Congratulations Melbourne - one new case, no deaths

[BRANDEE]

1 hour ago, MicCanberra said:

I feel there is more to this story than him just being off the Ruby, we need more information.

This is all the info I have:

He gets off the Ruby March 19 and tests negative, than quarantines for two weeks and tests negative again. (wife too)

His manager told him to take another two weeks (with pay) there is no work. 

By May 18, he realizes everyone else is working but him so he confronts his manager.  His manager told him that he was unsafe because he was on the Ruby,  even though he had tested twice and was negative. He was told a few workers were concerned for their safety and thought that they could get the virus from 20 meters away.  They would reconsider in two weeks (still getting paid) . Tests negative a third time.

Two weeks later he is told not to come to the place of business and not to enter the grounds.  He contacts a barrister and said either let him come back to work, pay him or let him go and if they let him go he was ready for a discrimination suit.

Fast forward to January, and they are still paying him.  

Sounds great not to have to work and get paid, but this effected Glenn emotionally . 

He also realizes that eventually they will stop paying him.  Will that be next week, month or year.

At his age, early 60's he can not get employment else where for the same pay.

 

He just recently said he is finally getting use to what retirement is like, and trying to enjoy it... but still very nervous about them stopping his salary before he has all is retirement plans (finances) in place. Plus the feeling that he is toxic and dirty as if he had germs. He is still under doctor's care for anxiety..

 

I don't know what retirement age is in Australia, but can't imagine the company keeping him on the payroll for 5 more years.  But that might be better than a lawsuit...I guess.

 

 

Edited January 24 by BRANDEE

[Docker123]

[lyndarra]

31 minutes ago, BRANDEE said:

This is all the info I have:

He gets off the Ruby March 19 and tests negative, than quarantines for two weeks and tests negative again. (wife too)

His manager told him to take another two weeks (with pay) there is no work. 

By May 18, he realizes everyone else is working but him so he confronts his manager.  His manager told him that he was unsafe because he was on the Ruby,  even though he had tested twice and was negative. He was told a few workers were concerned for their safety and thought that they could get the virus from 20 meters away.  They would reconsider in two weeks (still getting paid) . Tests negative a third time.

Two weeks later he is told not to come to the place of business and not to enter the grounds.  He contacts a barrister and said either let him come back to work, pay him or let him go and if they let him go he was ready for a discrimination suit.

Fast forward to January, and they are still paying him.  

Sounds great not to have to work and get paid, but this effected Glenn emotionally . 

He also realizes that eventually they will stop paying him.  Will that be next week, month or year.

At his age, early 60's he can not get employment else where for the same pay.

 

He just recently said he is finally getting use to what retirement is like, and trying to enjoy it... but still very nervous about them stopping his salary before he has all is retirement plans (finances) in place. Plus the feeling that he is toxic and dirty as if he had germs. He is still under doctor's care for anxiety..

 

I don't know what retirement age is in Australia, but can't imagine the company keeping him on the payroll for 5 more years.  But that might be better than a lawsuit...I guess.

 

 

I would hope his employer is also maintaining his Superannuation (pension fund) payments as required by law. Another point is whether or not the wages being paid make any allowance for regular overtime he may have normally received.

[Blackduck59]

1 hour ago, BRANDEE said:

I had no idea what a panel beater was. I never heard that expression.  It is someone who repairs cars back to factory condition after they were damaged.  We call them auto collision experts where I live.  And unfortunately, have had to use them once or twice in the past.  LOL

 

Many of the old time trades are really starting to fade. In auto body repair a skilled craftsman would use hammers and dollies to beat a dented bend or whatever body panel back into shape before adding filler etc. Now they just order a new part and recycle the old one. Much like Mechanics are now more component changers as opposed to repairers. Old style auto body technicians can be very important in a traditional body shop that restores vintage cars, not as important to fix the crunched front end of your 2020 Hyundai.

[NSWP]

The smash repair business must be lucrative to pay him around $1000 a week for doing nothing. He would be on about $50k a year, maybe a little more with ovrtime and some saturday work. All a bit odd to me. Depending on his assets and other income streams he may be eligible for an age pension at 67. There is no automatic right to an age pension here,  I dont get any as i am a self funded retiree, i paid into a super fund for 36 yrs. 

 

Dont get me started on aged pensions.

[By The Bay]

"For an eighth consecutive day, zero locally acquired coronavirus infections are found in NSW — but authorities tighten screening protocols at Sydney Airport after a new case is identified in Auckland." Source ABC

[OzKiwiJJ]

2 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

 

Many of the old time trades are really starting to fade. In auto body repair a skilled craftsman would use hammers and dollies to beat a dented bend or whatever body panel back into shape before adding filler etc. Now they just order a new part and recycle the old one. Much like Mechanics are now more component changers as opposed to repairers. Old style auto body technicians can be very important in a traditional body shop that restores vintage cars, not as important to fix the crunched front end of your 2020 Hyundai.

Well, we were thankful for old-style panel beating some years ago. We had an old but very low mileage 6 cyl Toyota sedan, top of the range with leather upholstery, that we'd decided to keep until DH retired then buy a new one. Unfortunately it got damaged in a hailstorm. The insurance wrote it off but we were able to buy it back off them for pittance. We found a wonderful panel beater who did paintless dent removal. He took out all the dents and replaced the head lining in the roof for less than half what we got as insurance. Unfortunately when we had it checked to reregister it we had to get the engine mounts replaced so it cost a bit more than we'd hoped to get it back on the road again but we broke even on the deal so were happy. It lasted us another three years before we replaced it. Although it didn't have all the new features of its replacement it was actually a nicer car to drive.

[lyndarra]

31 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Well, we were thankful for old-style panel beating some years ago. We had an old but very low mileage 6 cyl Toyota sedan, top of the range with leather upholstery, that we'd decided to keep until DH retired then buy a new one. Unfortunately it got damaged in a hailstorm. The insurance wrote it off but we were able to buy it back off them for pittance. We found a wonderful panel beater who did paintless dent removal. He took out all the dents and replaced the head lining in the roof for less than half what we got as insurance. Unfortunately when we had it checked to reregister it we had to get the engine mounts replaced so it cost a bit more than we'd hoped to get it back on the road again but we broke even on the deal so were happy. It lasted us another three years before we replaced it. Although it didn't have all the new features of its replacement it was actually a nicer car to drive.

Good of the insurance company to let you keep it. Classed as "repairable write-off was it? These days write offs cannot be re-registered but that can vary state to state.

[OzKiwiJJ]

43 minutes ago, lyndarra said:

Good of the insurance company to let you keep it. Classed as "repairable write-off was it? These days write offs cannot be re-registered but that can vary state to state.

Yes, there is a special category for hail damaged cars as the damage is only to the bodywork.

[Ondine]

Sounds to me that the company want him to resign and are using Covid as an excuse.  If he resigns then he will only be able to claim long service and holiday pay etc.  However if they make him redundant then the company will have to pay him out according to the years that he has worked there on top of all his entitlements.  

 

With the government bringing in new schemes for employing people from 18 to 35 and paying for part of the training the company may want to bring in a younger person to train and benefit from government payments.  Sounds fishy.

[ELep]

3 hours ago, By The Bay said:

"For an eighth consecutive day, zero locally acquired coronavirus infections are found in NSW — but authorities tighten screening protocols at Sydney Airport after a new case is identified in Auckland." Source ABC

This is great. So far, so good. Any thoughts on when restrictions are going to be lifted in Sydney? Especially compulsory mask wearing on public transport, shops, church, weddings and funerals? It's definitely a struggle in the heat wave conditions we are dealing with ATM. 

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, ELep said:

This is great. So far, so good. Any thoughts on when restrictions are going to be lifted in Sydney? Especially compulsory mask wearing on public transport, shops, church, weddings and funerals? It's definitely a struggle in the heat wave conditions we are dealing with ATM. 

Personally I'd like to see the mask wearing stay mandatory until the pandemic is over. Why? Think back to the case where the cleaner in a Sydney quarantine hotel caught the virus. She did not start an outbreak because she wore a mask on public transport etc. They do work.

[NSWP]

22 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Personally I'd like to see the mask wearing stay mandatory until the pandemic is over. Why? Think back to the case where the cleaner in a Sydney quarantine hotel caught the virus. She did not start an outbreak because she wore a mask on public transport etc. They do work.

My son wants me to come up to Riverview for a few nights on Thursday, not seen him and family for 3 Months. But I dont want to get around up there with a mask.

[ELep]

36 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Personally I'd like to see the mask wearing stay mandatory until the pandemic is over. Why? Think back to the case where the cleaner in a Sydney quarantine hotel caught the virus. She did not start an outbreak because she wore a mask on public transport etc. They do work.

Do we know if that is why the cleaner did not spread it? I am sure it may have helped, but what have the scientists told us? Certainly all seems hit and miss. The cleaner in the BNE hotel who had the UK variant did not spread it to anyone, other than her household contact.

 

[ELep]

14 minutes ago, NSWP said:

My son wants me to come up to Riverview for a few nights on Thursday, not seen him and family for 3 Months. But I dont want to get around up there with a mask.

You don't need to wear one outside, which is very fortunate. And I am sure that our friends in Melb recall the misery of that. But it is very hot up here and I would guess that many would struggle to wear one on health grounds. They are of course able to not wear on health grounds. 

 

[OzKiwiJJ]

30 minutes ago, NSWP said:

My son wants me to come up to Riverview for a few nights on Thursday, not seen him and family for 3 Months. But I dont want to get around up there with a mask.

You won't need one in Lane Cove except when going into shops or supermarkets. Most of the cafes have outdoor seating including those in the Canopy (Sugarlane). It's not too bad. 

[OzKiwiJJ]

20 minutes ago, ELep said:

Do we know if that is why the cleaner did not spread it? I am sure it may have helped, but what have the scientists told us? Certainly all seems hit and miss. The cleaner in the BNE hotel who had the UK variant did not spread it to anyone, other than her household contact.

 

There was some comment re that from one of the government health boffins. It also been proven to reduce the spread in countries like Taiwan, which has had very few cases. The experts are paying more attention to airborne transmission these days. It seems a no-brainer to me, every little bit helps!

[NSWP]

8 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

You won't need one in Lane Cove except when going into shops or supermarkets. Most of the cafes have outdoor seating including those in the Canopy (Sugarlane). It's not too bad. 

Thanks, Sugarlane and en casa might be goers.  No masks down here, not even the deli staff in woolies, coles and iga are wearing them now, they were until a month ago. I a,ways the mask in the glove box, no worries, way of life.

Edited January 25 by NSWP

[OzKiwiJJ]

Just now, NSWP said:

Thanks, Sugarlane and en casa might be goers.

It's supposed to be a bit cooler from Thursday onwards.

[OzKiwiJJ]

We went to Sugarlane last Friday. They have the best pad Thai I've ever had. Clean flavours, not overly sweet like some.

[ilikeanswers]

32 minutes ago, ELep said:

Do we know if that is why the cleaner did not spread it? I am sure it may have helped, but what have the scientists told us? Certainly all seems hit and miss. The cleaner in the BNE hotel who had the UK variant did not spread it to anyone, other than her household contact.

 

I think one of the reasons for the confusion about masks is that at the beginning of the pandemic countries were completely under resourced when it came to masks so governments started putting out messages of only needing masks under certain circumstances just to preserve stock😕. This is what has led to a lot of misinformation about masks but the truth is they are the best way to stop the spread of respiratory illnesses along with hand washing/disinfecting and social distancing. It is the mighty Covid fighting trifecta😁 

[Docker123]

40 minutes ago, ELep said:

You don't need to wear one outside, which is very fortunate. And I am sure that our friends in Melb recall the misery of that. But it is very hot up here and I would guess that many would struggle to wear one on health grounds. They are of course able to not wear on health grounds. 

 

We are hardy stock down here.

 

You get used to wearing them after 5 or 6 months.  Nice fashion accessory.

 

Medical exemptions are available.

 

[possum52]

2 minutes ago, Docker123 said:

We are hardy stock down here.

 

You get used to wearing them after 5 or 6 months.  Nice fashion accessory.

 

Medical exemptions are available.

 

Yes you do Adrian. I just always have at least one with me and a couple in the car.   I haven’t used public transport since Covid arrived but  if I have to use I’m sure I’ll be fine doing so. I would only catch trains and they are air conditioned. I had to wear one this morning while waiting outside in the heat to enter a medical clinic. No problems.

 

Leigh

[LC1950]

Yes Docker123, as I always say, you've gotta be tough to live in Melbourne.  Actually, I feel slightly "undressed" without my mask these days.  I'll keep wearing it when I'm out in public - heatwave or Antarctic freeze conditions.  Like I said, we're tough down here. 😷

[NSWP]

8 minutes ago, LC1950 said:

Yes Docker123, as I always say, you've gotta be tough to live in Melbourne.  Actually, I feel slightly "undressed" without my mask these days.  I'll keep wearing it when I'm out in public - heatwave or Antarctic freeze conditions.  Like I said, we're tough down here. 😷

You guys have been through a campaign almost like Ww2. Soldier on.

 

What concerns me is you see these covidiots on tv in usa and europe, inc uk running around, no masks, breaking laws with apparent impunity.

Edited January 25 by NSWP