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?

I also wondered why you just sat there talking to her when you knew she was sick.

I'm sorry to hear that you are so unwell. I hope you feel better soon.

I do think you should talk to work about how they can protect you better. I would be upset too.

I get your frustration but complaining won’t achieve anything. You can’t prove where you got it from.

I had covid last week as did half of my team (possibly, not all of them tested). Thankfully none of us were ill with it and we were all in and out of the office.

I think you should have taken steps to protect yourself if you consider yourself vulnerable.

I would complain. They have policies which weren’t followed. You don’t have to prove you got it from work, you have to prove the policies under which you agreed to work were not the policies followed, I think?

I hope you feel better soon.

At our place, I would complain - but, we have very clear guidance about not coming to an office location if we have any symptoms, and we have to sign an online self-certification form confirming no symptoms. Plus we can all work from home except reception and cleaners. So with us, someone coming in like that would clearly be in breach of the company rules. That won't be the case with all employers.

I wouldn't be best pleased in your situation but I'm not sure making a complaint will go in your favour. Legally not sure they've stepped out of line and you couldn't 100% prove it was from your colleague. I'd personally just be counting down the days until maternity leave and consider trying to find a job in an organisation that actually cared about me.

Hope you feel better soon!

The more I think about it, the more I reckon you're best using this as ammunition for an ongoing wfh request OP. Because yeah your employer shouldn't have policy they don't enforce, but equally, them enforcing it wouldn't actually prevent you from encountering covid in the office. It's everywhere. There are going to be asymptomatic people there. The best thing would be for you not to go in full stop.

Regardless of the work issue your colleague is a complete knob knowing you are both a diabetic and pregnant and not giving you a wide berth.

I get your frustration but complaining won’t achieve anything. You can’t prove where you got it from.

I had covid last week as did half of my team (possibly, not all of them tested). Thankfully none of us were ill with it and we were all in and out of the office.

I think you should have taken steps to protect yourself if you consider yourself vulnerable.

Today, my work sent everyone an email reminding them of the company covid policy.

Perhaps, the OP could request her work do the same thing. It doesn't help her but hopefully it will make others think before coming into work while sick.

Employers have a duty of care to employees. If they are insisting on people coming to the office (there is arguably a balance to be struck with welbeing as a lot of people don't do well working from home all the time) which means that people feel they have to drag themselves in with Covid symptoms and the disease spreads among staff who may become seriously ill, not only are they risking productivity and profitability but also claims from staff.

I have huge sympathy for you OP

but...

You were prepared to go into a cafe?

You are prepared to meet family who have presumably flown in from overseas?

You can't have it both ways.

My view is you can't ask to be totally shielded at work if you are t doing the same at home. If you were fully shielding at home and so was everyone you lived with then I would expect work to do more to protect you eg. Let you work from home.

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"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."

I would be very annoyed if a colleague came to the office while a family member had Covid.

Regardless of the work issue your colleague is a complete knob knowing you are both a diabetic and pregnant and not giving you a wide berth.

I do agree with this

"My view is you can't ask to be totally shielded at work if you are t doing the same at home."

What rubbish? We can't use common sense at work unless we're in full lockdown??

The issue with this is that a lot of people lack common sense. I am CEV and you can only protect yourself so far

Surprised at the number of people suggesting you shouldn't complain or raise this with management, one even going as far as suggesting it'll mark you out as a "troublemaker". Gosh. Sadly this seems to be a bit of a trend on Mumsnet (women responding in the negative to posts asking whether they should complain/be assertive in the workplace etc), but pay no mind.

OP, you should absolutely raise this with HR or senior leadership and maybe seek more clarity on the workplace policy/guidance on covid. You could perhaps specifically ask what they're doing to ensure people stay safe, particularly those that are vulnerable, and maybe even discuss any reasonable adjustments such as working from home more often (if you want to and are able to). Regardless of the laws on self-isolation and such, it is your employer's responsibility to keep their staff safe, particularly those who are high risk.

My view is you can't ask to be totally shielded at work if you are t doing the same at home.

But there is an easy totally shielded option available to OPs employer, which is to let her wfh for the rest of the pregnancy. It would be perfectly reasonable of her to request that. I think the OP wanting to complain on the basis of something she's made up is ridiculous and very selective, but that doesn't mean her employer is behaving sensibly either.

Agreed @ApplesandBunions but why should her employer agree that while she is quite comfortable meeting for family gatherings and going to cafes etc outside of work.

If she were fully shielding at home as well then yes I would expect them to agree to wfh

I don't understand - what is it that the org hasn't done?
They had a policy. These people didn't follow it. You want this to be highlighted, fair enough but what does taking it seriously mean? Do you want her and her supervisor to be formally disciplined?
You can't prove you got Covid from her
You're better off asking for full WFH.

Btw you don't sound like you're taking the risks particularly seriously either if you're going to cafes, and then meeting people who have just flown in on a potentially Covidy plane. Unless you were planning to keep a 2 metre distance from everyone at this family do. And not go ANYWHERE risky until you give birth.

Funnily enough I've gotten Covid twice, and both times I'd been nowhere in 2 weeks except to get food at mostly empty outlets, mask etc all precautions taken. I've been at work, buses, planes, trains, didn't get it then.

Why not, is the better question. The OP is quite clear it's a role that can be done wfh. Personally if I were her I'd use my medical situation to ensure me having to come into the office for the next few weeks was more trouble than it was worth.

"I don't understand - what is it that the org hasn't done?
They had a policy. These people didn't follow it. You want this to be highlighted, fair enough but what does taking it seriously mean? Do you want her and her supervisor to be formally disciplined?"

They could at least tell them not to do it again and remind other people what the rules are.

"You can't prove you got Covid from her"

Doesn't matter. The rules were broken. OP got Covid. Whether you can prove cause and effect is irrelevant as the rules were broken.

"Btw you don't sound like you're taking the risks particularly seriously either if you're going to cafes, and then meeting people"

OP hasn't broken any rules. The other people have.

@OooErr Errrr. Lots of things can be done. Where do you work?

I work in a large corporate and we often get reminders and things about being mindful about the covid risk, looking out for others, erring on the side of caution etc etc. Really not understanding these "what's the point" attitudes. Don't be such a wallflower.

There's a difference between OP going to cafes and meeting her family and likely catching covid and work from someone who was CONFIRMED to be infected and yet still came into work. I'm high risk and still go about my business in a safe way, but if someone I knew had covid and also knew that I was high risk, I would expect them to keep a distance.

I'm sorry your having such a horrible time.Are you registered with a covid virtual ward they monitor your O2 stats. I'm CEV and I found it was very reassuring to have that monitoring x

I think you've missed the boat here. The time to complain was the moment she told you she had it. You should instantly have reported up the line and asked for her to be sent home. By not saying anything you could be considered complicit.

@Gwenhwyfar
Also a large corporate, and they bombard us with reminders.
So much so that, along with all the other corporate emails like wellbeing, diversity and a million and one other initiatives nobody reads them anymore.
Very different from the height of Covid when everyone was keeping an eye out for changing restrictions, and zeroed in on any related emails.

The OP should complain, yes but if she's really concerned with keeping others safe the complaint should primarily focus on allowing high-risk staff to WFH completely. And this insistence on getting people into the office for no good reason.