Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

Work asking me to go in with symptoms based on negative LFT

25 replies

bumblebeez1 · 01/11/2021 10:41

My daughter had a cough and temperature last week, negative PCR.

Over the weekend I started with an awful sore throat and headache.
Last night i started with a temperature and now a tickly cough.

I have had a negative LFT but booked a PCR test and told work I wouldn’t be going in today.

My manager said it’s okay for me go in as my LFT is negative and I’ve probably just got what my daughter has who was negative.

I’ve told them I’m isolating now as I’ve had a PCR but my manager seemed pretty irritated by this and told me I should’ve just gone in.

Is this right? Should I have gone in?

Chances are, I do have what my daughter has but I can’t just go by that and guess… can I?!

OP posts:
EllieLeopard · 01/11/2021 10:48

You are right OP!
You have a temperature so need to isolate until pcr result is back.
Aside from the fact it sounds like you might not be well enough to work, covid or no covid!

Original poster
bumblebeez1 · 01/11/2021 10:50

@EllieLeopard

I do feel pretty crap, I felt okay until the temperature started. 😞

OP posts:
JanglyBeads · 01/11/2021 12:32

Check what their Covid risk assessment says (it’ll state the official guidance which you’re following). If they’re not abiding by it it’s a H&S issue which could be reported….

Submariner · 01/11/2021 13:43

You're right to wait. All my LFTs were negative, right up to one I did on the morning of the day I did my PCR, which was positive!

Original poster
bumblebeez1 · 01/11/2021 13:55

Had my PCR, it’s negative. So obviously just what my daughter had.

OP posts:
Kdubs1981 · 01/11/2021 14:20

You are right OP, but as a separate issue... COVID or not, if you are ill and need to recover you shouldn't be expected to work. You are entitled to sick leave

anxiouswaiting · 01/11/2021 14:23

@bumblebeez1

Had my PCR, it’s negative. So obviously just what my daughter had.
Great that it is negative, but you still shouldn't be expected to go into work when you are unwell.

Not only do you need to be home recovering, but it isnt right to be spreading other bugs around to others, covid isnt the only illness people want to avoid.

I've just been off work for 3 weeks after coming into contact with someone who came in knowing they were unwell (not covid) and I caught it.

Your manager needs to value their staff more.

Hope you feel better soon Flowers

RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 01/11/2021 14:25

Me and my boss are dithering about what to do with me. I'm a teacher, we have inset today that was already planned to be online with us in separate rooms (we're back to semi-bubbles and masks this term).

My inlaws were here until Thursday, they are now both positive. Partner is ill in bed and has been since Saturday. Child has been at parties with positive other children, children in her class have been positive over half term. I've had negative LFTs. We've all had a PCR, but no result as yet... waiting...

Officially I can go in to school. Track and trace say I can. BUT.

whatswithtodaytoday · 01/11/2021 14:26

I'm glad it's not Covid, but you are still ill. You can't be expected to go to work with a temperature, and if you infect everyone else they'll have to have Covid tests too.

Original poster
bumblebeez1 · 01/11/2021 15:30

@whatswithtodaytoday

Unfortunately I will have to go into work 😞

I don’t get paid if I don’t go in and at this time of year I can’t really afford to be taking time off.

I don’t want to spread my germs to anyone else either but I don’t feel like I have a choice.

OP posts:
JanglyBeads · 01/11/2021 15:40

No sick pay??

Lavender24 · 01/11/2021 15:53

@Kdubs1981

You are right OP, but as a separate issue... COVID or not, if you are ill and need to recover you shouldn't be expected to work. You are entitled to sick leave
I agree with this. They shouldn't be pressuring you to go in if you're ill. It's not fair to you and not fair to colleagues who could potentially catch it.
Original poster
bumblebeez1 · 01/11/2021 15:59

@JanglyBeads

No sick pay??
@JanglyBeads

Only SSP. It wouldn’t even cover the cost of Childcare.

OP posts:
FictionalCharacter · 01/11/2021 16:01

@whatswithtodaytoday

I'm glad it's not Covid, but you are still ill. You can't be expected to go to work with a temperature, and if you infect everyone else they'll have to have Covid tests too.
Absolutely. Have we so quickly gone back to pre-Covid times when people went into work coughing and sneezing because they were expected to, and spread their infections to everyone else? I thought we might have learned from this!
Dandy008 · 01/11/2021 16:07

@FictionalCharacter

I thought so too. Apparently not.

Infact I made a post myself about this a few days ago, but I was quickly shot down by posters who told me as long as someone had a negative PCR they should be free to get along with their lives…

Jenster03 · 01/11/2021 16:23

@Kdubs1981

You are right OP, but as a separate issue... COVID or not, if you are ill and need to recover you shouldn't be expected to work. You are entitled to sick leave
This
whatswithtodaytoday · 02/11/2021 09:57

[quote bumblebeez1]@whatswithtodaytoday

Unfortunately I will have to go into work 😞

I don’t get paid if I don’t go in and at this time of year I can’t really afford to be taking time off.

I don’t want to spread my germs to anyone else either but I don’t feel like I have a choice.[/quote]
I'm really sorry the company you work for are so short-sighted and rubbish. I hope you feel better soon.

Cook4Meals · 02/11/2021 10:06

Your manager is completely in the wrong here! Once you develop symptoms, you have to do a PCR and isolate until result is back..... LFT is only for asymptomatic investigations hence they use it in schools also.

Sugarandtime · 02/11/2021 10:17

You are definitely right to isolate until you receive your pcr result, especially as you have symptoms.

Was listening to Chris Evans on Virgin radio yesterday saying how he’d just spent 2 weeks in Portugal on holiday and was feeling pretty unwell but it was just a non covid cold as he’d done lots of flow tests.
Now he’s not in work as he’s now got covid.

So he’s highly likely to have spread it around over the last week and didn’t need to have a pcr test before entering or leaving Portugal as he’d had his injections.

Goes to show what a farce these NHS covid passports are, doesn’t matter if you spread it just as long as you’ve had your injections.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 02/11/2021 10:18

@Kdubs1981

You are right OP, but as a separate issue... COVID or not, if you are ill and need to recover you shouldn't be expected to work. You are entitled to sick leave
This.
rumrunner123 · 02/11/2021 11:16

I think this is a tricky one, my DH and my DSS have had terrible sore throats, coughs, headaches etc. Frequent negative LFT and booked DSS for PCR and that was negative as well so it is this terrible cold that is going around.

I think telling work you are isolating even though you had a negative LFT may have been the undoing. I would have just contacted them and said that you were too ill to come into work and that is it.

BlondieD · 02/11/2021 11:36

I'm in a similar position and I don't know about work today.

My partner was ill last week with what he said was a cold. I would have put it as a cold/chest infection. He never isolated and he never tested. I don't know what he has. He presumes its the same dose his colleagues had. He works in a public customer service role so it doesn't matter what his colleagues have imo, he's at risk of covid and other bugs.

I became unwell on Saturday with some symptoms of cold and over Sunday too.

Right now, I am waiting for a pcr results. Right kow I feel somewhat OK. I can get up out of bed. I don't have a foggy head. I am not tired. I don't feel very ill. I do have some symptoms of colds and my cough is progressing in intensity.

Work wants me in the minute I get a negative result on a pcr. Theres pressure to go to work today.

Original poster
bumblebeez1 · 02/11/2021 13:12

I think telling work you are isolating even though you had a negative LFT may have been the undoing. I would have just contacted them and said that you were too ill to come into work and that is it.

@rumrunner123

The rule is if you have Covid symptoms you get a PCR, not LFT.

I had a temperature and a cough. I find it so irresponsible that my employer would’ve had me at work without having had a PCR.

OP posts:
rumrunner123 · 02/11/2021 13:36

@bumblebeez1 so do I, I am not saying they are right at all.

I just keep coming across more and more people who are saying that their employers are not taking notice if they say they have had a negative LFT and are willing to risk others in work.

My friends DH was told to still go in because he had negative LFT for 3 days then on day 4 had positive and confirmed covid. 6 others came down with it and had to shut office for deep clean.

I believe (not necessary agree) that taking covid out of the equation is now easier - before covid if you called in sick it was accepted that you were sick.

I agree you did the right thing and followed sensible precautions, seems that employers are not sensible anymore so it seems easier to just say that you are too ill to work that day, end of.

Suspiciousmind20 · 02/11/2021 13:51

That’s awful OP. You shouldn’t have to work when you are ill. I’m so sick of shitty companies treating people like this. There should be a ‘fair trade’ equivalent that companies can sign up to if they provide employees with basic rights. I’d then use those companies more.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page