Work and covid quarantine

LegacyUser

I am a childminder and I work in a persons home. I'm writing to see where I stand about an upcoming situation. The parents are due to go to England for a few days. That is currently red listed and quarantine is needed upon return.

I read the HSEs isolation guidelines that should apply to them. They are not allowed visitors in their home. Thats just one of many of the isolation guidelines.

The parents wish for me to continue to go to work and they said they will be isolating in their rooms and I won't come into contact with them. They said I will have my own masks and visor at that stage and it should be relatively safe for me to continue to work.

To be honedt, I'm not very happy about what is being asked for me to do. Just in case the parents and family go on to develop covid symptoms.

I live with my mother who would be vulnerable to covid because of her age and my main concern is for my mother. I don't want to risk bringing home virus.

Where do I stand in this position? Am I classified as a visitor to their home? I don't trust the parents 100% because I suspect they won't keep their movements out to essential reasons only during their quarantine period. I think if they really needed me to work they could have me in there for a reduced amount of time to reduce risks/exposure times etc but that won't happen. Golf and beauty appointments will come first for them.

LegacyUser

Currently the hse has people coming back from the red list countries as people who need to self isolate. These people are placed into the same bracket as people who are diagnosed as covid positive and people who are close contacts of close positives. So travel would be seen a driving force for covid spread. There's a lot on the list for self isolation
-do not go to work
-do not use public transport
-do jot have visitors in your home
-do not go to care for others even if you usually care for them.
-get grocery shopping delivered and do not go to the shops.
-get someone to help you with pharmacies or shop online.

That's the list for self isolation.

Where do I stand as a worker in the home? The quarantine period for the parents coincides with the Halloween holidays from school. So that means they want me to continue to work in their home and work the long days from morning til evening time.

If they come back with covid that will be a lot of exposure time for me. About 8/9/10 hour days × 5 days a week. I'm not getting paid enough to risk my own health and that of my families health.

LegacyUser

Ruaop wrote: »

Currently the hse has people coming back from the red list countries as people who need to self isolate. These people are placed into the same bracket as people who are diagnosed as covid positive and people who are close contacts of close positives. So travel would be seen a driving force for covid spread. There's a lot on the list for self isolation
-do not go to work
-do not use public transport
-do jot have visitors in your home
-do not go to care for others even if you usually care for them.
-get grocery shopping delivered and do not go to the shops.
-get someone to help you with pharmacies or shop online.

That's the list for self isolation.

Where do I stand as a worker in the home? The quarantine period for the parents coincides with the Halloween holidays from school. So that means they want me to continue to work in their home and work the long days from morning til evening time.

If they come back with covid that will be a lot of exposure time for me. About 8/9/10 hour days × 5 days a week. I'm not getting paid enough to risk my own health and that of my families health.

You are absolutely right and should not go to work for them in their house during those two weeks. They can't ask you to! Perhaps you could bring the children outside for a couple of hours a day if they're not traveling and are not requested to isolate.
I'm a childminder too and know is hard to stick up for yourself.

ibarelycare

How long have you worked for them for? Are they registered employers i.e. do you pay taxes and get a payslip etc? Or do you work cash in hand?