Where do we stand with work saying I have to go in?

[pushymeas]

I work closely with others in a factory. (Making/ selling non essential items, think home improvements). I told work I wasn't going in today (feeling like I am doing my bit) and they have been really shitty with me and said I'll not be paid at all and can take disciplinary action against me. Is this correct? Do you think 'essential work' should have been better defined?

Wondering this myself as my DH is at high risk if he contracts the virus, he has had two lengthy hospital stays this year due to an unexplained pleural effusion and following the drain he had viral pneumonia- but his workplace are refusing to let their staff work from home even though they easily can.

They’ve employed some social distancing methods but are nonchalant about the fact that just traveling to and from work puts their employees at risk (public transport for most of them).

He’s hoping that he will get the letter to excuse him from work and encourage him to remain at home for 12 weeks as his workplace have told him he faces disciplinary action if he chooses to self isolate without it... without his wage or even a portion of it we would be destitute

@pushymeas

Yes, you DO have to go in.

Unless you are showing signs of coronvirus symptoms, you still have to go in unless your employer tells you not to. They are not being 'shitty' they just don't want people taking the piss and swinging the lead,, and trying to bunk off and stay home, when there is nothing wrong with them.

I know several people right now who are mightily pissed off that their workplace is staying open, and they are not able to stay off and get paid. (And they cannot work from home.) They are saying they want to 'self-isolate' but with no reason to. So their employer IS saying 'get yer fecking arse in!' And IMO they have every right to.

All I say is 'suck it up buttercup.' Many people are WAY worse off than you. At least you still have a job!

You've heard what you want to hear OP. You still need to go to work.

I knew from the posts yesterday that 90% of you totally misunderstood what Boris said.
You absolutely must go to work. The only cases where you can't go to work are when you're temporarily laid off.

You can't just decide to take a sabbatical from work FFS.

This is the third thread today that I've happened to click on where people are saying work now only applies to key workers and isn't essential....where are they getting this from? Boris was really clear last night, there wasn't anything too complicated. I don't understand the confusion.

You absolutely must go to work. But only children of key workers get childcare. Your mum must not provide child Care.
And stay at home.
And if you are queuing for a packed tube train you are totally irresponsible.
And stay home. You must not be seen associating in public with more than one person unless they are a member of your household. And even then it's vital to stay two metres apart.
We can only beat this if you stay home.
Be in no doubt. If your boss says you must go to work, you must.
Boris wants us to work. But stay home. Keep 2 metres apart on the tube....
Does the virus only affect people when thy are socialising?
Confused yet?
I am

I work in a primary school. There was initially some confusion at my work place. I know of 2 people who went round on Friday, stating that they wouldn’t be coming in at all from Monday (yesterday). They were in yesterday, and will continue to be in, because they were told by the HT that they could stay off if they chose, but would not be paid.

The people in question thought that because the school would be shut for most pupils, they had a right to choose whether or not to come in. They don’t. 🙄

I know that all workplaces open are rightly expecting their employees to go in as normal. My issue is with employers who are not enforcing the minimum social distancing between staff. Staff who use public transport to get to work. Rather than sticking to the rules, they're cherry picking what rules they want to adhere to.

You can go to work.

If your work place is open, and you can not work from home you can travel to it.

It's not essential work only.

NaviSprite

Can your dh contact his GP? I know if I was in that situation my GP would sign me off with stress, which your dh must be feeling.

Boris DID NOT say only work if absolutely necessary. He said only go in to work if absolutely cannot he done from home.

Your employer has a duty to keep you safe so social distancing and hygiene. But if you cannot feasibly work from home then you need to go in.

One of my employees emailed me saying she wanted to take advantage of the government's scheme to pay 80 percent of wages to stay at home for 3 months

@mumofababylion:
No, sorry, you're incorrect.
From Gov.uk website, exceptions to shop closures are,supermarkets etc that everyone knows about, petrol stations, bicycle shops, home and hardware shops, launderettes and dry cleaners, garages, car rentals, pet shops, corner shops, newsagents, post offices and banks.

At least, that was the case when I started typing.
It changes minute by minute.

One of my employees emailed me saying she wanted to take advantage of the government's scheme to pay 80 percent of wages to stay at home for 3 months

There's a thread on here started yesterday evening by some deluded soul saying how she was going to set her alarm for the usual time in the morning and then go back to sleep (and encouraging others to do the same). I'd say she got her comeuppance when she was asked by her employer where the hell she was today.

How could people have misunderstood plain English?