Lockdown and retrieving important items
Lockdown and retrieving important items
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Second Best

Original Poster:

6,534 posts

210 months

Tuesday 14th April 2020
quotequote all
One of the guys I work with has just called in a bit of a flap. He's been off work for a few weeks (before the Covid-19 pandemic) and has left all of his work clothes and equipment at his parents' house. He's due to return to work on Thursday but as he lives about 100 miles from his parents, he's very worried that he can't go back to retrieve his work essentials and clothes. His work pass is at his parents' house, and he's apparently got only one work outfit as the rest of them went with him to be laundered when he was on leave with his parents.

I have no reason to believe this chap is lying. However I understand his dilemma in making a 200-mile round trip to pick up his work items (he can't log on, even remotely, without the pass). The clothes are negotiable.

A question for PH. What do I do with him? He can't be furloughed as he's the only guy with credentials to carry out certain tasks (for now), I'm unsure if I can give him permission for the road trip, and I can't force him to make a one-way trip to his parents until further notice.



Pebbles167

4,572 posts

181 months

Tuesday 14th April 2020
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Tell him to cough up for new kit if possible, and see if there is any way his parents can overnight post his pass to him. Might not be cheap, but it's available.

Stay in Bed Instead

22,362 posts

186 months

Tuesday 14th April 2020
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He can leave home with a reasonable excuse.

Collecting items essential for work is a reasonable excuse in my book. The chances of him being stopped and questioned by the police are slim anyway.

anonymous-user

83 months

Tuesday 14th April 2020
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I concur. The need for kit that is not otherwise readily available is a reasonable excuse for a journey to collect it.

He needs to exercise self restraint and should not hug his parents when he briefly sees them. I arrived back from an overseas job on 20 March and made myself wait two weeks before I went near my elderly mum. Not easy, but necessary.

Or, as suggested above, have the pass and/or other kit sent by a courier service.

IAAL but IANYL.

Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 14th April 04:23

sjc

16,415 posts

299 months

Tuesday 14th April 2020
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A courier will prob cost little more than the petrol he’d use anyway ?

Driver101

14,451 posts

150 months

Tuesday 14th April 2020
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sjc said:
A courier will prob cost little more than the petrol he’d use anyway ?
I wouldn't bet on a courier getting it delivered tomorrow for work the next morning.

markymarkthree

3,614 posts

200 months

Tuesday 14th April 2020
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Simple, just get mum or dad to pop the pass in the post, he will receive it by Wednesday.

V8fan

8,523 posts

297 months

Tuesday 14th April 2020
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If they are classed as 'vulnerable,' they are being asked to not even leave the house. But if they have somebody nearby who could collect the pass from the step and post it, next day delivery with Royal Mail for under 100g weight is £6.70. Other couriers may collect / be cheaper.

Unless there is some really specific clothes / equipment, I'm thinking uniform (?), they can be replaced.

bigandclever

14,359 posts

267 months

Tuesday 14th April 2020
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What would happen if he’d lost his pass? There must be some mechanism to replace it.

Tony1963

5,808 posts

191 months

Tuesday 14th April 2020
quotequote all
V8fan said:
If they are classed as 'vulnerable,' they are being asked to not even leave the house. But if they have somebody nearby who could collect the pass from the step and post it, next day delivery with Royal Mail for under 100g weight is £6.70. Other couriers may collect / be cheaper.

Unless there is some really specific clothes / equipment, I'm thinking uniform (?), they can be replaced.
100g? That’s about 3.5oz. In other words next to nothing.

sc0tt

18,294 posts

230 months

Tuesday 14th April 2020
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Tony1963 said:
V8fan said:
If they are classed as 'vulnerable,' they are being asked to not even leave the house. But if they have somebody nearby who could collect the pass from the step and post it, next day delivery with Royal Mail for under 100g weight is £6.70. Other couriers may collect / be cheaper.

Unless there is some really specific clothes / equipment, I'm thinking uniform (?), they can be replaced.
100g? That’s about 3.5oz. In other words next to nothing.
You think a work pass weighs more than that or just another skim reader?

GreatGranny

9,519 posts

255 months

Tuesday 14th April 2020
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We've been told we can travel for work (site visits etc) if they are vital for the project and a letter from the PM will be provided.

OP, write him a letter on company headed paper, scan and send to him so he can show it's a vital journey if he is stopped.

Pegscratch

1,872 posts

137 months

Tuesday 14th April 2020
quotequote all
GreatGranny said:
We've been told we can travel for work (site visits etc) if they are vital for the project and a letter from the PM will be provided.

OP, write him a letter on company headed paper, scan and send to him so he can show it's a vital journey if he is stopped.
Utterly unnecessary, but if it makes people feel better and gets jobsworth bobby to fk off it may be prudent.

Steve Campbell

2,397 posts

197 months

Tuesday 14th April 2020
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Pegscratch said:
Utterly unnecessary, but if it makes people feel better and gets jobsworth bobby to fk off it may be prudent.
This.

Lady who works for me sent her husband with shopping to her isolated and old mother about 30 mins drive from them. As luck would have it, he was stopped by police and asked to produce evidence (show us the shopping) and was also asked to show txts between himself and MiL confirming he was dropping off shopping and where. All done in a polite but firm way and off he went. No complaints from either side.

I'd be asking my employer for a simple e.mail or letter I could show if I was stopped, just to reduce the hassle factor with Mr Plod.

TCX

1,976 posts

84 months

Tuesday 14th April 2020
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Seriously,can grown ups not think for themselves?
If his parents are vulnerable get them to leave his kit outside,just go n pick it up

Pothole

34,367 posts

311 months

Tuesday 14th April 2020
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Am I the only one thinking why is someone who has only noticed this situation 36 hours before he's due back at work and appears not to be able to make a simple decision the only person with certain "essential" permissions who works for this company?

Greendubber

15,266 posts

232 months

Tuesday 14th April 2020
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Cant a new pass be issued?

What's the job, what's the kit etc, work branded clothing or some kind of specific PPE?

Sounds like a mountain out of a mole hill to me.


Monkeylegend

29,221 posts

260 months

Tuesday 14th April 2020
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So who has been covering his work for the last few weeks in his absence?

Can they not continue to do so until his pass arrives in the post?

Why can't the company issue a new pass?

Why can't the company issue new work cloths?

Why can't he temporarily work in other cloths?

Why can't the company provide his other work essentials on a temporary basis?

Just wondering scratchchin







Jasandjules

72,590 posts

258 months

Tuesday 14th April 2020
quotequote all
Second Best said:
I'm unsure if I can give him permission for the road trip, and I can't force him to make a one-way trip to his parents until further notice.
Well, you don't "give permission" in any event.

The question is whether the journey falls in line with the Legislation. It appears that it would do though I trust at the other end the kit will be placed outside so he does not go into his parents' house?

Monkeylegend

29,221 posts

260 months

Tuesday 14th April 2020
quotequote all
Reading it again it seems like maybe he does not want to come back to work yet.