OK, probably worrying over nothing here, but a colleague arrived at work this morning after having 3 days off ill last week with a "sinus infection". However, his young daughter has been diagnosed with Swine Flu, and he is also on Tamiflu - not sure if that's just for protection, but his daughter definitely has it.

First off, I was horrified that he even came into work, where he could possibly infect all the other people in the office. Can't believe someone could be so thoughtless or selfish to put others at risk - I know if I was in that situation, I'd stay off work as a precaution. He then proceeded to take a call on my telephone, whilst sneezing and wheezing all around my desk area - can you see why I'm worried now?


I was considering telling my boss that if he didn't go home, then I would - but then thought better of it, as that could come across as too confrontational. I should also mention that the colleague in question is above me in the company pecking order, but not a company director, so I answer directly to him, but he's not the top boss in the company. So, I should tread carefully I guess.

OK, enough background. What I'd like to know is what others think about this. Should a good employer step in and send someone home to protect the rest of their workforce. We're only a small company, so if more than 2 people are off ill at once, it causes all kinds of problems with deadlines and workflow. What should employees do if they feel their employer is putting them at risk of infection, and how should they approach the problem without upsetting others or getting themselves fired? I'm genuinely worried about this, but not sure if I'm overreacting - the media has built this up into a scare story, so it's hard to remain calm and rational I guess. Just be honest, am I worrying over nothing?

I expect people will go into work still where possible because they need the money. They'd rather have the money than stay at home and not put others at risk, and given what a money-obsessed society we live in and given how tight everyone's budgets are at the moment, who can blame them?

I suppose that in an ideal world anyone who might have it would stay at home. In an ideal world, we wouldn't have to go to work at all though???

If I were in your position I'd keep myself pilled up, but wouldn't say anything to my boss, but I might make some sort of half joke about him giving the whole office swine flu to him directly.

On a (sort of) related note - some of the japanese kids were wearing masks around the school today!

Assuming he's got sick leave, then he should be using it.
Yes, you might get the swine flu, but the chances are overwhelmingly likely that you'll have a flu and get better, just as you might do in the winter.
As it is, I thought confirmed cases of swine flu meant there was a 2 week ban on attending work?
Regardless of swine flu or not, if you're a small place with no slack in the work force, then he really probably shouldn't be coming in.
Spreading illness will cost the firm more than if he stayed at home. One person off versus 5-6? No brainer. Stay at home, come back when you're well. Don't be a muppet.

Either way, if you get ill, don't panic, just ride it out like you would with any other flu.

We have a guy at work and his baby daughter has Swine Flu, they wouldn't let her into the hospital! Insisting that they diagnose her in the family car
He is still comming into work, mainly because he can't afford the time off, and the team can't afford for him to take the time off.

Sun kept emailing staff with what they would do if anyone was diagnosed, and I got an email from the uni t'other day which I need to read at some point...

I had the plague last month, courtesy of a "dedicated" employee who battled on at work (sharing the infection) rather than stay at home and get better. Our company has paid sick leave and I've been giving her a hell of a time about it at every opportunity since.

In my opinion it's worth bringing it up with your HR department, if his daughter has been confirmed then his immediate family should be under quarantine, one of my friends has a daughter with it and they've both been confined to the house by their health visitor. It is inconsiderate IMO to take that kind of infectious virus to the workplace, and selfish to risk spreading it around by not keeping himself to himself if he has to be there.

If I get ill like that then my body reacts very violently, putting me out for the count while it works on getting me better. I have no choice and wouldn't be able to get to work even if I had the inclination. I think one person off for a week is better than 5-6 people each off for a week, certainly from the employers POV.

The immediate problem I see is diagnosis. I have had a sore throat since Saturday morning, a sore throat and headache since Sunday afternoon, a sore throat, headache and aching bones since this morning. Is that swine flu? am I just run down? is it the other perfectly-normal-beast virus that's doing the rounds at the moment? Time (and my fever) will tell, but if it turns out to be something rotten, I could've passed it to a handful of other people by the time I'm in a really bad way.

Let me put this quite simply:

Say something.

His daughter's got the lurgy, he's sneezing and coughing everywhere.

He is legally entitled to 7 days no-questions-asked sick leave.

He shouldn't be there. At all.

If it were me I'd physically eject him from the premises.

HTH

Even though I think this swine flu malarky is just a big hype blown out of proportion by the media, I still reckon that if you're sick then you should be at home.

When you're better you should be at work.

Increases productivity in the long run.

No. It's not hard. Ignore the media and turn off your TV. You'll be better for it in a variety of ways.

There's nothing you can do about the guy being there. Just get on with it, take reasonable precautionary/hygiene steps and don't worry. Worrying will only make it worse. Keep your immune system in good shape. Stay healthy. Eat plenty of fresh fruit and veg, drink plenty of water and get plenty of sleep. Regular exercise will also help. Then hope that you don't get infected with whatever he has, and that if you do, you recover quickly.

Also, bear in mind that if he has the strength and inclination to make it to work, it can't possibly be that bad. Full blown flu of any kind, "swine" or otherwise, should flatten anyone for a couple days at least.

Forgive me, but who says?

That's how it is at National Express too. Though they do ask why you were off sick, and get arsey if you take too many of these. But you don't have to provide a doctors note is what I think the jist of this is.

Well that's not how it works in the Supermarkets. If you take sick leave within the first two years you don't get paid for it, and if you are off for more than a week without a doctor's note you face disciplinary action. Also if you take sick leave over Christmas or New Years without a sick note then you also face disciplinary action - though at least they offer to reimburse the cost of the doctor's note.

Right, so that was a reference to the lack of need for a cert. That doesn't entitle anyone to sick pay. Just that you can self-cert.

Heh, heh, my thoughts exactly, were it not for the fact that he's my immediate boss. Still, it would be a good way to hand your notice in!


Guess I'll just have to hope for the best - and take my disinfectant wipes and face mask into work tomorrow.

Sick leave /= Sick pay

Sick leave merely means that you cannot be fired for being ill.