For advice from employers please - Covid

[Anonymous]

I am looking for input/advice from employers.

I took off last week because my parents are visiting. They arrived on Saturday and tested positive for Covid on Monday. My mom is much better, but my dad is still experiencing symptoms and a fever. They are quarantining in my basement, but I do have minimal exposure to them. We are always masked. I've been taking daily Covid tests and all have been negative.

I feel like if I were going to get it, I would've gotten it already. We were in very close proximity and sharing food for two days before they tested positive. Out of an abundance of caution, I let my employers know about my parents. One of their parents are also visiting and has been dealing with some health issues, so it was the right thing to do.

I let them know that I was able to work this week as long as they were comfortable and would make sure to test every day before work and wear a mask.
They told me to not to come in all week.

My question is, how should that time be charged? My feeling is that I should be paid since I am available to work and they are saying not to come in, but I also want to be fair. I'm hoping to get some input from other employers before I have that conversation.

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Of course they are right, that would be crazy if you came to work. Just use half your sick time and have them pay the other half, just to be fair. You may still get sick up to day 14 starting from your first exposure.

[Anonymous]

You definitely might still test positive. My friend tested positive six days after her boyfriend. They had been hanging together up until he tested positive.

You did the right thing telling them since they have an elderly person visiting.

Totally reasonable for them to tell you not to come in. I like pp’s idea of splitting PTO/sick leave and then them paying the rest of the week.

[Anonymous]

They should pay you. I can’t afford to get half pay. Of course if this happened all the time it would be different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am looking for input/advice from employers.

I took off last week because my parents are visiting. They arrived on Saturday and tested positive for Covid on Monday. My mom is much better, but my dad is still experiencing symptoms and a fever. They are quarantining in my basement, but I do have minimal exposure to them. We are always masked. I've been taking daily Covid tests and all have been negative.

I feel like if I were going to get it, I would've gotten it already. We were in very close proximity and sharing food for two days before they tested positive. Out of an abundance of caution, I let my employers know about my parents. One of their parents are also visiting and has been dealing with some health issues, so it was the right thing to do.

I let them know that I was able to work this week as long as they were comfortable and would make sure to test every day before work and wear a mask.
They told me to not to come in all week.

My question is, how should that time be charged? My feeling is that I should be paid since I am available to work and they are saying not to come in, but I also want to be fair. I'm hoping to get some input from other employers before I have that conversation.

Thank you!

I agree with you but you should have agreement with them

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You definitely might still test positive. My friend tested positive six days after her boyfriend. They had been hanging together up until he tested positive.

You did the right thing telling them since they have an elderly person visiting.

Totally reasonable for them to tell you not to come in. I like pp’s idea of splitting PTO/sick leave and then them TVpaying the rest of the week.

No. She told them she was available to come in and they told her no. They decision and they pay. She should not have to use her PTO

[Anonymous]

We have been in this situation as an employer and of course asked our nanny not to come in and paid her until we all felt comfortable having her return. We do not track sick days.

[Anonymous]

Do you not have paid sick days? Or is the issue that you've used them all up?

Seems to me this is what paid sick days are for. If you don't have enough of them, and it's for reasonable reasons (not "I call in sick all the time and have already used up my 12 sick days this year" but rather "I get five paid sick days and I already took three of them when I had a stomach bug") then yes, they should cover the time off, particularly because they're the ones requesting that you not come.

I agree with them, BTW. I would tell my nanny to stay home, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of course they are right, that would be crazy if you came to work. Just use half your sick time and have them pay the other half, just to be fair. You may still get sick up to day 14 starting from your first exposure.

+1. Employer here. That sounds fair to me, too.

[Anonymous]

What is the official policy at your job?
At my job, we can come in if exposed so long as we wear a mask and test. If I were willing to do that and they told me to stay home, they should pay.
On the other hand, if the policy is not to come in if you have been exposed, then I should use my sick leave or handle it however sicknesses are usually handled at my job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you not have paid sick days? Or is the issue that you've used them all up?

Seems to me this is what paid sick days are for. If you don't have enough of them, and it's for reasonable reasons (not "I call in sick all the time and have already used up my 12 sick days this year" but rather "I get five paid sick days and I already took three of them when I had a stomach bug") then yes, they should cover the time off, particularly because they're the ones requesting that you not come.

I agree with them, BTW. I would tell my nanny to stay home, too.

OP here. Thank you for your feedback. For the first time in 10 years, I have used all 5 sick days. My employers do not allow sick time to be carried over, so I've given back 3 days or more each year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is the official policy at your job?
At my job, we can come in if exposed so long as we wear a mask and test. If I were willing to do that and they told me to stay home, they should pay.
On the other hand, if the policy is not to come in if you have been exposed, then I should use my sick leave or handle it however sicknesses are usually handled at my job.

OP here. Thank you for the feedback. We do not have an official policy which is the problem. I will use this opportunity to put one in place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you not have paid sick days? Or is the issue that you've used them all up?

Seems to me this is what paid sick days are for. If you don't have enough of them, and it's for reasonable reasons (not "I call in sick all the time and have already used up my 12 sick days this year" but rather "I get five paid sick days and I already took three of them when I had a stomach bug") then yes, they should cover the time off, particularly because they're the ones requesting that you not come.

I agree with them, BTW. I would tell my nanny to stay home, too.

OP here. Thank you for your feedback. For the first time in 10 years, I have used all 5 sick days. My employers do not allow sick time to be carried over, so I've given back 3 days or more each year.

PP here. 10 years? Of course they should pay you! I can't imagine docking a nanny's pay for this.

[Anonymous]

I think it's reasonable for you to offer to come in wearing a mask and testing negative. Therefore, I think they should pay you (and not use PTO or sick leave) since it's their call to have you stay home while you are fully willing to come in with added precautions.