Test to avoid quarantine?

Pollycat

I think the OP's employer and workmate are behaving really irresponsibly here.

GOV.UK is very clear on self isolating when returning from a non-exempt country.

Why self-isolating is important

When you arrive in the UK, it is very important that you stay in your declared accommodation for 14 days. It can take up to 14 days for you to develop coronavirus symptoms after you catch the virus and in this time you can unknowingly pass it on to others, even if you don’t have symptoms.

Self-isolating will reduce the chance of a second wave of coronavirus in the UK and help prevent family, friends and the community from contracting coronavirus, as well as helping to protect the NHS.

You cannot go out to work or school or visit public areas. You should not go shopping. If you require help buying groceries, other shopping or picking up medication, you should ask friends or relatives or order a delivery.

In England, you must only exercise within your home or garden. You cannot leave your home to walk your dog. You will need to ask friends or relatives to help you with this.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-how-to-self-isolate-when-you-travel-to-the-uk/coronavirus-covid-19-how-to-self-isolate-when-you-travel-to-the-uk
Having a test does not alter those rules.

JamoLew

smackdown said:

sheramber said:

According to the Telegraph
 The quarantine is enforced by Border Force, police officers, and Public Health England officials.

They have the powers to visit the homes of all those affected by the new rules, and to perform spot checks.

He will be advised about quarantine when he arrives and will have to complete a form with details of where he will be staying.

He will just say he's staying at home and then hope they don't come knocking I guess

They might come knocking if someone tells them he isn't there though
The other way is for you and any other employees to put on a united front and inform your employer in no uncertain terms that its one or the other and that both is not acceptable/safe and possibly illegal (not sure if its law)

Pollycat

JamoLew said:

They might come knocking if someone tells them he isn't there though
The other way is for you and any other employees to put on a united front and inform your employer in no uncertain terms that its one or the other and that both is not acceptable/safe and possibly illegal (not sure if its law)

In the link in my post above yours, there is lots of 'you must' and 'you cannot'.

Plus fines if you don't comply.

Butts

With the current rates of infection in France and parts of the UK being far higher than that in Portugal would you be worried if they were "legally" coming back to work after a holiday in one of them ?