bad idea...... why is the risk worth it? can you not have one in the office or open area?

Weren't working lunches one of those strange "exceptions" under English regulation? At least that's what the papers were harking on about no friends & family but your boss and the office junior was acceptable.

One of our depots asked if they could have  a Christmas do, as long as it was held in the outside area of the local pub and only six staff members attended, seeing that there are seven employees at the depot someone was going to be disappointed.  

Under the tiering rules that were in place at the time it would be within them and appeared to the depot manager that it would be fine.  The manager even pointed out that the pub had a track and trace system in place and had a NHS track and trace QR code on all the entrances.  

However I had to look at the broader picture, on the face of it it appeared to be well controlled and all would be well.  The issue for me was that they would all be sat in the same area.  If any of them came into contact with a person who subsequently tested positive and was picked up by track and trace all six of them would have to self isolate for the prescribed period of fourteen days (as it was then).  We would then have no other recourse that to shut the depot, meaning a potential loss of two weeks income.  In addition they would all lose two week pay. 

The though process highlighted to me that a desire to go out and celebrate could have had far reaching effects on both the business and the employees.  

Having explained this to them, they all saw the sense of it, and it was a sensible thing not to do.  I will get over being called the Grinch!!!!

Originally Posted by: Gerry Knowles

One of our depots asked if they could have  a Christmas do, as long as it was held in the outside area of the local pub and only six staff members attended, seeing that there are seven employees at the depot someone was going to be disappointed.  

Under the tiering rules that were in place at the time it would be within them and appeared to the depot manager that it would be fine.  The manager even pointed out that the pub had a track and trace system in place and had a NHS track and trace QR code on all the entrances.  

However I had to look at the broader picture, on the face of it it appeared to be well controlled and all would be well.  The issue for me was that they would all be sat in the same area.  If any of them came into contact with a person who subsequently tested positive and was picked up by track and trace all six of them would have to self isolate for the prescribed period of fourteen days (as it was then).  We would then have no other recourse that to shut the depot, meaning a potential loss of two weeks income.  In addition they would all lose two week pay. 

The though process highlighted to me that a desire to go out and celebrate could have had far reaching effects on both the business and the employees.  

Having explained this to them, they all saw the sense of it, and it was a sensible thing not to do.  I will get over being called the Grinch!!!!

You were right, we had a case in our office with a new starter.  He was asymptomatic and only had a  test as his girlfriend was pos.  He had only been in the building 2 days and so was only in the training area with the training manager and 2 other trainees.  I had been reminding the manager about social distancing for weeks as he keeps getting too close to people. 

When the trainee had to go off, the other 2 trainees and manager did as well for 14 days.  When I asked what the reprocussions were if this had happened unchecked and the trainer manager had been working out of our office where ALL the office work takes place, I was met with blank faces.  So I pointed to each and said "you're to go home for 2 weeks and not allowed out of the house"... how will you do your work, it kind of sank in, that we'd be screwed.