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Now the legal requirement to self isolate when you have tested positive for covid has disappeared my employer has said that we should come to work unless we are actually too ill to work.
I tested positive on Tuesday morning, had cold symptoms and did a LFT. I was due to work on a secure government site anyway that day that requires contractors to take a LFT before arriving.
My employer wasn't happy and said that unless I was actually ill I should still work. I said I was ill and actually have been feeling pretty rough until today where I'm feeling better but still testing positive via LFT.
My employer wants a return to work Monday wether positive or not. Morally this is difficult because I work all over the country, mixing with loads of people in all types of settings (offices, people's houses, hospitals, schools, universities, industrial and commercial settings etc).
Should I be informing all these clients up front I'm positive for covid or just crack on? I get the feeling if I tell a client I'm positive and they cancel my appointment my employer won't be happy with me.
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[[Mod]] Please post in the main Covid thread. Thanks.
If you're ill you're ill. If you need a doctor's line I'm sure you can get one easily.
I had it three weeks ago. Got a phone call asking me to work from home. I said I was ill and if lft was neg would be in the next week.
Blimey, I think that's bonkers. I'd just say I'm too I'll to work if I was having to travel and meet people.
I can only imagine clients would say 'go away' quite strongly if they knew you were positive.
I don't know what the proper response should be other than rule no#1, but on behalf of those of us who are double immune compromised I think your employer is a ******. If someone came into my home and didn't inform me they had tested positive I would be absolutely livid as the likleyness is that you're going to make me seriously ill and if this is some employers approach I will be asking anybody whom visits my house directly if they have tested positive. If they then lied or didn't disclose it and I got ill I'd be tracking them down and hammering a million frozen sausages into their lawns. Obviously after I've been taken off the ventilator and can walk more then 10 metres without having a lie down.
You just self certify. Your employer is pretty irresponsible IMO
https://www.gov.uk/taking-sick-leave
There are employers acting like this all over. Mrs fadda has many interactions with people through her work, and lots express this dilemma, where employers are saying "come in anyway"
For me, it demonstrates that it's too early to lift the restrictions, at least without proper support in place - it's alright for those lucky enough that it doesn't mean more than a week or so off work (includes me), but we're effectively confining anyone with e.g. suppressed immune responses to their homes (still)
Problem is the person who decided that policy has probably had a very light bought of COVID and not one that has wiped them out
Very short sighted view IMO
COVID has the potential to remove your entire workforce in one week
Sadly I can see this becoming the norm for a lot of workplaces. No legal requirement to be at home, get yourself in.
One of the ladies I work with mentioned her daughter's school now expects asymptomatic but definitely +ve pupils to attend as well.
And don't forget, with free tests ending today there will be an awful lot of people who won't know whether it's just a cold or covid.
Right now, if I didn't know, I feel a bit rubbish but would be heading for the office. As it is, I do know I'm +ve and my boss doesn't want me anywhere near the place but if this were later this month or into the summer most people won't be testing so won't know of way or the other.
If you are ill, you are ill - self cert or doctors note.
If you can work from home, work from home.
If you are feeling OK, but testing positive, inform colleagues/clients and see if they want you on site - the answer will be "no".
Much harder for those who can't work from home or get sick pay, that's a whole other world of issues.
Lord knows how the ending of free testing will play out. We have around 1200 on site each day and roughly 6 people testing positive daily, but not in clusters to suggest its in work transmission, which is interesting.
The government guidance remains to self-isolate at least five days from the onset of symptoms. It's bad enough bringing you in to infect your co-workers, but sending you to mix with the public is just crazy.
Is this your boss, or official from your employer, ie HR? If not, perhaps ask for written clarification from HR as to what your organisation's policy is on sending covid-positive employees out and about.
If you don't want to rock the boat, I'd suggest that your symptoms should definitely fail to improve until you test clear, and you should self-certify your absence.
That's the problem with allowing 'good old British common sense' to operate instead of some actual rules. A large chunk of the population, including your boss, are selfish idiots.
So firstly, if you are testing positive on a LFT then you are "ill". You are carrying coronavirus and shedding the virus in sufficient quantities to test positive. So as others have said, you can self-certify for 5 days and thereafter get a doctor's note.
If you don't mind the hassle and feel strongly enough, I would make waves about it. In most of those circumstances (any organisation) there will be procedures in place surrounding covid. These would need to be followed by any contractor, or your employer and you are in breach of contract with the organisation. (Assuming England or NI since in Scotland and Wales it is still a legal requirement to self isolate - so be aware of that if being asked to visit any sites across a border.) Organisations will be following Public Health England (or NI) guidance so that they don't fall foul to the HSE. This is a risk-assessment issue, can your employer show the risk-assessment that says it is 'safe' for you to ignore PHE guidance?
Stay at home and avoid contact with other people if you test positive
If you have COVID-19 you can infect other people from 2 days before your symptoms start, and for up to 10 days after. You can pass on the infection to others, even if you have mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. If you have COVID-19 the public health advice is to stay at home and avoid contact with other people. You should follow the guidance for people with COVID-19 and their contacts.
Are you in a Union? if not you can still contact the one appropriate to your work... Example Union advice
I went to the builders merchants yesterday afternoon and the lad who I spoke to told me to keep my distance as he was positive. I just got in the van and left. Crazy that this is deemed ok?