Advice pls

[lavenderblondee PronounsShe/her]

I am suppose to be starting a new job tomorrow. It's the same company/position I've worked for the last 3 years, but a new location.

I just got a call tonight that two people in the offices (they're currently moving offices) tested positive for COVID, so they're shutting the doors to everyone but essential staff.

Guess who is essential? 

My new boss was super nice and said he understood if I wasn't comfortable coming in and we could play it by ear. I told him at first I'm ok with still starting tomorrow but I need a few hours to think and maybe I'll take tomorrow off. He said he'd really love for me to get started now and to start training ASAP.

Now that I'm thinking about it, I don't know if I feel comfortable. I absolutely cannot afford to lose this job, and I don't *think* that would happen, but you never know.

What are your thoughts?  What would you do?

[PETTY]

we-

well if the boss is ok and understands that you may not be comfortable, I would skip on going for a few days at least. You seem like you said yes to be a good employee but your health is also important and that’s something they should understand. However, will they be paying employees for not working or letting you use PTO? Because if not, then I could see why you’re on the fence about going or not. We hate loss of income.

[lavenderblondee PronounsShe/her]

1 minute ago, PETTY said:

we-

well if the boss is ok and understands that you may not be comfortable, I would skip on going for a few days at least. You seem like you said yes to be a good employee but your health is also important and that’s something they should understand. However, will they be paying employees for not working or letting you use PTO? Because if not, then I could see why you’re on the fence about going or not. We hate loss of income.

appreciate you  

Yeah, it wouldn't be paid time off, and I can only afford a few days off work, so it's kind of redundant to say I'm not comfortable coming in now, but lemme come in a week lmao. My whole job involves dealing with the people coming in, so if no one is coming in, it just sort of sounds like an unnecessary risk to have me come in.

I may ask for tomorrow off to regroup and then go in Tuesday and see how comfortable I feel. Like you said, I shouldn't put my health at risk so that I seem like a good employee.

[lavenderblondee PronounsShe/her]

10 minutes ago, Twitter said:

@lavenderblondee if your supervisor has no problem then you need to do what’s best to protect yourself and your health. I would suggest contacting your supervisor tomorrow morning and take the necessary steps to know what options to work and be still be safe. 

I’m not sure what department or industry you work for but the essential workers are the ones who need to be present to keep the company running. 

I absolutely am not essential in keeping the company afloat, and I dealt with this at my former location, but technically I can still fall under essential...even though I am not. I’m an office assistant. 
I made the decision to take tomorrow off as I’m still unwinding from what led to the events that made me switch locations so fast, but but will be going on Tuesday. I was told no one will now be in the office besides maybe 4 people, so I feel a bit safer now. I can only hope they got tested/were not around said workers. 
thank you for the advice! 

Edited November 2, 2020 by lavenderblondee

[Franch Toast PronounsShe/her/hers]

@PETTY gave you great advice already! I'm glad you took tomorrow off. I think it's also fair to ask if the employees with whom you'll be sharing a workspace have been tested. 

And of course, wear your mask! 

I know someone who works in an office where an asymptomatic employee tested positive for COVID, and no one else got it thanks to the company being vigilant about masks. 

The fact that this is even a choice you have to make though is so frustrating; this is why the US is mucking this up. 

[lavenderblondee PronounsShe/her]

9 hours ago, Franch Toast said:

@PETTY gave you great advice already! I'm glad you took tomorrow off. I think it's also fair to ask if the employees with whom you'll be sharing a workspace have been tested. 

And of course, wear your mask! 

I know someone who works in an office where an asymptomatic employee tested positive for COVID, and no one else got it thanks to the company being vigilant about masks. 

The fact that this is even a choice you have to make though is so frustrating; this is why the US is mucking this up. 

In my original office, they tried to hide a positive covid case and when the office staff all got tested, SHOCKINGLY, no one tested positive. I was relieved. Masks DO help!

I agree, and I'm disappointed that this is a scenario I had to play out here. There shouldn't be repercussions for employees who stay home when there is a positive case in the office. Granted, the boss said he WOULDN'T hold it against me if I stayed home for a week or two, I sadly just cannot afford to stay home.

And @Twitter thank you for working in healthcare and doing the good work right now. I commend you!! My biggest fear right now is not getting it, but getting it and passing it to others/people who cannot beat it as easily or will cause a huge spread. 

My boss was very understanding of me not coming in today, but I said I'd come in tomorrow. I'm mostly glad he called me at 9PM last night to ask what my opinion was/be upfront with me. My last location decided to lie about a covid positive case (They sent an email saying SOMEONE came in CONTACT with someone, when in reality, a covid positive was IN THE OFFICE) and so I very much appreciate how transparent this location has been and I haven't even STARTED WORKING there yet.