People using corona virus as an excuse not to work

[Helmlover1]

Does anyone else know people who are blatantly exaggerating or even lying about having corona virus symptoms to get time off work? I sit beside a woman who makes no secret about how much she hates the job on a daily basis and kept telling me this morning how much she didn’t want to be there. She then came back from her first break and claimed her partner had a serious fever so she had to go home (he was perfectly fine 10 mins prior when I asked how he was!). Other people suddenly then started feeling ‘unwell’ so were sent home.

Apparently some people who had called in claiming to be self isolating were seen out and about, some even posting pictures on social media!

I’m not claiming that all everyone are frauds but I just feel like some (work shy) people are rubbing their hands in glee and clearly see this pandemic as an opportunity to have a few weeks to chill at home, or AIBU?

To be fair it’s pretty scary right now and some people are being made to work in jobs that can be closed or can work from home but refused

I don’t blame some - many have genuine reasons for feeling like they can’t get it eg kids may have asthma

I don’t blame people for feeling scared- I’m scared, but I just feel like there’s also going to be a lot of opportunists jumping on the bandwagon using it as a reason to have a bit of time off, which gives the real genuine sufferers a bad name.

In all fairness a lot of companies don’t get top young talent because they refuse to allow work from home or use technology in a meaningful way to facilitate it, or pay salaries. That includes hiring useless and ill-qualified managers who value presenteeism during a pandemic.

In all fairness employers should be following work from home advice (even the NHS is doing it - I have had Skype appointments with my GP who is self-isolating).

Many people will only receive SSP if they are off work, so if they are malingering, it will be at a heavy price.

I know someone who has been doing this & scaremongering other people in the process. Got pulled up and told to go home to isolate... tried coming back after he found ou that he will only get statutory sick pay (normally we get first 7 working days full pay)
That person handed in their notice today- after a chat with the manager!