in. If that’s your contractual place of work and your employer wants you to go in then you must. The wfh message is guidance not legislation.

@betwixtlives

do you want to keep your job? if so, yabu

You must be in a weird company that would sack an employee.

@LawnFever

I thought the rule now was if you’re exposed do LFT for seven days?

The work from home advice is ‘if you can’ so yes, your workplace should really be offering it right now, what’s their reason for wanting people in?

I don’t know I really can’t make sense of the rules.

I’ve had my vaccines, can you provide guidance? Track and trace haven’t contacted me as the family member let me know (they honestly couldn’t be bothered to provide details for 20 people).

I don’t know many companies that would not at least instigate disciplinary proceedings if an employee refused to attend work.

YABU.

I think most companies sack you for not going to work 🤣

“ You must be in a weird company that would sack an employee”

what? Was the rest of that sentence missing?

@bagheaven

YABVU, do you stay locked indoors at weekends? If not, then you should go to work - I find it funny some people have no issue going pubs or shopping but have an issue going to work!

Yes I literally do.

Exercise is in a well vented outside gym.

Supermarket shopping is delivered.

Live alone.

I don’t want to put my family members at risk… I didn’t want to isolate at Christmas.

All test and trace would have done was sent you a text saying as a fully vaccinated person you should get a test. No need to isolate.

YANBU. My company are super careful and
Would hate for anybody to come down with covid due to being in the office.

I’m working from home…. Laptop, working from home.

If you’re working from home what’s the problem?

@Comefromaway

All test and trace would have done was sent you a text saying as a fully vaccinated person you should get a test. No need to isolate.

PCR?

Or office is WFH unless customer facing role.

@Pushmepullyou

If you’re working from home what’s the problem?

They don’t really like it.

It was pcr when Ds caught Covid but now it’s lateral flow for 7 days.

Maybe you are not as productive out of the office as you think.

Long-term permanent WFH would be devastating for the economy, create an unhealthy insular society, and lock millions out of certain jobs (which would only be possible for those privileged enough to have a suitable work from home environment).

However, temporarily thanks to the lack of sensible easy infection control mitigations (mask, vaccine passes, good ventilation such as HEPA filters) I can understand your reticence OP. Particularly if you have a vulnerable family member.

In the immediate short-term ideally employers would be offering flexibility for vulnerable staff and those with bad health anxiety.

It's good though that they're not closed. Not everybody lives in decent housing. Far too many don't. There's actually an increasing number of working people being made homeless. There will likely also be staff who need to go in to the office for mental health reasons.

Has your office installed any HEPA filters? It's not unreasonable to ask for simple mitigation measures like this.

As a cheaper alternative to HEPA filters, look up Corsi-Rosenthal box. It's a DIY version.

@Tealightsandd

Long-term permanent WFH would be devastating for the economy, create an unhealthy insular society, and lock millions out of certain jobs (which would only be possible for those privileged enough to have a suitable work from home environment).

However, temporarily thanks to the lack of sensible easy infection control mitigations (mask, vaccine passes, good ventilation such as HEPA filters) I can understand your reticence OP. Particularly if you have a vulnerable family member.

In the immediate short-term ideally employers would be offering flexibility for vulnerable staff and those with bad health anxiety.

It's good though that they're not closed. Not everybody lives in decent housing. Far too many don't. There's actually an increasing number of working people being made homeless. There will likely also be staff who need to go in to the office for mental health reasons.

Yes I was quite happy going back…. Until family member caught it who’s vulnerable, Boris told us to work at home if possible, rates sky rocketed and everyone I know is working from home.

@Tealightsandd

Has your office installed any HEPA filters? It's not unreasonable to ask for simple mitigation measures like this.

Is that part of the air con?

We are also expected back in the office. As long as all guidance is followed, I don't see the issue. We need to risk assess and get back to some kind of normal now.

LFTs aren't 'mandatory' in our work either, but surely if you're as anxious about it as you OP, you would do one anyway?

If you stick to sensible social distancing rules, hand cleaning etc, mask wearing when necessary etc., what's the issue?