[G50]

Hello all.

Currently in France, was here when it was added to the list of countries that you need to quarantine upon returning from.

We are due to return home via eurotunnel on 24/08.
My partner starts a new job on 01/09, and it really won't look good if she misses the first week due to quarantine. I'm fine working from home.

Forgetting the fact that maybe we shouldn't have risked it, or we should have cut the holiday down to 5 days from 15 and tried to return home on Friday following the news that France had been added to the list, what would you do?

We are currently looking at driving over to Germany and her flying back from there, thus potentially escaping the quarantine checks for her, and if we went tomorrow she would only have to quarantine to the 1st and 2nd of Sept(if playing by the rules) but would go to work on the 1st. This option doesn't feel like we would be bending the rules too much, but I might be missing something.

Does anybody have any experience of quarantine and being contacted to make sure you are staying at home?

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by G50

Hello all.

Currently in France, was here when it was added to the list of countries that you need to quarantine upon returning from.

We are due to return home via eurotunnel on 24/08.
My partner starts a new job on 01/09, and it really won't look good if she misses the first week due to quarantine. I'm fine working from home.

Forgetting the fact that maybe we shouldn't have risked it, or we should have cut the holiday down to 5 days from 15 and tried to return home on Friday following the news that France had been added to the list, what would you do?

We are currently looking at driving over to Germany and her flying back from there, thus potentially escaping the quarantine checks for her, and if we went tomorrow she would only have to quarantine to the 1st and 2nd of Sept(if playing by the rules) but would go to work on the 1st. This option doesn't feel like we would be bending the rules too much, but I might be missing something.

Does anybody have any experience of quarantine and being contacted to make sure you are staying at home?

Disclaimer - I am responsible for health and safety at my company....

I'd tell the truth. I am sure a decent employer would rather she did the right thing and started a week late than potentially break the rules to start on time. Tell them early, and say you are prepared to come back early if it is the 1st as the only option...

[mikeoz]

I don't think flying from another country absolves you from quarantine. I don't think it works like that. Having said that I don't think it's really enforceable but comes down to what is morally right in your own mind.

[gIzzE]

I think I would get home today, tell the company that you were caught out and got the first flight back that you could get, but that does mean starting a day late.

They will probably appreciate that she tried her hardest to get back for them.

[speedski]

Put it this way...starting a job late because you are honest and protecting all concerned or getting round the rules and giving it to employees at your new employer...family, friends etc.

Quarantine is there for a reason - it only takes one person to play around with it for trouble to start (look at New Zealand...who have done this all 30000000+% better than we have...).

[gIzzE]

Is it a company with lots in her department or are they relying on her?

It is not a great start to let people down straight away is it?

If it is a small business that needs her there to operate the department how do you think it will go down?

To be honest, if she was starting work for me and said she was going to be in late because she had gone on holiday with everything going on at the moment I think I would probably tell her not to bother coming in.

That may sound harsh to you, but from here it sounds like she prioritises a few days in France more than she does her new company.

[gIzzE]

I should add, it is tricky to judge because we know no facts.

She could be working 2 days a week and be one of 100 in her department.

She could be full time and her starting is allowing someone else some holiday, which they may no longer be able to take if she is not back.

[G50]

Originally Posted by mikeoz

I don't think flying from another country absolves you from quarantine. I don't think it works like that. Having said that I don't think it's really enforceable but comes down to what is morally right in your own mind.

I believe the rules are that if we travel to Germany tomorrow, stay for a week and she flies back from there, she needs to quarantine for a week when we return to UK. I.E you need to separate yourself from UK population for 14 days after being in France. Seven of those days are spent in Germany, seven in our house(in which case she would miss 2 days of work).

Morally, what she does on the last two days of a 14 day quarantine doesn't bother me. We have been staying in a remote villa in the Corbieres, and there are far less cases of covid here than in Greater Manchester where we live, which as you know has stricter lockdown measures due to increased cases.
All the fuel stations I've been to here are pay at pump, and EVERYBODY wears a mask in the supermarket, unlike back home where 10% don't.

I appreciate all the replies and appreciate that the consensus is to tell the employer she will be starting work 2 days later than agreed.

[Craig-SM]

I think it’s a great way to start a new job. Avoid quarantine by flying from Germany, employers finds out at a later date after someone snitches on the new person. Wife losses job for knowingly avoiding quarantine and putting the health of other employees at risk.
Go for it, sounds a great plan. Alternatively she travels home alone and does her stint under quarantine and when finished is able to start her job.

[Pentland]

Do the right thing whether it’s law or not or you’d get caught or not.

You (or your family) may not know if you are infected. That’s why you have to quarantine.

How would you feel if she went to work and infected half the company or worse someone died as a result?

Personally, I’d be trying to get home now and avoid the problem. As gIzzE said, at least it shows you attempted to resolve the problem.

Explain to the employer what has happened For the sake of a week given the circumstances I’m sure they’d be sympathetic. If they are not, perhaps the question your wife should ask is, “do I want to work for this company?”

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by G50

Morally, what she does on the last two days of a 14 day quarantine doesn't bother me.

At this point I started to realise what is wrong with this country. You go on about other people in other countries doing things right and better than us - and then prove it by saying you dont care what she does...

Nice one. In case you hadnt spotted it, you are one of those that doesnt think the rules apply to them. Its not others you are talking about....

Start the job on time. Its all that matters. Rules and health, who gives a f***.

Christ, no wonder my job is so hard!

[Eddamoo]

Im a Software Dev Manager and do quite a bit of hiring. If i had a call from a new candidate asking for a 1-2 week deferal due to unforeseen travel restrictions in the interest of safety i wouldn't bat an eyelid... Provided they gave me 1+ weeks notice.

If they are going to be an arse about it, i would be having second thoughts about working there in the first place!

Just get on with telling them!

[G50]

Thanks all for the replies, helped to get my moral compass in the right place. We will do the right thing.

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by G50

Thanks all for the replies, helped to get my moral compass in the right place. We will do the right thing.

Just to put some perspective on employers perceptions, I was recruiting a new H&S manager and offer went out just prior to the shitstorm. She knew from her interviews that we were running with a very good, experienced consultant but needed and in house employee. She called 4 weeks before due to start to ask if we could put it back a month as her current employer hadnt found anyone and she didnt want to leave them in the lurch at a critical time. We said yes without hesitation as someone with that attitude will be a real asset when on board.

I would imagine saying the quarantine imposed whilst away means she will be delayed by a few days but she wants to do the right thing would be equally positively received.

[mikeoz]

Originally Posted by G50

I believe the rules are that if we travel to Germany tomorrow, stay for a week and she flies back from there, she needs to quarantine for a week when we return to UK. I.E you need to separate yourself from UK population for 14 days after being in France. Seven of those days are spent in Germany, seven in our house(in which case she would miss 2 days of work).

Morally, what she does on the last two days of a 14 day quarantine doesn't bother me. We have been staying in a remote villa in the Corbieres, and there are far less cases of covid here than in Greater Manchester where we live, which as you know has stricter lockdown measures due to increased cases.
All the fuel stations I've been to here are pay at pump, and EVERYBODY wears a mask in the supermarket, unlike back home where 10% don't.

I appreciate all the replies and appreciate that the consensus is to tell the employer she will be starting work 2 days later than agreed.

Ah ok I see what you mean now ref Germany.
Yeah I noticed motorway service stations in the UK seem to have an issue with people not wearing masks for sure. But zero enforcement with apparently 30 fines in over 2 months for whole if the UK is not a surprise really.

[gIzzE]

Originally Posted by Eddamoo

Im a Software Dev Manager and do quite a bit of hiring. If i had a call from a new candidate asking for a 1-2 week deferal due to unforeseen travel restrictions in the interest of safety i wouldn't bat an eyelid... Provided they gave me 1+ weeks notice.

If they are going to be an arse about it, i would be having second thoughts about working there in the first place!

Just get on with telling them!

Would you be fine if it meant you couldn't take your holiday?

If you were relying on them starting to help cover your time off?


Problem is, we often make choices based on presumptions, and you know they say about presumptions being the mother of all fuck ups!


Sometimes it is best not to ask either. The boss may say "No problem"
However, it may mean someone else having to forgo their time off to cover you, that doesn't start the relationship with colleagues off too well.

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by gIzzE

Would you be fine if it meant you couldn't take your holiday?

If you were relying on them starting to help cover your time off?


Problem is, we often make choices based on presumptions, and you know they say about presumptions being the mother of all fuck ups!


Sometimes it is best not to ask either. The boss may say "No problem"
However, it may mean someone else having to forgo their time off to cover you, that doesn't start the relationship with colleagues off too well.

I'd say if you cant manage without a new starter and someone being on holiday for a week or two then you are fucked if you get any illness in the business.... imagine someone testing positive and a team having to all self isolate?

You might only be getting by and doing the minimum but every business should be able to survive one unexpected non attendance...

[3-GT]

If you're concerned about the impact this will have on her future employment i'd return ASAP.

For me personally if an employee genuinely got caught out by sudden changes in travel restrictions they shouldn't be punished for it. However if they stayed longer knowing the implications then that is different.

By staying there longer, extending the quarantine into the start date, that may not go down well. Obviously that is subject to the availability of flights ect.

[Skwirrel]

My partner runs her own business. One of her staff returned from Spain late last week and had a knock on the door from the local Police to check she was in quarantine where she said she would be.

[gIzzE]

Originally Posted by isleaiw1

I'd say if you cant manage without a new starter and someone being on holiday for a week or two then you are fucked if you get any illness in the business.... imagine someone testing positive and a team having to all self isolate?

You might only be getting by and doing the minimum but every business should be able to survive one unexpected non attendance...

Problem is, everyone is working on skeleton staff at the moment.

Many retailers I speak with are having a torrid time of it. Some are not even doing 10% of normal! :

That is sort of what I meant about us presuming. Most of course will think like you just have, but speaking to business owners many have issues with certain staff still not able to come back to work. Grandparents who can't look after the kids at the moment etc.

We have that issue in our place, so we have changed the hours to 10am-4pm so we can cover it with staff shortages. Once the kids are back to school we have someone new starting, but need someone else as well as all the accumulated holiday is then being taken by those who have been covering those with kids off.

It is a funny time currently.

Actually, as I type that out, if G50's missus was starting with me in September and said she couldn't get in we would be in a proper pickle.

And that's the problem, many staff are struggling to do their normal hours, let alone cover 'the new girl' as she fancied a couple of weeks in France.


That was sort of what I was saying hard to know without info. Massive company could be fine, small business with just enough staff just as school holidays end and staff without kids covering those with can be a little awkward.

[gIzzE]

Originally Posted by Skwirrel

My partner runs her own business. One of her staff returned from Spain late last week and had a knock on the door from the local Police to check she was in quarantine where she said she would be.

Yeah, they are checking up.

Someone I know said their brother had been called at home a couple of times to check on them.

[Hanchurch]

We are currently in quarantine after returning from Mallorca on 8th August, we flew out on 24th July before the rule was imposed, we have had no contact from anyone, but it is made very clear on the forms you have to fill in on return to the U.K. that you may be contacted to check you are at home. I can't see anyone getting away with not doing it, any responsible employer would expect you to follow the rules and as so few people are traveling abroad at the moment you will be suppressed how many people are aware of your situation, we have had 3 neighbours offering to help with shopping as they know we were away and also know the rules.
We were in the same position and told our employers on the first day the ruling was enforced, sorted 5 homeshopping slots for these two weeks then had a great holiday and didn't worry about it.
I will admit it's boring at home one week in though😂