I’ll have to hand my notice in won’t I?

[Trytoomanytimes]

Had a week off work.
Just got a text from my colleague to say that out of 24 office staff 6 are currently off after testing positive.
Factory setting of around 100 people so I have no idea of how many of the shopfloor workers are currently off.
There is no way I can work from home.
I’m not at all happy about going back tomorrow. I have not been to a pub or restaurant, only go shopping when I have to and always use a mask etc. I’ve not been to see any friends or family and have been sensible. The biggest risk to me is now obviously my work place.
I have been there a long time, and it would cause them MASSIVE problems if I gave then 4 weeks notice tomorrow.
Money wise, we could manage for a bit, but I would have to find something eventually, but hopefully could find a job home based.
If my current job can’t be done from home, and I’m no longer comfortable going into the office, what choice do I have?

As others have said, surely you should be isolating as you’ve been in contact with people who have covid

@StarCat2020

OP I can’t remember the legislation but you have a legal right to remove yourself from a work environment that you have strong reason to think is a risk to your safety, without being penalised for that. That applies here It is called constructive dismissal

S44 and s103 of the employment rights act

And most pointless post of the day award goes to...

Don't be scared media has scared us ... you will be fine x

I definitely think you should at least find out what precautionary measures they are now taking

Why aren’t they shutting?

Have staff being wearing full medical grade PPE at all times? I think that is taken into account when looking at close contact in the workplace - if you have been within 2m of sometime for 15 mins or more - but that doesn’t mean you are automatically fine, I thought that public health England looked at all the contacts and then decided..

I don’t blame you for not going in, don’t hand your notice in though, have a sick day and ask for all up to date risk assessments. The covid secure part obviously hasn’t worked too well so far!

Most staff are going to be off in order to isolate though anyway, surely? so they might not be able to open anyway

Can you ask them if Public Health England (or Scotland/Wales) have been notified and what the outcome was? Ask for it in writing. I am wondering if they have even contacted them. I work for a much larger company and we have been told that if there are 2 cases it is likely the building will be shut for 2 weeks.

Can l just add that all l was given to protect me against covid positive patients was a surgical mask gloves goggles and an apron. All items that can be purchased online.

I was a lot closer to my patients for prolonged periods then you'll be with your colleagues

Oh and ignore everyone saying they'd go. Especially the apparent teacher who should well know that if 6 children in a class were positive, the whole class would be sent home to isolate.

This ISNT a general fear of catching it. It is going to work in an environment that most wouldn't and more importantly, would not even be asked to.

I can't believe the nonsense on here.

Op - you have my full sympathies and I completely understand your perspective.

@FourDecades - you probably were a lot closer. But you were wearing full PPE and OP was not. You were also in an environment which would have been thoroughly risk assessed and sanitised. Was OP?

And, if NHS, you and colleagues will be paid full pay if you have to isolate. If OP’s colleagues don’t get paid, there is a far higher risk of staff turning up with symptoms, as they can’t afford to lose the money so take a chance.

You are comparing completely different environments.

[quote Sanitiser]@FourDecades - you probably were a lot closer. But you were wearing full PPE and OP was not. You were also in an environment which would have been thoroughly risk assessed and sanitised. Was OP?

And, if NHS, you and colleagues will be paid full pay if you have to isolate. If OP’s colleagues don’t get paid, there is a far higher risk of staff turning up with symptoms, as they can’t afford to lose the money so take a chance.

You are comparing completely different environments.[/quote]
I work for the NHS and the guidance is ignored. When self isolating, we get SSP like everyone else. Full PPE? Nope, bare minimum. Annual leave cancelled - we are required to work.

If your that worried and full of anxiety surely you can go off on sick?

Personally I wouldn't give up a decent job right now. OP you don't make clear your health status. Are you at a higher risk? It is understandable you are reluctant to go in - but resigning might be an overreaction. Maybe see what could be done to mitigate the risks.

[quote Sanitiser]@FourDecades - you probably were a lot closer. But you were wearing full PPE and OP was not. You were also in an environment which would have been thoroughly risk assessed and sanitised. Was OP?

And, if NHS, you and colleagues will be paid full pay if you have to isolate. If OP’s colleagues don’t get paid, there is a far higher risk of staff turning up with symptoms, as they can’t afford to lose the money so take a chance.

You are comparing completely different environments.[/quote]
What I'm trying to explain is that l was in close contact with those who were seriously ill and so very infectious. They were coughing etc. All l had was a surgical mask, goggles, gloves and an apron.

OP is not going to be around those who are seriously ill and highly infectious. She can wear all that l was provided with if she wants too.

Suicide to quit a job in these times... Something on the news yesterday about a minimum wage receptionist job got over 2000 applications!

It certainly sounds as if they haven't reported the outbreak.

Had a week off work.
Just got a text from my colleague to say that out of 24 office staff 6 are currently off after testing positive.
Factory setting of around 100 people so I have no idea of how many of the shopfloor workers are currently off.
There is no way I can work from home.
I’m not at all happy about going back tomorrow.

You're concerned that when you go back to work there may be many others who have COVID, at work, and you don't wasnt to catch it and can't work from home

I'd contact your line manager and say you're feeling unwell and that you are going to be off sick for 7 days - self certification

See how the land lies after that

Beats handing your notice in

Wow. Lots of replies.
Thanks to those of you who have given me sensible options.
As to those of you who didn’t, nowhere did I say that I was irreplaceable, I said it would cause massive problems if I handed my notice in.
The colleague who told me about the six being off was the last one to be tested positive, so I believe what I have been told.
I am not high risk but do have asthma and have a husband mid sixties with a heart condition. On top of that it would cost us in the region of £200 per week for someone to look after all the animals if we have to self isolate or are sick.
The plan for today is to go in work and see what has been put in place. The director was due to go on holiday yesterday, so will be interesting to see if he has gone, knowing that there are several cases on site.
If nothing has been done, and he is on holiday, I will do one essential job this morning which will take a couple of hours, then email him with my concerns and take work home if I can. I will give him the option of setting me up to work from home, or asking me to contact my doctor to get signed off with anxiety.
I’m sure the doctor would agree to that - I have had a sleepless night and have vomited this morning!
I will also see if I can report anonymously if nothing has been done.

I was under the impression if a workplace had an outbreak, they needed to close for a deep clean? Is that not the case?

Whereas a deep clean would help, it doesn’t really deal with the issue. Covid is largely spread through the air (droplets, possibly aerosols) not via surfaces. As soon as someone comes whose infectious with Covid, the deep clean becomes meaningless.

OP sounds sensible except I would advise ringing ahead first to see what has been put in place - once you arrive in you are putting yourself at risk, so not much point going in and leaving early. I would ring and check what precautions they have taken - they may wish to deep clean today in which case you shouldn't go in until that has taken place.

If you do go in, I would keep a mask on, obviously clean your work station thoroughly before touching anything and keep the office well ventilated if possible. I know everyone likes to say a mask won't protect you, but myself and my colleagues wear them when looking after people with covid and most of us haven't had the virus yet, they clearly do help a bit. Just be sure to wear it properly and put a fresh one on after you take one off.

I hope you got on ok this morning and managed to take some work home. Did you manage to speak to director? Be careful about how you word your concerns about the office, hopefully they have measures in place and you feel a bit better about it but if it comes across as threatening to go to the doctor for a line it is unlikely to go down well.

I also thought that rate of infection would be notified to phe.

Because it sounds like the office has not taken all precautions.

@Trytoomanytimes - how did you get on today?

Do bear in mind how difficult the employment market is atm, and lots of employers will ask about sickness records, (the legislation about this is easily circumvented by ensuring that no discrimination under the disability act takes place).

Also any new job may not be as covid secure as you would hope, and as a brand new employee you'd be very vulnerable to being made redundant as it's incredibly easy to dismiss employees with short service.

I completely understand your concerns, but you would need to be prepared to have a long term loss of earnings if you hand in your notice.

Bit late for an update, but here goes.
I thought that we were doing well on the CV secure thing at the offices before this outbreak. Everyone was working at least two metres apart. We had extra cleaning in place. Each room has been assessed to calculate the maximum number of people at one time, and notices posted to that effect. Temperatures taken every morning. It felt as safe a could be.
Since my return the following changes have been made.
Temperatures have to be recorded.
Extra Perspex sheets have been put up between desks and at the ends.
Masks have to be worn in every area except your regular working office.
All visitors have to wear a face mask.

PHE haven’t been informed as far as I know. I haven’t brought it up. It’s not my job to inform them and if I mention it and then do decide to ring them myself, it would be fairly obvious that it was me who reported them. The reason I haven’t told them (yet) is because all those who have been off sick so far, have been salaried staff so are paid even if off sick. If the business is closed down for two weeks, then 80% of the staff, who are paid weekly would get no pay/ ssp only. I would hate to be the one to do that to them.
If there is a further outbreak on the shopfloor, then I may change my mind about reporting.
Personally, I have sorted my own office and only leave it to use the printer or go to the toilet. I take all my own food and drink, which I eat in my office. I avoid going into any other office where possible so am keeping myself as safe as possible.
It’s not fear of being ill, it’s fear of having to stay home for two weeks which would be massively inconvenient and expensive in terms of having to pay someone to walk dogs and look after horses. If I have flu, I can ask my DH to do everything until I’m better, or can even drag myself out of bed to do it myself, if needs be. That’s still legal. But we both have to stay indoors if one of us gets CV, even if we are lucky enough to get mild symptoms which mean we could carry on as usual and not be ill enough to have to sort out animal care.