Covid testing for work on days off

[Deleted User]

I work for a private covid testing company and my employer asks for a negative PCR test result from themselves within 72 hours before your first day back. If I have 5 days off they are asking me to come in on my day off with no pay or cost of fuel covered to get here to have the test done. They aren't letting us use the NHS lateral flow tests at home for this and are expecting us all to come on our days off for the tests. Where do we stand on this? A day off should be a day off and not have to come to work to get the test done. Any advice would be appreciated

daveyjp

One for the union rep to raise with management.

MattMattMattUK

Deleted_User said:

I work for a private covid testing company and my employer asks for a negative PCR test result from themselves within 72 hours before your first day back. If I have 5 days off they are asking me to come in on my day off with no pay or cost of fuel covered to get here to have the test done. They aren't letting us use the NHS lateral flow tests at home for this and are expecting us all to come on our days off for the tests. Where do we stand on this? A day off should be a day off and not have to come to work to get the test done. Any advice would be appreciated

Technically I would imagine they would need to pay you (but not cover travel expenses) for that test, however it depends on exactly how your contract is written. That being said now is not the time to be a difficult employee, unless you wish to risk losing your job. For the sake of an hour or so and a few pounds of petrol is it really worth being difficult and risking your employment?

[Deleted User]

MattMattMattUK said:

Deleted_User said:

I work for a private covid testing company and my employer asks for a negative PCR test result from themselves within 72 hours before your first day back. If I have 5 days off they are asking me to come in on my day off with no pay or cost of fuel covered to get here to have the test done. They aren't letting us use the NHS lateral flow tests at home for this and are expecting us all to come on our days off for the tests. Where do we stand on this? A day off should be a day off and not have to come to work to get the test done. Any advice would be appreciated

Technically I would imagine they would need to pay you (but not cover travel expenses) for that test, however it depends on exactly how your contract is written. That being said now is not the time to be a difficult employee, unless you wish to risk losing your job. For the sake of an hour or so and a few pounds of petrol is it really worth being difficult and risking your employment?

We are all cooperating at the moment, just wondering where we stand that’s all. For example I am having 10 days off of work going away from home and I am working first thing the day after I return. I physically can not get to work in time the days/evening beforehand have a test done which has sparked the query on coming in on our days off. 

MattMattMattUK

Deleted_User said:

MattMattMattUK said:

Deleted_User said:

I work for a private covid testing company and my employer asks for a negative PCR test result from themselves within 72 hours before your first day back. If I have 5 days off they are asking me to come in on my day off with no pay or cost of fuel covered to get here to have the test done. They aren't letting us use the NHS lateral flow tests at home for this and are expecting us all to come on our days off for the tests. Where do we stand on this? A day off should be a day off and not have to come to work to get the test done. Any advice would be appreciated

Technically I would imagine they would need to pay you (but not cover travel expenses) for that test, however it depends on exactly how your contract is written. That being said now is not the time to be a difficult employee, unless you wish to risk losing your job. For the sake of an hour or so and a few pounds of petrol is it really worth being difficult and risking your employment?

We are all cooperating at the moment, just wondering where we stand that’s all. For example I am having 10 days off of work going away from home and I am working first thing the day after I return. I physically can not get to work in time the days/evening beforehand have a test done which has sparked the query on coming in on our days off. 

I think in that circumstance you might be required to make adequate provision for the testing to be conducted, something like posting the kit back?

epm-84

If you earn minimum wage then you could put in a compliant to HMRC as your employer making you do something outside your working hours and not paying you for it will take your average hourly pay below the minimum wage rate.

Another thing to consider is if you're in an area where the local council are recommending everyone should take PCR tests (due to variants being present in the local area) then you might be able to get one at a local location even if you don't have symptoms.

DayDreamerandGeneralWaster

Don't understand why the lateral flow test at home isn't sufficient. 

MattMattMattUK

DayDreamerandGeneralWaster said:

Don't understand why the lateral flow test at home isn't sufficient. 

Probably because it is a lateral flow test rather than a PCR test and lateral flow tests are much less accurate than PCR tests. In a testing environment having someone with Covid potentially contaminating samples would be a huge issue, hence using a gold standard PCR test.

Andy_L

Have you asked if they will pay you for coming in?

"within 72 hours before your first day back" so can't you just do it first thing on your 1st day back?

epm-84

MattMattMattUK said:

DayDreamerandGeneralWaster said:

Don't understand why the lateral flow test at home isn't sufficient. 

Probably because it is a lateral flow test rather than a PCR test and lateral flow tests are much less accurate than PCR tests. In a testing environment having someone with Covid potentially contaminating samples would be a huge issue, hence using a gold standard PCR test.

If you get a positive on a lateral flow then you're supposed to book a PCR to confirm the result.

MattMattMattUK

epm-84 said:

MattMattMattUK said:

DayDreamerandGeneralWaster said:

Don't understand why the lateral flow test at home isn't sufficient. 

Probably because it is a lateral flow test rather than a PCR test and lateral flow tests are much less accurate than PCR tests. In a testing environment having someone with Covid potentially contaminating samples would be a huge issue, hence using a gold standard PCR test.

If you get a positive on a lateral flow then you're supposed to book a PCR to confirm the result.

I imagine the issue would be getting a negative on a LF, when in fact infected, then the risk of contamination of samples exists, where as the risk of a false negative on a PCR, especially when done properly, is pretty much zero.