Back t work and don’t feel safe?

[lovedisney]

Hey,

How is everyone? How are people who were shielding or staying away from the work place because they are vulnerable getting on having returned to the workplace?

I returned to work yesterday after being off since March. I never received a shielding letter but I spoke to my Gp at the end of March & he advised me not to go into work as I work in a massive open plan office of over 300 people. (We are seen as key workers so the office was open it never closed) He wrote to my work twice during my time off explaining why it wasn’t a safe environment due to my asthma. Returning to work was awful I never had a risk assessment. I was sat with a circle of 4 people almost surrounding me. They were all facing me. It certainly didn’t feel like they was a 2m distance between us although I was assured there was. (It must have been to the centimetre.) Between me and one of the other people there was a walk way with colleagues walking past constantly and they were max of 1 meter between me and them as they passed. Some even walked past coughing the canteen was packed less than a meter distancing. (I went and sat in my car during breaks. It was the only place I felt safe) Moving around the building there was no social distancing. Nobody was wearing masks. I also discovered that over 100 people are working from home. I requested this over a week before I went off and was told it wouldn’t happen.

I got so upset and distressed about it I advised I had to go home I couldn’t stay and I was told if I left I would be placed on unauthorised or unpaid leave. I felt threatened. I also can’t afford to take any further unpaid leave. They stopped paying me SSP about 3 weeks ago and I have been on unpaid leave since

Has anyone had a similar experience? What did you do? I can’t sleep. I am back in work on Friday and I am absolutely dreading it.

Take Care C x

[Poobah]

If you are in a union then ask them for support and advice.

Contact HR and request an occupational health review by a qualified practitioner. If your employer doesn't have access to occupational health services then you can contact Access to Work, a government scheme. gov.uk/access-to-work

You are covered by the Equality Act 2010, as well as general employment law and health & safety regulations. As such your employer has a legal duty of care for you and the occupational health review will help them meet those legal obligations.

The OH review practioner will make recommendations to the employer called reasonable adjustments. These adjustments are designed specifically for you and your well being, to minimise the risk posed by Covid-19.

HR should know about this but if they stall you don't hesitate to contact Access to Work. gov.uk/access-to-work

In the meantime ask your GP if they can help by signing you off work to protect you financially.

All the best.

[lovedisney in reply to Poobah]

Hi poohbah,

Thank you very much for this. We dont have a union. I had to ask several times for HR's contact details yesterday and they did eventually give them to me. I dont think HR are based in my building.

I really dont want to be signed off I feel under an immense amount of pressure but if I get signed off how long would that end up being for and that in itself could turn into an issue. I will for an OH referral which I am sure they will not be up for which in my eyes speaks volumes. But if they then say no to that I will contact access to work. I want to follow the right actions as I feel they would penalise me for that.

I cant thank you enough for your advice.

Thank you.

xx

[Jimmy-Lyden in reply to lovedisney]

It sounds as though you could ask your doctor to look at your stress levels, and possibly sign you off with stress for a few weeks, after which this may have situation may have sorted itself out a bit better.

Good luck.

[lovedisney in reply to Jimmy-Lyden]

Thanks Jimmy, at one point I considered that. However I figured I was just delaying my return and what happens if cases increase at a later date in my area. But I emailed a senior manager from home yesterday. Turns out out my immediate manager hadn’t passed on my concerns. Nor any of my requests re working from home. So they phoned me. Reassured me. Have put me on paid leave till Monday where they have arranged for me to sit down and talk to them (In a safe area away from people) and they are going to try and set me up from home. They agree that I should never have been told to sit where I was placed given my vulnerability but between that and the unsympathetic response I got re my concerns they felt my reaction was totally understandable and justified.

Take care. x

[Jimmy-Lyden in reply to lovedisney]

Fan - tastic! I've found this to be the case many times over. The joker you report to just doesn't have a clue. Thankfully, hopefully, the senior manager will be try to his word and the other dumpling will be given a talking to.

Good luck and take care.