AIBU to consider a formal work complaint about catching covid?

[sickandbothered]

So I'm currently sick in bed 1 week after catching covid, and the more I think about it the angrier I get about how easily avoidable this was.

I work in an organisation where we have compulsory hybrid working - we have to come in 2-3 days a week minimum (not because our jobs actually require it but to justify the rent/costs/for the appearance of things). I am also 6 months pregnant & have type-1 diabetes, both known/visible to my colleagues. Both factors put me in the higher risk category for covid (I had my vaccinations/booster in the same cohort as to 70+, for context).

I came in to work last week for meetings. While there I passed a very chatty colleague who I know well enough ( & vice versa), who told me she currently had covid & was very sick with it, had tested positive a few days ago, was still acutely symptomatic (she complained to me of sore throat, fatigue, insomnia, congestion etc), but it was ok for her to come in because she'd since had 1 negative test so her supervisor gave her permission. I politely tried to keep my distance, and figured it was above board and not my business. Later she came up to my desk to talk to me about something she wanted done from a team mate of mine, again, nothing to do with me & I tried to politely end the conversation repeatedly (literally saying she should email them directly, repeatedly), but she has a tendency to keep talking until she's exhausted conversation options. Again, annoying but no big deal I thought.

Otherwise I went to 1 cafe briefly that day, but did not go inside any other buildings other than my home, nor did I go out much that week other than dog walking. No one else I was in contact with has has covid. In short I know it's impossible to prove, but I'm fairly sure I got it from the woman at work.

2 days later I got my first covid symptoms, and have been bed ridden since. Its my first time getting covid. It's very stressful because as I'm pregnant & diabetic the risk of serious infection is higher, and I can't take any OTC remedies, or even honey & lemon tea. My blood sugars are through the roof & I've had to increase my insulin over 200% to try and keep my baby safe, I'm constantly fighting the diabetes. Now my husband is sick & bedridden too. We've both been off work all week. We've had to cancel a small family reunion with overseas family we were going to see this weekend, haven't seen them for 4 years, now it will be even longer. My team at work could also have done without this as we're busy & v understaffed currently.

I checked my work guidance last week before the symptoms really kicked in and it's pretty clear if you have covid symptoms you're not supposed to come in until they're gone, and that you need multiple negative tests on different days before coming back in the office. I raised this (mentioning no names) with our organisations covid team ahead of the heatwave bc I was concerned about people coming in for the air conditioning & getting sick like I had (we have several pregnant women at work), but had no response from them until after the heatwave when they said they would review the covid guidance in a couple of weeks.

So I'm thinking of complaining. It would not be about the individual necessarily (although I am personally v angry with her for choosing to come in when she was sick, she has a clerical job so to my knowledge there was no need for her to come in). Instead my complaint would be about the fact that her supervisor gave the wrong advice, and that the organisation has not taken the current covid risks seriously at all, or adequately responded. That said, given the response thus far, not sure a formal complaint would be well received, or even listened to at all...

Still shattered & sick in bed. Breathing is difficult but not so much that it's worth a hospital trip. It's really painful to cough. Hard to sleep because of the pregnancy. Exhausted. And is being pissed off a covid symptom?

I did expect to catch covid eventually but honestly, I do think this particular case could have been avoided. I am trying to focus on the bright side - at least I didn't get it in the last month of pregnancy when it's the most dangerous to the baby. And hopefully this will help my husband and my immunity ahead of birth/the first year.

So: AIBU to be considering complaining about catching covid at work?

The company can still require it. There are plenty of work rules that are not legal requirements.

Gosh you're getting some really harsh replies, I would be livid like you OP. Pp are right though, your work won't give a shit about a complaint.

You can try.
Where I work, we are now told not to test unless told to by a GP and no isolation unless too sick to come in. Learning to live with it = pretending it no longer exists. That said, your colleague is a dick.
I masked up, warned my pregnant colleague to go nowhere near me and kept away from them all week.

I get how stressed you must feel over this (fellow type 1 diabetic and know what a nightmare pregnancy is with diabetes) But she had a negative test before she came in. Huge numbers of people have covid currently and many will be asymptomatic and be walking about with no clue they had it. There's no way you will ever prove where you got covid from work or from that colleague. A complaint will achieve little.
What I would suggest you do is ask for a pregnancy risk assessment and given that your pregnancy is high risk because if your diabetes look at whether you can wfh entirely for the rest of your pregnancy. You are at risk not just from covid but the normal illness that go round an office which could also play havoc with your diabetes. It surely seems reasonable that you wfh to avoid this risk.

I wouldn't necessarily raise a formal complaint but couldn't you have a chat with your manager or someone in health and safety?

I would be annoyed too and I don't think that being classed as a 'troublemaker' should stop you raising a genuine concern about health and safety. Your colleague should not have been in the office if she had symptoms, so something is going wrong there - either they need a better policy, or they need to follow an existing policy more strictly.

They could have their own policy.

And surely common sense says that if you are positive, even if you don't stay at home, you don't stand close to someone talking to them at close range?

To be honest OP I would have said "I'm pregnant and diabetic and don't want covid - please keep your distance". It sounds like you were too polite.

Time to stop being so polite and make a complaint.

Completely understand how you're feeling but wish you'd found your new assertiveness earlier. Why on earth didn't you tell the stupid cow to stay away from your desk and/or wear a mask? Friendly of course but decisive.

The narrative has shifted away from it being other people's responsibility (including work) to protect you and back to this ball being in your court. If you're vulnerable and concerned, wear a medical grade mask.

You could never prove who you got covid from and you could never be protected from the impact of others as so many infections are asymptomatic.

You'll achieve precisely nothing with a complaint, but I expect you know that.

Colleague should NOT be in the office. What sort of org do you work
for?

You should definitely be wearing a mask.

The hybrid working policy is very foolish & shortsighted. Employers very very rarely value an employees’ health… You must advocate clearly for yourself.

Hope you feel better soon.

I wouldn’t complain but I absolutely would insist on a review of your pregnancy risk assessment plan. I really wish you better. 💐

@Mybeautifulfriend22 because if she's so worried about covid it will at least reduce the chance of her catching it.

She has no leg to stand on at all if she's not protecting herself.

Op I'm a HRM and I would expect you to complain.
I wouldn't see you as a trouble maker - It's a good opportunity for learning and to remind managers and staff about company policy and why they have guidelines in place still.

First off all they should do risk assessments for pregnant staff and if they have vulnerable people in the workplace, either make adjustments for them whilst covid numbers are spiking again or have clear enforced policies about staying away if you have covid. It's basic common sense if it's an office job where people don't NEED to be on site.

I think you'd be better focusing on that, rather than making a complaint to which the obvious response is that you don't know and cannot prove how you got it. Because actually, let's say you found out somehow that you did get it at the cafe: you would probably still have concerns anyway?

(she complained to me of sore throat, fatigue, insomnia, congestion etc),

She should not have been in work IMO. A negative test doesn't trump actual real physical symptoms and common sense. "Learning to live with the virus" means making informed decisions based on the situation you find yourself in ie who you're going to come in contact with, how essential is it to do whatever you want to do.

OP, since many people are idiots then it's down to you to protect yourself and ask your employers to reassess your position. Since you are able to work from home it seems entirely reasonable for them accommodate this.

I hope you feel better soon.

You're right but I don't think a complaint will achieve anything.

+200% insulin is a lot - I'm assuming you've spoken to your nurse/consultant? I had COVID pretty badly and only needed 30%. Obviously we're all different but make sure to talk to them if you haven't already.

Yeah if I were an employer in this situation, I think I'd consider that the path of least resistance would be letting the 6 month pregnant Type 1 diabetic work from home.

But they have a policy in place, and they have are not even sticking to their policy regarding Corvid. I would complain about that.

I struggle to understand the mindset of your colleague who was determined to struggle into work while still having symptoms (and would doubt very much that she took the test properly as they're normally positive for several days after symptoms have gone). It's hard for an employer to deal with such stupidity, though the supervisor should be reminded that some of their staff are stupid. Could you approach them informally and point out the potential consequences of what they did - if they're unreceptive you can make it more official.

I'm completely laid back about covid for myself - good BMI, no other health issues, daily Vit D (either from sun or tablet) and quercetin, safely unjabbed - the last time I had Covid I barely noticed. I didn't mix with anyone or go into work with it though (and missed something I really wanted to do) despite showing no symptoms, as I've no wish to pass it on to someone for whom the consequences could be far worse.

This.

Incubation is about 4 days and there is potential you for to have had it before if you tested a couple of days after contact with your colleague.

in fact your company is going above and beyond current guidance by asking for negative tests as these have now been scrapped in the government guidance, same with isolating. If you wanted to you could come in with a blazing temperature coughing and a positive test and you wouldn’t be breaking any government. An arse yes but haven’t broken any government rules, as they have pretty much scrapped them all.

I thought it took 7 days to catch it from some one

Op is your organisation carrying out pregnancy risk assessments for you (as they legally should be)?

Covid risk should be covered in the risk assessment, I am high risk due to diabetes and previous pre term labour, my work put in place a reasonable adjustment in my recent pregnancy which was permanent home working for the duration of the pregnancy as protection. I had a similar situation whereby work mandates 3 days in the office, but its not necessary for doing the job it's just for appearances.

I would argue that people have a responsibility with hybrid working to not have an office day when sick. More broadly though has a risk assessment be done for you. If you’re higher risk at this point of your pregnancy, I’d be worried about you in the office and would be exploring whether you could wfh for the last few months before you go on leave.

same here although not London based, people are even sticking to working from home if someone if their household currently has Covid that said some of them will find any excuse not to come in the office.