Lateral flow test request for interview

[Zig27]

I have been invited to an interview in a school where they have said in the invite 'if you could kindly do a lateral flow test the night before your interview that will much be appreciated'. For personal reasons I don't do lateral flow tests but I will wear a mask.

I don’t want to get into the whole argument of doing the test etc. Can they refuse me to do the interview? I'm already feeling pressured and have not been asked to do this at other places.

If your not willing to do LTR's you might possibly struggle for work at the moment.My brother works in a chain pub and has to do the tests twice a week.

It appears from your previous posts you don’t do vaccines and now don’t do LFT’s.

I suggest you find employment WFH and then you will be able to control your environment to your liking.

@Zig27, you cannot get cancer from the Covid test swabs.

It's good that you've cancelled. As others suggest, WFH jobs might be the best route for you, as that's the only way to avoid some of these pressures especially as we move into winter. Employers need to protect their staff and any children / customers; so testing, vaccination or both will just be part of life for a while.

I think you will struggle to get a job in most workplaces if you won't test.

@MRex

It's good that you've cancelled. As others suggest, WFH jobs might be the best route for you, as that's the only way to avoid some of these pressures especially as we move into winter. Employers need to protect their staff and any children / customers; so testing, vaccination or both will just be part of life for a while.

Do you know of any industries where I can work from home? I’m dreading winter time.

I think employers are also in a much stronger position to request this of new employees rather than existing employees.

@Zig27 - it depends what your skills are. You can do a general search including WFH and that may bring something up, lots of non-secure phone work seems to be staying at home post pandemic. If you have specific skills then your can pick up piecework from firms like Ten2Two or Upworks, take a look to see if they might fit.

Yup a good idea to cancel the interview - schools near us are requiring tests several times a week.

Unfortunately you might find this is the way forward that all work places require lateral flow tests done

I think it is basic good manners to do LFT before meeting people. I always do.

OP you could try applying to Test and Trace for a WFH job...

I don't actually think you needed to cancel. All schools ask for twice weekly tests and nearly every adult does them but they can't force us. I have a colleague who doesn't believe in Covid. She won't do tests or vaccines or wear a mask (she has a technical exemption). The school has been able to insist she follows the covid policies and rules as far as the children and day to day running of the school go. But can't dictate what she does to her own body. They can't exactly sack her over it.

Having said that, you probably wouldn't get the job if they know you're like that before hand so not much point in going, I guess.

Do you know of any industries where I can work from home? I’m dreading winter time.
Sensee do wfh call centres and customer service. And search linkedin/indeed for remote roles

Lots of call centres are doing wfh now, they have realised they can save on office space. Otherwise consider a smaller workplace, eg I work mostly alone and have my own office so v low risk

@Jamblueberry

Do you know of any industries where I can work from home? I’m dreading winter time. Sensee do wfh call centres and customer service. And search linkedin/indeed for remote roles

Thanks for the suggestions. I’ll probably be safer working from home and will get paid a lot more than working in a school.

I’m so sad as I when I started retraining 2 and a half years ago covid wasn’t around I wanted to work on cruise ships with children. It looks like I’m not going to be able to do this for a long time.

Kindly, have you considered getting some support for your anxiety? You must know that rationally you can’t get cancer from a cotton swab.

But if you got the job and they have asked for a LFT just for the interview then you can bet they would want you to do them regularly under their employment

Why are you dreading winter time?

If parents can't stand outside on a field for sports day, it would be appalling to let someone untested in for an interview.

[quote Tippexy]@Zig27, you cannot get cancer from the Covid test swabs.[/quote]
Did she say that?

Previous threads, there is a lot of anxiety about various issues.

@Tippexy

Previous threads, there is a lot of anxiety about various issues.

Too much time on your hands to be searching previous posts. How exactly are you helping besides bullying?

If you do believe that it is a shame you are throwing away 2 years of training

There are saliva antigen tests as effective as the swabs but much less invasive, just spit into a tube.

@ineedaholidaynow

Just remember testing may become something people do instead of isolating, so may be necessary wherever you end up working

This is exactly what they're doing a study on atm.

Can't imagine why people would have 'personal reasons' not to do a quick swab and test. Unless it's all the plastic waste being binned.