Not too pleasant at the office today.

"Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo" (thetomselleck)
03/23/2020 at 17:52 • Filed to: None

Today, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! they were shutting down operations in the Puget Sound. The governor is under increasing scrutiny for not declaring a shelter-in-place policy and joining California, New York, Oregon, and so forth — even though, again — we (state of Washington) have the most deaths thus far.

However, my employer qualifies as “essential .” As such, we are all expected to work, even after a potential shelter-in-place policy. Management is determined to stay open by any means, but it appears the workforce is starting to turn.

- one coworker has called out for the week, with no explanation given.

- another coworker is refusing to visit any job site — incidentally, that’s his entire job.

- a close colleague says he will refuse to take on any extra field work that only exists due to other people refusing to work. He says he will not work in any home if any other trade is present.

- another coworker — a real workhorse, by the way — let slip that he doesn’t know how much longer he sees himself doing this as his workload continues to pile up.

- a supervisor told me her concerns have been summarily dismissed. The word “overreacting” was used in a private meeting.

- one employee’s wife now has allegedly tested positive. He is still working in the building. No formal notification has been sent out. I had to find this out through other means.

- one high-ranking person shared that they are going to advocate that we close for at least two weeks. They do not believe their recommendation will be met with agreement.

My two cents: someone would have to drop dead for them to close those doors. The shit-show is juuuuuust beginning.

DISCUSSION (36)

AestheticsInMotion > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
03/23/2020 at 17:55

That all sounds familiar. Any chance of ending up ahead in this situation without doing anything cutthroat?

CB > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
03/23/2020 at 17:59

Good luck, Dr. Zoidberg. And stay safe.

It’ll take more than one dead body for you to close, it sounds like.

fintail > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
03/23/2020 at 18:05

Maybe someone needs to contract the virus, then lawyer the hell up.

Only in this clusterfuck economic system so tied to housing and real estate is construction considered “essential” - developers, realtor shitheads, finance and insurance drones are really getting what they bribe/pay for.

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
03/23/2020 at 18:06

Somehow our company is considered essential...so we will be plowing through this full steam ahead. I’m glad I can work from home

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
03/23/2020 at 18:08

My wife's friend thinks she has it, likely due to her work. My wife was at her house on Thursday....

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
03/23/2020 at 18:09

They shutter the restaurant and entertainment industry but those fuckers need their chandeliers installed on time.

XJDano > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
03/23/2020 at 18:12

From what I have heard, my company will continue until they are told to stop. We also fall under the construction clause for essential business. My personal belief is that asbestos that has been in place since the 70’s at least, isn’t going anywhere in 2020. Even if it’s in bad shape, it is less likely to harm than what covid-19 has the potential to.

My wife has an auto-immune something they haven’t figured out, so she is at a higher risk. I am the designated go getter of groceries & other things. I know this week I am only working around 2-3 people on job sites, so that’s under 10. After this week I may take a hike for 2-3 weeks. I don’t think I’ll get fired, as I’ve been here for 20 years, but then again these are coworkers and not family.

Strange times.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
03/23/2020 at 18:12

My dad works at a plant that has also been deemed essential because they have one little defense contract. In his words “it’s less than 1% of our business” so they have to stay open. He is the personnel manager and a few work days ago he did away with the companies attendance policy. Maybe for those who either are sick right now, or don’t have child care while their kids aren’t in school.

camarov6rs > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
03/23/2020 at 18:21

Stay safe my lobsterly friend!

Just had a talk with my supervisor and their seems to be talks from the executives that Inslee will declare a shelter in place tonight. Now they are going around making sure everyone has remote access to systems and are taking laptops home to work remotely.

CTSenVy > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
03/23/2020 at 18:27

We aren’t considered essential unless we have to fix something for somebody that is considered essential. Basically we still are working but in the near future it’s only going to be for a handful of customer accounts in theory. Not sure what happens if we get a shelter in notice.

boredalways > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
03/23/2020 at 18:28

I fear that acts of controlled, physical violence in the workplace will be the only way to bring management to an understanding.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
03/23/2020 at 18:37

Well that was certainly an unnecessary risk on her part :(

WilliamsSW > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
03/23/2020 at 18:41

“ - one employee’s wife now has allegedly tested positive. He is still working in the building. No formal notification has been sent out. I had to find this out through other means.”

Fuck. That. Shit.

That’s gross negligence. They’re afraid of going out of business due to COVID-19, so they just guaranteed that they’ll go out of business due to mismanagement instead. Fuck them.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > WilliamsSW
03/23/2020 at 18:42

It has been a rough couple of years here.

WilliamsSW > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
03/23/2020 at 18:45

It’s clear to me that they don’t value their people, and companies like that always suck to work for.

Mine isn’t great either, they dragged their feet on wfh for no good reason. Bleh.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
03/23/2020 at 18:48

Someone should remind management that all it will take is one wrongful death lawsuit to close the business permanently. If someone in your workforce contracts COVID19 because of work requirements, then the company could be found liable.

I already received a soliciation from a law firm regarding COVID19. The ACEC is worried about it and an analytics firm wanted to sell me data regarding tracking people and COVID spread.

People are thinking about it and it’s just a matter of time before the lawsuits start flying.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
03/23/2020 at 18:50

Yeah. I didn't think she should go

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > WilliamsSW
03/23/2020 at 18:59

Makes me think that they don’t believe they could survive a (unlikely to be, but you never know) brief voluntary closure. Which says we’re screwed either way. Because some businesses that are exempt ARE choosing to close -- or they’re missing labor. We don’t build the homes, we just work in them...

WilliamsSW > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
03/23/2020 at 19:04

That may be true, or they’re just shitheads that like their money more than you. Not good either way.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > AestheticsInMotion
03/23/2020 at 19:11

The only “good” outcome is to keep working and hope I don’t get sick. There are other possibilities, but they all involve me losing my job, which is not optimal as my wife has already lost her job.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > WilliamsSW
03/23/2020 at 19:13

I like money too, but a trip the hospital will far surpass by what I’ll make for the next two weeks.

AestheticsInMotion > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
03/23/2020 at 19:20

It’s fucked. My best friend lost his job last week, and if I had to guess I’d say the company won’t survive the time without revenue, despite what aid may or may not eventually arrive on the federal front.

I’ve also been eyeing job listings for just-in-case scenarios....

DirtyDodge > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
03/23/2020 at 19:25

I was told by a zoom meeting today because no one wants to be in the same room that our facility has been deemed part of critical infrastructure and will not be closing no matter what. I just look at almost everyone else in my family being forced to stay home and feel jealous right now, although i know they see me going to work every day and feel the same way.

DipodomysDeserti > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
03/23/2020 at 19:26

Yeah, my MIL works in an office that handles retirement benefits. She can 100% work from home and they have her coming in. Her boss showed up to a meeting two weeks ago after returning from Italy.

My MIL makes over $100k/yr, no young kids, and can still work if her office is shuttered, yet my friends who are servers with kids are now fucked with no help in sight.

They now have to go work as a temp for Walmart or Amazon where they’ll make less, work more, won’t get healthcare and will most likely still get exposed because they’re in a warehouse full of people.

This type of two tiered system as to who suffers most from the economic disaster is going to have some after effects.

Saw the story about Rand Paul getting Covid, and these fuckers were all working out in the Senate gym and having lunch together as of last week? What the fuck is that all about?

jeepoftheseus > TheRealBicycleBuck
03/23/2020 at 19:48

It’s going to be a rough ride for any company that gets called to the courtroom for not sending an employee home that showed symptoms and someone in the office ending up with permanent lung damage/death. Workers’ comp isn’t going to cover those costs nor will commercial liability insurance.

Cash Rewards > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
03/23/2020 at 20:14

Im with Williams here. Hell no. That is in no way ok from a human health standpoint, and will all but guarantee you have no workforce in a month.

Fuck that shit. I take a massive paycut to work where I work, but have never been so glad I do.

404 - User No Longer Available > WilliamsSW
03/23/2020 at 20:38

Something tells me it’s time to call the snitch line.

404 - User No Longer Available > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
03/23/2020 at 20:39

Actually that was the same theory that people were using to explain why GameStop / EB Games were trying to classify themselves as “essential”. They practically won’t be able to survive this.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
03/23/2020 at 20:47

“ one employee’s wife now has allegedly tested positive. He is still working in the building. No formal notification has been sent out. I had to find this out through other means.”

Holy crap. Make sure this is documented. When the poop hits the fan, at least there needs to be a paper trail of where it came from, and the ignorance of management leading to someone’s hospitalization/death.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
03/23/2020 at 20:52

Today was the pick up your stuff and WFH day and my boss is already complaining that not enough is getting done. 2 guys have already stated, they’re sending out resumes looking for new jobs. It has been dumb as 1/2 folks have been doing CAD stuff, that in no way requires them to be in. When this is doen t he owner may have a business, but theres a good chance a lot of talent is walking at the end of this.

WilliamsSW > 404 - User No Longer Available
03/23/2020 at 21:39

Excellent idea

fintail > DipodomysDeserti
03/23/2020 at 21:41

And Rand Paul’s nutjob asshole dad still thinks it is a hoax. I try to refrain wishing harm on people, but maybe saying if it happened I wouldn’t cry isn’t the same as wishing.

DipodomysDeserti > fintail
03/23/2020 at 23:06

You don’t have to wish on them in this case. Mother nature doesn’t care if you believe in viruses or not.

fintail > DipodomysDeserti
03/23/2020 at 23:15

Unfortunately these selfish MFs have access to care that tens if not hundreds of millions of Americans could only dream of , and will likely be coddled even more than in their normal lives, until they recover.

DipodomysDeserti > fintail
03/23/2020 at 23:24

Yeah, but there’s only so much a respirator can do, especially when you’re old as shit.

pip bip - choose Corrour > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
03/24/2020 at 01:58

things will get better