Type 1 Enforced work laws

[Anihilonihil]

Hello!

I have to say I am not originally from England but have been living/working there at the beginning of this pandemic....I am aware some people with diabetes want or have the option of staying and working from home if they want to because they are considered higher risk regarding covid 19 but now I have been put in a very strange situation.
I have just started a new job abroad (in Europe), I am 27 years old and managing my diabetes just fine, no complications. and after my first day at the new job when I disclosed the fact I am a type 1 diabetic, I have been told I have to go home, work from there and cannot come to the office because of that. I know some people would appreciate that but I feel actually very discriminated and put into a big disadvantage by this decision as others who started this job with me will have full support of fellow colleagues at the office as they navigate this new assignment but I have been literally ordered to stay at home and rely on some remote assistance, without being given an option or asked about my opinion.

Has this happened to any other fellow type 1 diabetics out there ?

I really do not like being put into this position without having a say or being asked about it...

 

[EllieM]

That's an unusual one, though I don't think you're alone. I realise that you probably don't want your work to know about your post, but can you answer any of the following.

1) Is your work a UK company currently sending you in Europe to work, or is the new job with an overseas company
2) Can you share the name of the country?
3) Have you investigated the current covid rules in that country
4) What age range/sex/ethnicity are the others starting the job with you? (Male/female/BAME/any over 30)
5) Do you have access to the risk calculator they are using to deem your covid risk too high

A typical age calculator for covid (tells you your risk compared to a white male with no pre-existing conditions) gives you +8 years for T1 and -8 for being female, so I don't think your company are being logical about this. Being BAME also puts your risk up.

I believe @LooperCat may have some experience with this (apologies if I've got it wrong or misremembered) vis a vis working in a frontline medical role while being T1...

Maybe thank your HR for caring about your health but ask them how they are calculating that you are at higher risk then your colleagues (unless they are all 18 year old white females?)

Good luck.

ps welcome to the forums

 

[Daibell]

Hi. In the UK that would not be acceptable under discrimination laws but I'm sure it varies round Europe.

 

[NicoleC1971]

Hello!

I have to say I am not originally from England but have been living/working there at the beginning of this pandemic....I am aware some people with diabetes want or have the option of staying and working from home if they want to because they are considered higher risk regarding covid 19 but now I have been put in a very strange situation.
I have just started a new job abroad (in Europe), I am 27 years old and managing my diabetes just fine, no complications. and after my first day at the new job when I disclosed the fact I am a type 1 diabetic, I have been told I have to go home, work from there and cannot come to the office because of that. I know some people would appreciate that but I feel actually very discriminated and put into a big disadvantage by this decision as others who started this job with me will have full support of fellow colleagues at the office as they navigate this new assignment but I have been literally ordered to stay at home and rely on some remote assistance, without being given an option or asked about my opinion.

Has this happened to any other fellow type 1 diabetics out there ?

I really do not like being put into this position without having a say or being asked about it...

I understand that you do not want to be discriminated against because of your condition and having just started a new job you would want to get to know your team and colleagues.
As you probably know your actual risk is small just because you are 27.
Hope you can ask about why this course of action has been decided for you and not with you? Perhaps your office is unable to offer a 'covid safe' environment to all so they are giving priority to those without any underlying conditions and in the low risk age bracket?
You could look up how many diabetics type 1 were hospitalised or ill in the UK to illustrate just how low your risk is!

 

[Daphne917]

Hello!

I have to say I am not originally from England but have been living/working there at the beginning of this pandemic....I am aware some people with diabetes want or have the option of staying and working from home if they want to because they are considered higher risk regarding covid 19 but now I have been put in a very strange situation.
I have just started a new job abroad (in Europe), I am 27 years old and managing my diabetes just fine, no complications. and after my first day at the new job when I disclosed the fact I am a type 1 diabetic, I have been told I have to go home, work from there and cannot come to the office because of that. I know some people would appreciate that but I feel actually very discriminated and put into a big disadvantage by this decision as others who started this job with me will have full support of fellow colleagues at the office as they navigate this new assignment but I have been literally ordered to stay at home and rely on some remote assistance, without being given an option or asked about my opinion.

Has this happened to any other fellow type 1 diabetics out there ?

I really do not like being put into this position without having a say or being asked about it...

Perhaps the HR department have decided that they don’t want to put you at risk and are exercising their duty of care. Speak to them and see if they are willing to change their stance. Ironically there are a number of members on this forum who would love to be instructed to work from home!!

 

[Anihilonihil]

Thanks to all for you replies ! The job is in Greece and for an international company .
They provide safe work environment, everyone is wearing masks and we keep distance. I have asked my supervisor what are the rules and why/how they decided this but so far they were not able to provide me with an answer, only saying that they will get back to me once they have more information....

 

[LooperCat]

I believe @LooperCat may have some experience with this (apologies if I've got it wrong or misremembered) vis a vis working in a frontline medical role while being T1...

Thanks for the tag I think my situation is a bit different tbh. My fight was with my university rather than my employer - the latter were fine with my T1; the former saw themselves as being in loco parentis and very risk averse on my behalf - despite my being in my late forties having a son being almost old enough to be a uni student himself!

 

[EllieM]

so far they were not able to provide me with an answer, only saying that they will get back to me once they have more information....

Sounds like a knee jerk reaction to the fact that you are T1, with no basis in a logical risk screening process, where T1 would be just one factor among many, and age is the most significant. Good luck.