to think that people with streaming colds shouldn't work on supermarket checkouts?

[BroccoliSpears]

I just don't want someone coughing, spluttering, sneezing and sniffing all over my groceries, and blowing their nose on a little scrunched up, damp tissue before handling my unwrapped fruit and veg.

I konw what you mean, but there's usually no sick pay or statutory only.
!

Really Nicky? That's dreadful.

you dont get time off for having a cold its not classed as an illness just a cold

some people cannot afford to take time off for a common cold

i used to work in a shop when i was younger and had to go in flued up coughing and spluttering customers were probably grossed out

but i couldnt afford to live with out going in as would have got no sick pay

When I was a student I worked at the checkouts at a supermarket (well, a food hall in a well known high street shop). I had the worst flu over the Christmas period and they wouldn't let me have any time off. I felt so ill.

Actually I think I must have caught it from a customer - you are right in the line of fire from any coughing and spluttering sick customers when you are at checkout till level.

Well if their employers are anything like mine (high street store) then the chances are they will get no sick pay, or a formal warning if off once and then written warnings and told they aren't meeting the standards expected.

YANBU People with colds should be made to work in the bakery, where we can's see them.

No sick pay for Sainsbury's staff (I think)

Am sure ASDA don't put staff well-being as a top priority

Some people just can't afford to be sick

Tis awful.

Where I worked we got 1 days pay then statutory, which is rather poor. That was Laura Ashley and Wallis btw. Don't know if they've improved in the last 10 years or not?

I wish. I used to work in a well known DVD/video rental store and I had to go in.
I got my revenge when I was PG becuase my boss had never dealt with PG staff so I got away with murder.
Morning sickness, back pains, you name it, I had it!!

Or no sick pay for the first three days you are off and if you take more than a set number of days off for illness you face disciplinary action.

I work for a company that pays no sick pay for the first 3 days

After that statutory sick pay for 6w ONLY

If you're hit by a car, or (God forbid) hit with a serious illness, basically you're buggered

And this from a large, well-known nationwide organisation

Well I didn't realise about no sick pay.
Was already feeling sympathy for the woman with such a horrible cold, and doubly so now.

The supermarkets should change their policies because it is so offputting.

This was in M&S - thought they were decent enough employers.

If you work for ASDA, every time you have sick leave you have to have a return to work interview, after 3 times sick, then you have to attend a hearing.

I realise you don't want people coughing, sneezing and spluttering over your provisions, but tis better than having to face the wrath of Management.

Expat - I'm facing one of those at work because I have had 5 days off in 7 months, one of which was for DS2 being ill!
I have been told if I am off at all for any reason in the next 6 months I could be disimssed

its like when I used to work in a private residential home for the eldery. No sick pay for the first 3 days (which for me was an entire weeks wages).

I once dragged my arse into work for the "Infection Control" training - (had a really horrible cold) where of course we were told that if you had a bad cold or flu - don't come into work - we were working with a high risk group in terms of passing on infections and the severity to them.

Following day I still felt like shit so rang work and told them I couldn't do the night shift

"oh why not" (so I told them)

"well there's no-one to cover for you (complete lie) - you'll just have to come in "it's only a cold"......

I was once served my kitchen roll by a young girl who kept dabbing her ooozing spot - I could see it ooze then stop everytime she poked at it with her finger. I was so disgustingly mesmerized by her that I walked out without paying for something I'd stashed in my buggy hood. I had to go back to the shop and did actually explain the reason why I had forgotten to pay - felt a bit of a bitch but someone bagging shopping really shouldn't be dabbing their own pussy spots at the same time.

She just shrugged!!

I hate it when shop staff lick their fingers to open bags and then pick up my food. Whatever germs they have on their fingers are then on my food, colds, tummy bugs coldsores etc. UUUKKK

Wankers

Hating manky spittle fingers -i think onefunkymama has an understanding of hygiene, not sad.pretty clever actually

Hedgewitch - thats what I got, you are failing to fulfill your contract, you're not meeting our standards etc etc.
Thing is with the one I work for, on your very first absence - be it 1 day or 10, you get a formal warning

Hedgewitch, I don't like being called a "sad individual with no life" and I did not complain to Tescos. But it is gross, I don't want someone elses spit on my food. You might not care but I do. If people need wet fingers to open bags either let the customer do it themselves or give staff water.

this has brought back memories of me falling asleep sitting at the checkout of the food store i worked in,having been awake all night coughing due to a severe chest infection.the customer i was serving at the time luckily was a regular and woke me up.

i would have been diciplined if i'd phoned in sick though.

onefunkymama - you make it sound as if every checkout person is dirty though. I for one was a culprit with licking my fingers and I am certainly not dirty.

Those supermarket bags are a nightmare.

Should there be a similar rule banning customers from entering the grocery department if they have colds?