Social distancing at work

Sammyburn

I am preparing to return to work as an assistant restaurant manager and have concerns about social distancing so want to know where I stand. Another branch in my company has reopened and in the kitchen taped out social distancing so people stick to their areas. 

2 stations in the kitchen are back to back working and less than a meter apart.. When I questioned this to a friend currently working in that store I was told that our boss has signed off back to back working (less than a meter apart) as acceptable social distancing.

When I return to work myself - if this is unavoidable in my own kitchen where do I stand pay wise if I refuse to work as not feeling safe? I am currently on furlough 80% pay. Will they return me to this or will I get paid nothing as I would be refusing to work?

onwards&upwards

If you refuse to work you will have no right to get paid. 

sharpe106

Social distancing is only advice, I spend quarter of my day less than 2 meters from others, it is not always possible. All you can do is try to reduce the time spent less than 2 meters apart.

If you refuse to work it is up to your employer what they do. They can either keep you on furlough which is unlikely as everybody else will do the same or do whatever they would do if you refused to work normally.

Andy_L

2m Social distancing is an "if practicable" in the workplace not a must do. Back to back working is in the gov guidance as a suggested mitigation measure if 2m cannot be achieved
"where it is not possible to remain 2 metres apart, staff should work side by side, or facing away from each other, rather than face to face if possible"
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/guidance-for-employers-and-businesses-on-coronavirus-covid-19#social-distancing-in-the-workplace---principles

bradders1983

onwards&upwards said:

If you refuse to work you will have no right to get paid. 

This thread yet another example of how the furlough scheme is a farce. Everyone should have been put on Universal Credit, they will be desperate to go back into work then.

amykirk1996

Ask for PPE and/or screens to be installed. 

onwards&upwards

bradders1983 said:

onwards&upwards said:

If you refuse to work you will have no right to get paid. 

This thread yet another example of how the furlough scheme is a farce. Everyone should have been put on Universal Credit, they will be desperate to go back into work then.

Possibly having lost their homes or been unable to feed their families in the meantime. 

The furlough scheme won’t be extended just because employees want it to be.  It’s been very very useful. 

bradders1983

onwards&upwards said:

bradders1983 said:

onwards&upwards said:

If you refuse to work you will have no right to get paid. 

This thread yet another example of how the furlough scheme is a farce. Everyone should have been put on Universal Credit, they will be desperate to go back into work then.

Possibly having lost their homes or been unable to feed their families in the meantime. 

The furlough scheme won’t be extended just because employees want it to be.  It’s been very very useful. 

Its also turned people very very lazy. Threads popping up on here from people claiming they are being "forced" back to work.

Forced! Crying out loud! 

Sea_Shell

It would appear that there are many people for whom 80% for doing nothing, is infinitely better than doing a full days work for 100%.

onwards&upwards

bradders1983 said:

onwards&upwards said:

bradders1983 said:

onwards&upwards said:

If you refuse to work you will have no right to get paid. 

This thread yet another example of how the furlough scheme is a farce. Everyone should have been put on Universal Credit, they will be desperate to go back into work then.

Possibly having lost their homes or been unable to feed their families in the meantime. 

The furlough scheme won’t be extended just because employees want it to be.  It’s been very very useful. 

Its also turned people very very lazy. Threads popping up on here from people claiming they are being "forced" back to work.

Forced! Crying out loud! 

So what?  Most people sadly don’t love their jobs, that should not come as a great surprise.  Lots of jobs are hard, boring, tiring, or poorly paid. 

It’s not anybody’s job to police how people feel, furlough was introduced for a very good reason and when that reason doesn’t apply anymore it will be withdrawn.  Who cares if there are people who enjoyed having a prolonged break from a crap job for possibly the only time in their life?  And the sun was shining too!

If you enjoy your job count your blessings, you (and me) are very lucky. 

PixelPound

bradders1983 said:

onwards&upwards said:

If you refuse to work you will have no right to get paid. 

This thread yet another example of how the furlough scheme is a farce. Everyone should have been put on Universal Credit, they will be desperate to go back into work then.

No,the problem is a misunderstanding of the furlough scheme not the idea of 80% itself. The French have an unemployment system where people get paid closer to their actual wage as it allows people to get back into work (it is only for a fixed period).

The furlough scheme has allowed companies to shut and minimise the public's own financial circumstances. Forcing people onto UC would have overwhelmed the system, bankrupted companies as they would have had to make redundancy payment, and been an overall nightmare. 

The problem is no clear guidelines yet as to what happens next. We need to be given an end date for the furlough scheme (even if it's sector based) and it be made clear when people are asked to return to work they either do or it's treated as a breach of employment contract and they just go onto UC.