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Original poster

Sick of selfish colleague!!

54 replies

PanettoneSeason · 22/12/2021 09:35

Very small team (6 of us) working closely with members of the public and with each other. Impossible to maintain physical distance at work due to the nature of the job. 5 of us are very aware of this - testing at least twice a week, or before each shift for those of us that are FT. There are 3 with very young children (1 with a child with a health condition), 1 who looks after elderly family, and I have a young child and a very close family member undergoing cancer treatment. 2 of us have lost loved ones to covid. All are fully vaccinated including boosters.

But the 6th member of staff (PT, works 3 days) is firmly anti-vax/anti-testing. Believes the whole of covid is a conspiracy (“if there was actually a pandemic then people would be dropping dead in the street” 🙄). We’re in Scotland. In the last 2 weeks she’s been to London twice. Once to attend a gig and see family, the other time to attend a large family event and go to some Christmas events. This weekend she was in Edinburgh for the markets etc. Twice in the last 2 months she has had to have a forced 10 days off work due to having symptoms and refusing to get PCR tested. She won’t touch a LFT either. Son also had symptoms one of the times but she sent him to school as she felt too unwell to look after him 😳
I have 1 FT member of staff who has a very close family member that has just passed away this week. She’s understandably asked for some time off and all other staff have happily picked up extra shifts to cover - as we all would do for each other in the same situation.
I’ve just had a call this morning the anti-Vaxer has got a fever again. Refusing to get a PCR. Another forced 10 day isolation. So it now falls on the rest of us to cover her shifts at this bloody time of year.

I know we can’t force people to be vaccinated or try to limit contact but my gosh, it is SO frustrating 😡

OP posts:
HoardingSamphireSaurus · 22/12/2021 09:47

Tell her. There can't be any legal reasons not to tell her that her unfounded beliefs are causing you and her colleagues a lot of grief. That she is selfish and, at the very least, needs to have a quick rethink of her attitude towards LFTs.

And have a look at unpaid leave whilst she sits on her moral high horse.

NewIdeasToday · 22/12/2021 09:51

Surely her repeated absence without proof of covid can be raised via HR?

ItsSnowJokes · 22/12/2021 09:56

I would not be paying her for her sick leave! She has made a choice not to have vaccine so had to isolate for 10 days so she doesn't need paying.

BluebellsGreenbells · 22/12/2021 09:58

Is she paid? Not that that should matter as it impacts you.

Where I live PCR tests are no longer required just a positive lateral flow test, logged don a government site and an email confirmation.

88% of cases are through LFT so it’s thought to be good enough?

I think you need to speak to HR or management about company policy on Covid and stop relying on government guidelines - this is possible.

We have to do LFT twice weekly to attend work, that’s work policy and I think this is something a lot of companies are looking at.

Original poster
PanettoneSeason · 22/12/2021 10:11

I have no idea if her absence is being paid or not - but I have raised the situation with HR multiple times. They’re “dealing with it” 🙄

@BluebellsGreenbells LFT to attend work is a good idea. I’ll raise this with HR. Understand that we can’t force people to vaccinate but doing LFT really doesn’t take long and, in my opinion, isn’t too big an ask of people!

OP posts:
ExplodingCarrots · 22/12/2021 10:33

Was she rota'd to work over Xmas ? Sounds like this fever has been fabricated because she knows she can get away with having 10 days off without testing. She's taking the absolute piss.

Cornettoninja · 22/12/2021 11:03

She sounds like a knob and very canny about how to use the situation to her advantage - sympathies for having to deal with someone like that.

Are HR just taking her word as proof? It seems crazy that anyone can just claim they have symptoms/contacts and get 10 days off no questions. I know you don’t have any control over it but if I were HR I would be classifying her time off as normal sickness if she refuses to engage with covid testing etc. hopefully that would trigger normal sickness policies and she could be subject to being answerable about her fitness to work.

I don’t think I’d be able to stop myself from calling her out on her return, not that she’s likely to give a flying one.

Cornettoninja · 22/12/2021 11:09

Understand that we can’t force people to vaccinate but doing LFT really doesn’t take long and

Whilst this is true this does mean that you and colleagues are forced to pick up the slack created by her choices. Ask HR what they’re doing to support the remaining staff, I think you need to push from the pov of the affect it’s having on the team and make it a bigger problem from your perspective rather than concentrating on work dodger’s behaviour.

I would ask what the plan is going forward given the high rates of infection and the high chance that this is going to happen repeatedly. Can they provide an extra temporary staff member so there’s more give in your teams capacity? Make it a problem that they have to solve rather than relying on you and your colleagues to fill the gap.

Bluntness100 · 22/12/2021 11:11

Are you sure she’s not just having everyone on and taking time off. I’d suspect at least some of it is bullshit if she’s being paid.

Lockdowninfinity · 22/12/2021 11:17

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

AnkleDeep · 22/12/2021 11:20

I hope the selfish cow gets the sack.

Popfan · 22/12/2021 11:33

So she thinks covid is all a conspiracy and refuses to test etc but is quite happy to isolate and not work due to symptoms..... hmmmmm

Original poster
PanettoneSeason · 22/12/2021 11:38

@Lockdowninfinity

I can imagine she’s telling some porkies. But she’s not to blame. And we’ll within her rights to do as she pleases vaccination/testing wise……Wishy washy policy makers in Whitehall and/or the HR dept not supporting those left behind, are where your frustrations should be directed. I’m curious as to how/why you know so much about what she’s up to…… I know zero about my colleagues politics / health choices. It’s up to them and I don’t care
@Lockdowninfinity We’re a small team and all work closely together. Naturally it’s come up in conversation over the last few months. She’s certainly not one that is quiet on the subject.
OP posts:
Broads93 · 22/12/2021 12:05

Her vaccination status is nothing to do with you or anyone else.
Fair enough I get where you're coming from with the testing etc, personally I wouldn't be annoyed as I don't care about what others do in their down time but each to their own.

Invasionofthegutsnatchers · 22/12/2021 12:07

Like fuck she'll be isolating at home. Extra 10 days' paid holiday. Cheeky fucker

LadyCatStark · 22/12/2021 12:08

A “fever” so close to Christmas… how convenient…

Original poster
PanettoneSeason · 22/12/2021 12:08

@Broads93

Her vaccination status is nothing to do with you or anyone else. Fair enough I get where you're coming from with the testing etc, personally I wouldn't be annoyed as I don't care about what others do in their down time but each to their own.
@Broads93 I literally couldn’t care less what she’s doing - except for the fact that it’s impacting myself and the other (very considerate) staff!
OP posts:
Shedmistress · 22/12/2021 12:10

@Broads93

Her vaccination status is nothing to do with you or anyone else. Fair enough I get where you're coming from with the testing etc, personally I wouldn't be annoyed as I don't care about what others do in their down time but each to their own.
It is about doing her work whilst she takes 10 days off for a virus that she thinks doesn't exist - so it does indeed have something to do with the OP.
TooWicked · 22/12/2021 12:11

She sounds like a selfish twat and o totally understand your frustration.

Unfortunately for you and your colleagues anyone can now self-certify for 28 days sick leave. I doubt there’s much HR can do.

visitingagain · 22/12/2021 13:24

If she is self certifying for absence she'll need to do RTW interviews every single time. She will soon use up any sick leave she's entitled to and be on SSP. Maybe the manager or HR could refer her to Occupational Health, if you have that ? Because she shouldn't be off doing nothing during self isolation and getting full pay, there must definitely be some kind of duties she can do at home. Even if she has to make macrame table mats or something.

visitingagain · 22/12/2021 13:25

Or do ten online excel courses

ExcaliburBaby · 22/12/2021 13:54

Surely at some point her attendance record will trigger some form of action at work?

OnGoldenPond · 22/12/2021 13:58

I hope she doesn't get paid for all this time off unconfirmed by a PCR. I don't know if that's legal but it should be.

Cornettoninja · 22/12/2021 17:01

@visitingagain

Or do ten online excel courses
That’s just a cruel and unusual punishment Grin
Original poster
PanettoneSeason · 22/12/2021 19:24

Thanks guys, I just needed a rant earlier. Nice to hear that you’d all mainly feel the same!

I have absolutely no idea about her pay for when she’s off. I just send record of any sick days to HR and payroll and leave the rest up to them. There is a RTW chat and form completed each time. I have asked HR for a chat regarding the issue so hopefully I’ll hear back from them tomorrow.
Definitely absolutely no duties that she can do from home so she really is just getting 10 days off whenever she likes 🙄 conveniently now, right over Christmas 🙄

OP posts:
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