To be raging at my work and is there anything I can do?

[secretdoubleagent]

So bit of background I work in a office as an administrator, area that I work in is not classed as key worker.
Ever since the gov have said for people to work from home where possible my company have been dragging their feet and not letting us work from home. It would make our jobs more complicated but other offices in our sector have managed it.
Here's my aibu given that all these huge companies ie McDonald's, Primark etc have said they are shutting for safety reason aibu to demand to work from home?
There are probably around 30 of us working in the office and the company are still letting people just walk in off the street and are insisting that people keep appointments with clients.
I feel that we should be shutting the offices but have been told if we refuse to come in we will face disciplinary proceedings and if we say we are self isolating we will only get SSP.
Is there anything I can do? Given what is happening I feel the company are being irresponsible?
Thank you for reading my ramblings and hope it makes sense (feeling a bit flustered with everything that's happening)

I am horrified at some of these posts. It is these short sighted employers, plus the stupid people who visited the tourist attractions over the weekend, that will force a lockdown.

I am so lucky that I work for a company that has had the foresight to implement working for home. They are looking at the bottom line, and will struggle if key workers are too ill to work. Ultimately it is for the company's benefit that they want as many of us to work from home as possible.

Thank you @Winter2020
I am hoping the penny drops sooner rather than later and the chief exec puts a statement out.

The advice given to the public has been vague and left wide open to individual interpretation, and a lot of people don't have the awareness or life experience or knowledge to cut through the soundbites and apply it properly. Put them in a position of authority and it's not just being ill-equipped, it becomes negligence.

My Friends husband works for a small engineering company. He is in telesales so can WFH but his employer has told the entire company that they MUST come into the office and if they go sick at this time they will be fired! Even though is wife has Breast cancer and has just finished chemo. I was lost for words when she told me.

Lockdowns don't work unless they have teeth to them. I'm in a US state with a statewide 'lockdown'. Our state is relying on 'social conscious' and 'public pressure' to make businesses do what they ought. There are (currently) no penalties and no official enforcement.

My son still has to go to work. According to the lockdown 'rules' the business is absolutely NON-essential, but his bosses are refusing to close up shop. It's in manufacturing and the employees cannot maintain social distance because of the way assembly is set up. Oh, and the bosses are WFH, naturally.

If Boris institutes a lockdown, you better hope it's one with real teeth!

captain I think you need to take a breather from these boards or SM. We’re not all going to die and it’s not the apocalypse. We just need to take sensible precautions.

No way will the government agree to closing all work places. What do you think exactly will be funding the NHS and all the money the government are promising to give out? It’s taxes from people working.

I work in the debt industry people are already in crisis, in around six months we’re going to have a lot of people losing their lively hoods and homes. We need to steady and try and push through this and keep the economy wheels turning. The mortgage companies will not allow an never ending mortgage holiday, business will be slow to pick up after this - if it ever does.

It isn’t money grabbing short sighted employers- well not most anyway. It’s employers trying to keep their businesses viable so the work force have a job to go back to and don’t end up on the street.

A lot of people have already been ‘let go’, many because their children have to stay home and they have no child care and are now signing up to the paltry UC, If they had the opportunity to stay in work they would, desperately.

xena I agree with your post.

When would that be?

Who knows, next 48 hours I suspect.

Follow example of waterstones employees and complain to journalists. Once they got bad press they shut down.

Depends on the business and what their insurance cover if they have any requires of them as to whether they would listen to a public campaign about letting people work from home when the work itself is not capable of being done from home and the state will not be compensating the companies which will then go bust.

I have just come back from shopping to read a message from my boss saying that my entire department now has to work from home.

It isn’t money grabbing short sighted employers- well not most anyway. It’s employers trying to keep their businesses viable so the work force have a job to go back to and don’t end up on the street.

This.

Dh employs approx 250 people, some of which are key workers. He had agonised over the right and fair way to proceed so that everyone keeps their job and still gets paid. He sent older employees and those with pre-existing employees to work from home two weeks ago at significant cost to the company. Anyone who can work from home is. Except for DH who is still going in everyday in solidarity with those who must still work.

This morning he received an email from one of those with a pre-existing condition saying that working and looking after the kids was taking its toll, and they needed to be off. All fine, even though they hadn’t actually mentioned that they were doing both as tbh, the two are not really compatible. They then went on to say that they know DH’s only concern is profit and not their health and well-being. I can state categorically that DH’s only concern throughout this entire period has been ensuring that everyone is safe and has a job to come back to after this is all over. But they have to continue to provide the essential service they are paid to do, otherwise customers will leave in droves. If they fail to do this there will be no business.

Except for DH who is still going in everyday in solidarity with those who must still work

Same here. Dh has worked straight through this weekend and so t be having any time off soon.

Lua that’s an unpleasant email, I don’t think people realise what’s actually going on behind the scenes. We had to compile a list this weekend of who were likely to lose their jobs if it all went tits up. Every single toe and finger crossed that won’t happen but we are having to prepare for that. That’s why I get so annoyed when posters are calling for businesses to shut. If some do, they might never reopen again

It isn’t money grabbing short sighted employers- well not most anyway. It’s employers trying to keep their businesses viable so the work force have a job to go back to and don’t end up on the street.

The business I work for is heavily IT based, and apart from the people working in physical jobs it is entirely possible to work from home. So in my case, it is far more economically viable to have people working from home.

By law they have to do a risk assessment for each staff member. If you feel at risk or have any Heath concerns that cause you more worry then they have a duty to help protect you. I’d ring ACAS for further advice. Plus, if you are not key workers, I’d assume people coming for apt’s are currently against the new enforcements? So you could report them xx

Many UK businesses cannot do home working eg my son delivers groceries. Others are factory workers. those work places are doing their very best to minimise it. My son has a temperature test every single day and lots of new regular disinfecting is going on.

whoa!, some employers are gits. My company told everyone over two weeks ago to WFH immediately after seeing the chaos in Italy by saying we can't take any chances and if the government would make the call they WILL.

Where are you? The Scottish gov said today that it is the responsibility of employers to sort themselves out ASAP, employees should not find themselves in your position. I’d contact your mp, or If you have an msp. The more they’re aware of pisstaking employers the sooner they’ll crack down.

Contact you local MP

Don't take it up with them just ring in tomorrow with a "sore throat and a temp of 38.6".

Nothing they can do.

Any update after last night's lockdown OP? Hoping your boss is complying now! 💐

I think the government just made a law today that employers that make you go to work when you don't need to can be fined.