Can my work keep me prisoner/ in quarantine?

[Jsygrl]

I work in a care home and I love my job even though it is really tiring, I work 12 hour shifts and when I work 3 consecutive days it really wipes me out. Now that coronavirus has the world in a panic my work has informed us that should anyone within the home or a relative of anyone within the home be diagnosed with coronavirus the carehome will be locked down and quarantined for 14 days. All staff in the building will have to work for that entire duration. At the care home I work in we have day staff and night staff, I start at 07:30 and finish at 19:30 when nightstaff take over. If it’s locked down in the day that will mean that night staff will not be allowed to enter, so essentially we will be working 24 hours a day for 14 days?! Is this even legal/allowed? On top of that I have COPD so I’m really worried that coronavirus might even kill me if I become infected because I’m higher risk? I’m really concerned about this because should it kill me I don’t want to be ‘at work’ I want to be surrounded by my family? So am I legally entitled to tell them that I am not staying and do they have the right to detain me against my wishes? Can they fire me for that? Thank you, this is really making me worry x

Wrong board, I've reported for you to get it moved.

Contact a union if you're in ine or ACAS. Of course they cant make you work 14days. Where do they suggest the staff sleep? If they have emailed staff or put anything in writing then keep it, you can call Public Health England.

Following with interest as this is one of my concerns about coronavirus - as a single parent....

Absolute nonsense what about you’re own families? who’s going to look after any young children?

Are you with a union? Contact them and ask them about your rights. Tell them about your own health concerns.

No way in hell they can do this

Sounds a bit odd to me. Surely they cannot force this?

If they tried to lock you in anywhere I would call the police

There’s no way that’s legal. If they try it, just walk out. Worst they could do is sack you and tbh I don’t even know what for, you could take them to a tribunal.

Just walk out...

I very much doubt they can do that. They’re a private home, I assume, so they would actually be kidnapping you, unless the government actually bring in rules to give them permission, which I can’t see them doing.

No, they absolutely cannot do what you’re suggesting.

Surely you’ve misunderstood?

There is guidance on Gov.Uk site about covid 19 in community and carehome settings. Your employer,needs to read this then get guidance from public health. Are the managers going to lock themselves in too

I didn't know that Martial Law had been declared and the government had put your employer in charge of enforcing it for the country.

Tell them to get lost.

Nope, if they don't let you leave call the police for false imprisonment.
There are few times when a person can be held against their will such as not having capacity etc.
It's the managers responsibility to ensure that the care home is staffed.
Walk.

They can’t do that. It would be illegal imprisonment. I don’t know who’s said this to you but it’s ridiculous.

If I get coronavirus, like fuck do I want to be surrounded by my family. I want them safely well away from me. (I'm a frontline HCP with crap lungs)

I wish I had misunderstood but I was told to pack a bag to leave in my car just in case :(

Only the public health authorities can order a quarantine

Your employer cannot

Please ask for this to be moved to the correct board.

No, the care home cannot hold you hostage. Someone has woefully misunderstood what PHE are saying.

No, they can't. The only people who have the power to detain and isolate you for coronavirus are public health officials from Public Health England (or equivalent in devolved UK nations).

I work in a care home and we have been told that they would have to follow guidelines by Public Health.

It was bad enough been stuck at work for 4 days, when we got snowed in.

Hilarious

and tell them i said that aswell-no they cant keep you locked up just walk out

I'm a team leader and we've been told the same 😭 staff will be split into 2 teams, day and night ect x I hope it dosnt happen lol

If someone at your care home has the virus, your local PHE Health Protection Team will be called in. They will assess who has been a close contact of the confirmed case and will advise staff who are close contacts to self isolate at home. Residents who are close contacts will be advised to stay in their rooms.

You cannot be detained by public health officials or anyone else unless there is reason to believe you have an active coronavirus infection, or unless you have recently arrived in the UK from an area with widespread transmission of coronavirus. You cannot be detained simply for having had contact with a case.