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Original poster

2 week Quarantine re-introduced when returning from Spain

682 replies

Motheroftwofeline · 25/07/2020 17:50

Just heard this on breaking news.

From midnight tonight? Bad news for anyone who is there now and due to travel home. We were supposed to be going at the end of August and now I’m limbo about what to do!!!

OP posts:
labyrinthloafer · 26/07/2020 14:47

@daisymay133

Tigger

Why does your employer need to know what you’re doing on your annual leave it’s nothing to do with them?

Just like your employer can require e.g. you don't drink alcohol X hours before a shift if using certain machinery, they can also require to know where you've been as they will enforce quarantine - presumably via unpaid leave. They can't let one employee who won't quarantine affect production of the whole workplace.
labyrinthloafer · 26/07/2020 14:49

I thought workplaces could require you to follow rules like quarantine, so not doing that would be misconduct?

sophiestew · 26/07/2020 14:53

I really haven't seen any legislation that says employers can demand evidence of where employees go and what they are doing on annual leave. What are you referring to?

The conversation in most workplaces would go

"Oh, Sophie, you are off next week, doing anything nice?"

"Dunno yet."

"Have a good time."

End.Of Story. And I work for NHS.

I have no vested interest in this as sadly I am going nowhere remotely interesting, but I think it is very naive to think the majority of people will follow quarantine. The minority will.

tigger1001 · 26/07/2020 14:53

@daisymay133

Tigger

Why does your employer need to know what you’re doing on your annual leave it’s nothing to do with them?

It does have to do with them though if you are travelling to a country that requires you to quarantine on your return. They need to know not only to be able to plan work ie know who is in the office but also from a health and safety point of view to ensure other members of staff are protected, this thread alone shows people don't want to comply - employers need to be aware of staff who are putting others, and by extension the firm at risk.

They are not stopping you travelling - but equally they have put the policy in place to staff know what is required of them and also so staff are fully aware that quarantine time as a result of overseas travel (non work related) is very likely to be unpaid.

WhentheDealGoesDown · 26/07/2020 14:54

When I was working at the beginning of the a Covid outbreak my HR department sent round an email wanting to know if anyone was going away on holiday and where so they could isolate appropriately, it is to protect other staff, a duty of care

sophiestew · 26/07/2020 14:55

@labyrinthloafer

I thought workplaces could require you to follow rules like quarantine, so not doing that would be misconduct?
Ah but how would they know?

Unless PP is correct and there is some legislation that allows them to interrogate you for this highly personal information.

And what about all the self employed folk? Who will stop them?

sophiestew · 26/07/2020 14:56

@WhentheDealGoesDown

When I was working at the beginning of the a Covid outbreak my HR department sent round an email wanting to know if anyone was going away on holiday and where so they could isolate appropriately, it is to protect other staff, a duty of care
yes sure they can ask. But you don't have to tell them.
tigger1001 · 26/07/2020 14:58

@sophiestew ensuring the safety of their workforce as a whole - I would think that is very much an enforceable rule. They are not stopping anyone travelling, but putting policies in place to ensure staff quarantine upon return if required. They are also ensuring all staff are aware that the quarantine period will likely be unpaid.

I wouldn't be surprised if more and more employers go down this road if people continue to try and flout the rules

labyrinthloafer · 26/07/2020 14:59

My work has said we're expected to follow government rules with regard to covid - and in particular quarantine. We were all warned if we travel somewhere that then requires quarantine or borders shut we can't get additional paid leave, it'll have to be unpaid leave.

I think if work found out I had been to e.g. Canary Islands and hadn't quarantined and had come into work, I would be in some trouble as I wouldn't be following the covid secure workplace rules my organisation has put in place?

sophiestew · 26/07/2020 15:01

I haven't seen any legislation stating that employers now have this right.

As already explained, I am not taking a moral stand here. I am more concerned because I think the average person will not quarantine. There just isn't enough of a reason to other than the societal pressure. And if you are SE or under pressure to get back to work, your own family's financial needs will possibly come first.

tigger1001 · 26/07/2020 15:02

@sophiestew if you refuse to tell them you very well may find the leave request being revoked.

Just why would you want to be so awkward? It's to protect others in the work place. Honestly, it's when I read stuff like this that I'm grateful I'm not an employer.

If you are desperate to go abroad, just factor in quarantine time unpaid. It's not exactly rocket science. If you can't afford that extra time unpaid then maybe don't go

sophiestew · 26/07/2020 15:05

I think if work found out I had been to e.g. Canary Islands and hadn't quarantined and had come into work, I would be in some trouble as I wouldn't be following the covid secure workplace rules my organisation has put in place?

Quite possibly labyrinth but I doubt most employers would find out. As PP said, you would have to be spectacularly thick to plaster your holiday all over FB if you knew you weren't intending to quarantine on your return. You would keep it all on the down low.

I can guarantee that I could do it, no problem, and my employer would not find out unless there was some major complication that outed me (and obviously I would deserve it Grin) and I suspect a lot of people are in the same boat.

labyrinthloafer · 26/07/2020 15:06

@sophiestew I don't think my work can demand I tell them - but if they find out I didn't follow quarantine when work rules expressly say I must, surely you can see the issue there? I will have failed to follow health and safety rules in my workplace, which is fairly serious.

MorningManiacMusic · 26/07/2020 15:06

As many of the small localised outbreaks in Italy, France and Spain have been traced to specific workplaces and invariably involved one person going abroad and coming back infected but asymptomatic I imagine if things continue as they are doing now, in 3-4 weeks time it will become mandatory (ethically if not legally) to declare to your employer where you've been.

Delatron · 26/07/2020 15:08

How do they enforce quarantine? Has anybody actually been checked up on? Or are they relying on good will? Will they check mobile phone locations for example?

The policy needs to be enforceable if it is to work..

MarshaBradyo · 26/07/2020 15:08

I bet many have already broadcast they are in Spain or had booked it. People love a good chat about upcoming holiday at work. Now they might not but probably late for some. And you wouldn’t book now unless you really had to, but go somewhere else instead.

labyrinthloafer · 26/07/2020 15:09

I would only get away with it by lying to my colleagues. Once you're doing that, you're a liability to your employer. My colleagues would 100% grass me, because I work in a sector which enforces high H&S compliance. A covid outbreak would be hugely damaging to the organisation.

sophiestew · 26/07/2020 15:10

[quote tigger1001]@sophiestew if you refuse to tell them you very well may find the leave request being revoked.

Just why would you want to be so awkward? It's to protect others in the work place. Honestly, it's when I read stuff like this that I'm grateful I'm not an employer.

If you are desperate to go abroad, just factor in quarantine time unpaid. It's not exactly rocket science. If you can't afford that extra time unpaid then maybe don't go[/quote]
Bless you tigger you haven't read my posts properly. I am not going anywhere Smile

I am off next week as it happens, booked it in November 2019. I am staying at home as I live in a beautiful part of the country with beaches and countryside nearby. Nobody asked me where I was going. It's all done on a system and gets remotely approved. Nobody has asked me since where I am going. What I am saying is that most people operate under similar circumstances. If anyone asked me what I was doing on holiday it would be as idle chit chat, and I could easily say "seeing friends" or "relaxing on the beach" and it would be true if I were here or in Barcelona.

You ask why people (me, but you got that wrong, I forgive you) would want to be so awkward? It's because they can't afford the quarantine time off and want the holiday or are worried they won't get their money back. Or they just don't give a fuck.

The point of this isn't a right or wrong moral case Tigger. It's about what is likely to happen.

tigger1001 · 26/07/2020 15:10

@sophiestew the major complication in the current climate could very well be that you end up stuck abroad and unable to get back.

Given many are facing redundancy I really struggle with this attitude of not being a team player.

And I can also guarantee that in my work it would be discovered. Its a small place and it would just be found out. It's just not worth it. I think my employer is being very sensible to try and keep staff safe. It's quite sad that these measures are needed, but sadly they very much seem to be

labyrinthloafer · 26/07/2020 15:11

I feel I should say, I would never breach H&S, and would 100% grass my colleagues too Smile because I'd be livid if they would risk all of our jobs for the sake of a fricking holiday!

tigger1001 · 26/07/2020 15:12

Oh bless @sophiestew - I wasn't directing the whole post to you - but I forgive you....

MarshaBradyo · 26/07/2020 15:12

People are generally very open about holidays. I don’t think it will change that much. Plus they didn’t have any reason to be secretive until yesterday and have probably already talked about it.

DarkMutterings · 26/07/2020 15:13

Seriously people are getting upset and being 'named and shamed' about not wearing masks, and you honestly think employers won't find out about people going on vacation and the. breaking quarantine 🤦‍♀️
Of course people will talk, put photos on social media, and then get "dobbed in."

I live in a country with compulsory quarantine for all travellers with systems and tech backing it up. In the early days when people broke quarantine they were shamed all over social media, now everyone just accepts its the way it is. Thank god. Yes, I'm heartbroken not be able to see my mum back in the UK this year because I can't cover the quarantine on the way back but I feel a damn sight safer here.

sophiestew · 26/07/2020 15:17

@tigger1001

Oh bless *@sophiestew* - I wasn't directing the whole post to you - but I forgive you....
See - it's all love cuddles and flowers on Mumsnet Smile
WhentheDealGoesDown · 26/07/2020 15:17

Obviously all workplaces are different but we all used to discuss our upcoming holidays as it was a happy thing to talk about.

I would have thought the most likely breach of quarantine though would be a supermarket trip, probably a big shop on the way home from the airport, we always have to stop somewhere and get milk on the way home anyway

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