Can employers still enforce face covering and social distancing

[Unsubscribed]

I've been mostly WFH with the odd day in the office.
Employers have been operating a very strict COVID policy with socially distanced desks , windows open, anti bac everywhere and compulsory face covering.

I've found it depressing although I totally understand the necessity at the time.
However now legal restrictions have been lifted, but my Employers say they are going to continue with their existing policy to 'keep staff safe'.
My question is can they legally force me to wear a face covering in the office when I don't want to?

And even if you think they're not valid they are still the new rules. So why can't we just get on with them

Because presumably your employers are remembering they have a duty of care to those with vulnerabilities, not just those who don't like taking tests or social distancing. Its not just about you.

@C8H10N4O2

And even if you think they're not valid they are still the new rules. So why can't we just get on with them

Because presumably your employers are remembering they have a duty of care to those with vulnerabilities, not just those who don't like taking tests or social distancing. Its not just about you.

I know its not just about me but I feel its equally about me

@Unsubscribed

Ok I may have to suck it up then

It's mad isn't it. It's the reason I am mostly staying away from the office until the madness ends. We have to wear a mask when 'moving around' but not when sitting next to the same person all day. Batshit crazy

@PaddlingLikeADuck

Maybe the OP just doesn’t want to wear a mask across her face all day and be forced to keep away from people.

And does this mean employers can make you isolate for a positive LFT even though the Government say it’s not required anymore?

Obviously your employer can't make you isolate as such, but you can surely see why they wouldn't want folk with Covid turning up to work with others / the public?

I get that not everyone gets the same cover for being off sick, but that's a shitty T&Cs issue. Outside of that, why would you want to go into work testing positive if you could avoid it?

@PaddlingLikeADuck

Maybe the OP just doesn’t want to wear a mask across her face all day and be forced to keep away from people.

And does this mean employers can make you isolate for a positive LFT even though the Government say it’s not required anymore?

No, of course they can't. An employer has no legal power to do that. What an employer can do is prevent you from entering work premises for a certain period if you test positive. The issue of payment during this time is more complicated.

Also I do hope these employers are going to be providing the LFTs for staff themselves once they stop being generally available, if it continues to be an expectation. It doesn't sound like OP is in the sort of role where the state should still be providing them at that point.

Why would you want to get physically close to colleagues anyway? I like the physical distance, especially from someone who has a sad face that they can't get up close and personal...

I feel the same Pootle.
I've been mostly WFH since March 2020 and I've preferred this to being in the office faced with masks and social distancing.

So when Boris scraped the restrictions it was a massive boost, a feeling of relief, but then No, nothing is changing !

I'm not working at the moment but love the social distancing anyway. I can't be the only one who likes to keep people at a distance.

I think I’d quit if my work wanted to continue that bullshit. Fuck that shit - it’s not 2020 anymore.

Feel for you OP, I really do. Still, at least you can mouth bad words under your mask at whatever jobsworth it is who still insists on making you all wear them.

OP, isn't it great that most people love wearing masks and love seeing everyone else wearing them too? People who've recently recovered from covid, people wearing glasses steamed up by their mask, people who find them uncomfortable, people who have skin conditions exacerbated by mask wearing, people who struggle to hear speech, people with soft voices who find it hard to make themselves heard, people like my two GP friends who rarely wear them at their work and don't believe they do anything, people who aren't coughing or sneezing; all considerately pandering to the unfounded desperation of some people to be seen to be doing their bit for the covid effort.Even if their efforts cause more harm than good.

I'm happy to do the LFT's and no way I'd go into the office if tested positive. That would be irresponsible of me.
It's the social distancing and mask wearing that is getting me down after such a long time.
I don't mean I want to get 'up close and personal' . I just want to be able to sit or stand next to a friend , not swerve round people in the corridor , and God forbid shake hands with someone new.

Me too. Whether sat at a desk or moving round, you can lower it to take a sip of a drink then have to put it back again. It’s boring. I know following WHO is best but we are allowed to feel fatigued by it

@mibbelucieachwell

OP, isn't it great that most people love wearing masks and love seeing everyone else wearing them too? People who've recently recovered from covid, people wearing glasses steamed up by their mask, people who find them uncomfortable, people who have skin conditions exacerbated by mask wearing, people who struggle to hear speech, people with soft voices who find it hard to make themselves heard, people like my two GP friends who rarely wear them at their work and don't believe they do anything, people who aren't coughing or sneezing; all considerately pandering to the unfounded desperation of some people to be seen to be doing their bit for the covid effort.Even if their efforts cause more harm than good.

We do seem to be in the minority ? or are there more who feel the same but would rather sit uncomfortably behind a sweaty minging mask due to fear of being labelled 'not caring about COVID'

I don’t think we’re the minority, but some people probably don’t want to admit it as anyone against masks is still instantly labelled as “stupid/selfish/doesn’t care about others/doesn’t follow the science”. Which is ridiculous and very short sighted.

@SexyLittleNosferatu

Why would you object to an employer trying to keep you safe?

Are we still trotting out this "safe" nonsense? How 2020.

Are employers only keeping people 'safe' from this one specific virus?

You are not the only one OP. It's nonsense. Pointless covid theatre.

And we're equally all pretending that COVID is over because the government has decided it is. It's nonsense. Taking some sensible precautions when you run a business to protect everyone is sensible.

I dont think you are in the minority at all @unsubscribed - it's just the majority who agree with you no longer post on this board. It's now just the die hards on here!

@PaddlingLikeADuck

Maybe the OP just doesn’t want to wear a mask across her face all day and be forced to keep away from people.

And does this mean employers can make you isolate for a positive LFT even though the Government say it’s not required anymore?

Why the hell would you not isolate if you had COVID?

Yes, NHS employee, weekly PCRs twice weekly LFTs and masks all the time apart from when I'm eating.

I'm not NHS or any health or social care setting

I was looking forward to getting back to a normal way of life

I think this is now the 'normal way of life'.
I don't think things will ever go back to how they used to be pre 2020.

or are there more who feel the same but would rather sit uncomfortably behind a sweaty minging mask

You're not doing that though, are you?

Taking some sensible precautions when you run a business to protect everyone is sensible

This is what my Employers would say lucky but I'm past that now since 24th Feb, and I wanted to see if there was any grounds for challenging them without getting myself sacked

I know its not just about me but I feel its equally about me

Its a preference vs an actual risk.

Why the hell would you not isolate if you had COVID?

The most obvious reason is money. The fact is that even when isolation was compulsory, some people were simply excluded from the possibility of doing it.

@LyricalBlowToTheJaw

Why the hell would you not isolate if you had COVID?

The most obvious reason is money. The fact is that even when isolation was compulsory, some people were simply excluded from the possibility of doing it.

My company is doing sick pay for covid and will be for the foreseeable They've emailed to say basically if you have covid, stay home and get well, we will pay you