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Employer / employee and Covid-19

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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
J

Josh Jo

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hi everyone I need some help. Due to the outbreak of the covid -19 virus I’m in a bit of a predicament. I work for an security installer and maintainer of intruder alarms and some of our clients are health care facilities and hospitals. My boss is telling me that myself and office manager are classed as key workers which we very much doubt, he is the type of man who doesn’t like paying his workers if they’re off on holiday, etc. He has sent various emails when challenged about what documentation he has in regards to us being key workers, which he can’t provide and we’re expected to accept his word, yet what I have found out in an online document I read was that the only people working in this industry that are key workers are the servicing engineers who have to be on standby for emergency calls and I will say that the boss is at home safely on lockdown and the same goes for the servicing engineers too and they only come out for an emergency but have to wear full PPE when they arrive on site of the emergency. Yet the number of emergency calls we’ve had (2) since the U.K. lockdown, which have been sorted with a telephone call and no emergency visit necessary doesn’t outweigh the boss putting our lives at risk by saying we are a critical part of what is happening across the U.K. When I emailed him to confront the issue his reply was somewhat annoyed and in “shouty text” - big and bold I have emailed all the correspondence he and I have sent each other to my personal email account in case I need it at some point but with it being a security installation company information is classed as confidential. He has also answered my query on working from home and yet his excuse is that we don’t have those facilities to make that possible and all information is confidential and is not to leave the office. He also replied that he can respond to the current situation as he sees fit and for what’s best for the company and employees?

Also, my husband is somewhat on the same wave length as my boss and doesn’t see why I shouldn’t go to work either.

I know what myself and my office manager should do, which is the right thing and stay at home but I also need my full wage as I am the only person working in my household as my husband is partially disabled and I know from the correspondence I have received from my boss that he is not willing to pay my full wage if I self isolate and may take disciplinary action as stated in a draft letter he has sent (as a mental threat of what he could do if he saw fit)

Please help.

j
 
Welcome to the forum @Josh Jo

Sorry to hear of the anxiety you are experiencing.

I’m not sure anyone here can do anything but point you at the current advice, which you doubtless already know

Social distancing and working from home strongly recommended for people with diabetes:
www.gov.uk

[Withdrawn] [Withdrawn] Guidance on social distancing for everyone in the UK

www.gov.uk www.gov.uk

And restrictions of movement for ‘shielding’:
www.gov.uk

[Withdrawn] Staying at home and away from others (social distancing)

www.gov.uk www.gov.uk

Heve you tried ‘Citizens Advice’?

Is there a trade body for security installers who might be able to provide clarity?
 
Hi Josh Jo,
Your employer sounds like a right arrogant so and so ( not allowed to use profanities).I have been furloughed by my employer as being in the at risk category because I have Diabetes( same as you). I am a driver delivering hot water cylinders to retail and British Gas customers covering a wide area so cannot work from home. I was the first, followed a week later by the other drivers.
Letters were sent to us as we had to sign a furlough agreement to enable the company to claim from the government to pay us 80% of our wages.
Employers have a DUTY OF CARE . This is the law.If he doesn't care then he's breaking the law.
Look on line for Duty of Care.
Hope this helps out.
Stay safe.
Sir Galahad.
 
Welcome to the forums @Josh Jo

Sorry to hear about the difficulties that you are having with your employer.
I hope that the links Mike has given you are of some help, otherwise it would be good to try Citizens Advice.
 
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