Returning to High Infection Risk Job with Vulnerable Person at Home - any options for staying home?

Digital_Dan

MadMattUK said:

Digital_Dan said:

Thank you.
As said earlier, she was promised PPE prior to lockdown but it never arrived. She was working in close proximity to potentially infected people. So, I fully understand and appreciate her concern about returning to work. As far as she is concerned, it is all about the balance of risk. My questions are asked on the basis that she decides not to return to work in the near future.

This may have been because for the few weeks pre-lockdown it was almost impossible to get hold of, Amazon et al. sold out and wholesalers would only deal with existing customers. I suspect that you will find that the GOC will recommend fairly strict PPE and hygiene guidelines and I can't imagine any reputable optician would risk breaching them. 

Thanks.

The difficulty in obtaining PPE was known when the staff were told they would receive protective equipment.

Sadly, this wouldn't be the first time that the employer's promises were never fulfilled, hence my wife's apprehension. I appreciate your comments regarding GOC guidelines.

Digital_Dan

Thrugelmir said:

Digital_Dan said:

Thrugelmir said:

Rather than jumping to conclusions. Your wife should be speaking to her employer. To asacertain what measures are being put in place. Likewise investigate what measures she needs to take to protect you upon returning from work. 

If somebody doesn't want to work they don't have to, though there's no obligation to be paid. 

No conclusions jumped to. She is talking to her employer, but so far she has not received any detail of what protection will be put into place. Prior to lockdown, she was advised by her employers that staff would be provided with PPE, but none ever materialised, and the staff were working without protection. Hence her concern that any promised protection may not be put into place. Even if she wears PPE, she still feels that she is at higher risk than she is comfortable with, hence my question.

Seems as if you are approaching the issue from the perspective of finding a reason for her not to return to work. 

I'm not sure of the relevance of that comment, as it doesn't address the question I asked.
I am merely looking for advice if my wife chooses a particular course of action.
Our sole perspective is maximising the chances of maintaining our health and safety, nothing else. I hope that is clear enough.

diggingdude

out of interest would your partner be prepared to stay off work long term without pay or benefits?

Digital_Dan

sharpe106 said:

Digital_Dan said:

calcotti said:

Digital_Dan said:..I suffer from several health problems and I am classified as 'vulnerable' and have been shielding as advised by the government.

You are not shielding unless you have received the 'shielding' letter informing you that you are extremely 

I did receive a letter advising me to shield.

Thanks for your answers, very much appreciated.

You answered your own question you received the letter not your partner. Her employer does not employ you. So it is not relevant to them. 
The government guidance quite clearly states if someone is shielding at home the other person can go to work. So the employer has to do nothing extra then they would for any other employee. 

 You earlier stated: "You are not shielding unless you have received the 'shielding' letter informing you that you are extremely vulnerable and advising you to shield."

I was merely confirming that I did receive a letter advising me to shield, I didn't ask about it's relevance to my wife's employers. I appreciate your further comments about government guidance - that's precisely the sort of information I was looking for when I started the thread.

Digital_Dan

unforeseen said:

To put things into perspective. I am shielding. My wife works in a care home where the risk is orders of magnitude greater than it will ever be in an opticians. 
All that is needed is for the person who works to stringently follow the guidance that the government publish and as Poppy12345 mentions. 
I've been shielding and the wife had carried on working from the first day of lockdown. It can be done and it just becomes another routine. 

Thanks, I appreciate your comments.

Digital_Dan

diggingdude said:

out of interest would your partner be prepared to stay off work long term without pay or benefits?

Yes, if she felt our health and safety warranted it.

diggingdude

Digital_Dan said:

diggingdude said:

out of interest would your partner be prepared to stay off work long term without pay or benefits?

Yes, if she felt our health and safety warranted it.

In that case maybe plan to leave job as thats the only way returning to work will likely be avoided

Digital_Dan

diggingdude said:

Digital_Dan said:

diggingdude said:

out of interest would your partner be prepared to stay off work long term without pay or benefits?

Yes, if she felt our health and safety warranted it.

In that case maybe plan to leave job as thats the only way returning to work will likely be avoided

That is certainly a possibility.

Of course, it makes sense to explore all possible options, hence the purpose of this thread.

mattyprice4004

Personally, I would always put health first - if you feel the risk is too great, I would ask her to think about requesting unpaid leave until this is all a little more under control.

Any good employer won't turn down a request for this. 

Digital_Dan

mattyprice4004 said:

Personally, I would always put health first - if you feel the risk is too great, I would ask her to think about requesting unpaid leave until this is all a little more under control.

Any good employer won't turn down a request for this. 

Thanks, I appreciate your comments, which I wholly agree with.

The big unknown is the 'good employer' aspect