Medically vulnerable caller shares outrageous story of being bullied into going to work
24 March 2020, 18:43
This nurse who works for a private company is being bullied into going to work, despite being medically vulnerable and receiving a letter from the government instructing her to shield.
Those who are medically vulnerable will receive 80% of their pay which companies can then claim back from the government, according to the Prime Minister.
Read more: What are the rules of Boris Johnson's lockdown and when does it end?
Donna said that despite being medically vulnerable she is going into work and using personal protection equipment that is "not usable at all."
After receiving her NHS letter, her employer told her that if she stays at home that is a "choice not a direction."
"I was told if I choose not to go in that's up to me but I won't be paid," Donna said, despite having a letter saying she is one of the most vulnerable people, "they don't care."
The letter says she shouldn't go to work and her medication will be delivered to her house and she should get other people to bring her shopping to her.
"I am being put under pressure to go to work," Donna said, "it's not just my health, this is the health of everybody. I could be a super spreader."
"Work left me a voicemail today saying you are choosing to take time off because someone else has been to their GP had [the letter] overruled. If you wanted to you could get it overruled as well," said Donna, sharing that she'd happily work from home on the 111 hotline.
Shelagh Fogarty was outraged and insisted she must stay at home: "I can tell you where you fall, your employer is being disgraceful. They are wrong...if anybody tries to bully you back to work, I honestly think you should contact your MP and tell them the name of the company."
