I received a call from HR at 1:00pm telling me to return to work tomorrow; nothing like a little warning! I work for a medical practice of 17 clinics that furloughed all but one front desk/insurance person at each clinic, as well as nurses. Now that they are beginning in person office visits, they need us back. While I had seniority, I had taken off due to COVID concerns in mid March without pay; they began furloughs the second week of April and went ahead and included me since I was already out. My 2 month time off has ended 
I tried to take them into waiting to start next week as I had a couple of appointments scheduled this week; she gave me until this Thursday instead of tomorrow. As I don’t know if I would be asked back if I didn’t say yes now, nor if I could find another position due to my age, I needed to accept now.
Anyone else heading back before they are ready? I do worry about being in the clinic with patients all day, but will do my best to distance. If I find it is not as safe as I would like, I will have to go to plan B.
I think it’s awful if they gave you 24 hours or less notice! Unless they told you last week “be on call to be called back”.
I’m sure it feels very abrupt to you. I do think that “most” healthcare settings are as safe as any other public venue - in fact more safe because of so many protocols. I visited 4 clinics this morning very briefly for my job (otherwise I am still WFH) and all had different protocols set up from entering the building to the waiting rooms to going back to exam rooms.
Are you patients generally outside of any COVID concerns? I would just think of it like being around people at the grocery store. But you have the protection of your workplace regulations.
At this time if a job is needed (and for most of us, a job is needed) I would not rock the boat. Crossing fingers it all turns out better than you imagine.
But still, 24 hours notice!
Yikes! That’s awfully short notice!!
Are the other appointments you had able to be done virtually? Could you slip away to a private space somewhere for a virtual appointment?
Good luck!
24 hours is INSANE! I too am on furlough, but part of the agreement with my employer was a one-week warning period. Even then, my supervisor said the recall would probably be more like 2-3 weeks.
That being said, I work for a university - not a medical provider. Universities move at glacial speeds.
Good luck with your decision(s). I know what you mean about looking for a new job at a certain age - that’s been my concern, too.
That definitely seems unreasonable, imo. My H and colleagues are working on the re-opening of State’s offices. I’ll have to ask them how much lead time people will get. With almost 200,000 employees all over the state it’s a big task. Just in Albany it’s about 50,000. I think they will definitely do staggered times, and likely days, maybe even weeks. Plus, the need for lots of retrofitting offices. I haven’t asked too much about it because he’s not happy this was one more thing thrown in his lap.
We are giving 2-3 weeks notice once we decide when we are returning (staggered) to our corporate office.
I go back to work tomorrow. I’m equal parts anxious and excited. This is a new job for me which started 2 days before the stay at home order in our state. I’ve been able to work remotely since mid March but I’m honestly excited to start meeting patients in person. This week I’m just in W/F but next week it will be my full hours. My boss asked at the end of the week if I could start back (and it was a request not an order).
@MomofWildChild do you think guidelines should be different (just your opinion) for those who have been WFH and those that have been furloughed? I’m just realizing OP was furloughed.
Good question. I suspect furloughed workers always get less notice, but seems like some courtesy could be given…
I spoke with my manager a bit ago and she said she almost texted me last week to let me know they were starting to have people come back. Either way, one day seems odd to me, especially since I wasn’t given a choice, and was told if I waited until next week, my unemployment would be reduced. Other than my appointments, I really don’t have a good reason not to return other than to wrap my head around it! Being paid to sit at home has been a nice break. Plus I had time to FaceTime with the GDs everyday; I will miss seeing them all the time.
My appointments can be move; the most important was color on Thursday 
My colorist is going to come in at 7:30 tomorrow morning for me, so at least I will look human when returning to work!
While our patients are not “sick”, we are an allergy and asthma clinic. Most patient cough and have shortness of breathe! The day in March I made the decision to take time off, we had 70 patients in the office, plus extra people (parents or siblings) with those patients. I decided due to my age and health that I didn’t need to be exposed to those people.
I agree you should have had more notice. My family has been to quite a few doctor’s appointments the last few weeks and most have had us wait in car, rather than the waiting room. So I feel like it would be much safer than when you left. Maybe they will put a plexi-glass up where you check patient’s in and out? I am an “essential” worker, so have gone to work every day. At first I was very nervous, but I have definitely gotten used to it.
That seems pretty quick for health care. There are so many changes that most facilities will have to have new written protocols, patient screening, training, how to use PPE if you have patient contact.
If that’s not happening, bring several masks, hand sanitizer, maybe some safety glasses. Not sure what you wear and how close you are to patients, but maybe bring an outfit to change into before you leave, put your job clothes in a bag and wash when you get home.
@snowball
Do update us about the work situation.
When I have to work a carry out shift at the restaurant, everyone is masking up for the customers, but employees are not taking the same precautions with fellow employees.
We’re all one big happy family, I guess. :-/
I agree that one day notice seems insufficient. I would hope employers would remain flexible a little longer after folks return as well. Many people have missed doctor, beauty, or other appointments during the shutdown, and may need to duck out of work for an hour to get caught up. It is my understanding that many of those businesses are trying to give the missed people first dibs once they reopen, but there will be fewer, more spread-out appointment times. Getting back on track, if one can only do so outside of one’s employers customary hours, is going to unnecessarily drag things out.
I sort of just notified my boss that I would be coming back starting next week, and will split my time between office and WFH. He is laid back and flexible, and everyone has their own office, so I feel safe there. DH is probably WFH for at another month or so. They’re letting in up to ten people at a time; managers are keeping track of the count, so if he needs to be there, he schedules it with them. They all have their own offices too, but it’s a bigger company with more common areas that must be navigated carefully.
I’ve done a few webinars on preparing to reopen businesses. Every business is so different though. I don;t know how we are supposed to procure PPE like the state recommends, when it is scarce. We also are in a historic building, I can’t figure out how to put up plexiglass at the register.
@dentmom4 I can distance myself from patients for the most part, with the exception of those checking in and out. Still will have to handle insurance cards, DL and credit cards, unless they have made changes since I left. They was talk of moving the credit card swiping so that patient could do that themselves, but we didn’t have long enough cords and knowing my clinic, they didn’t purchase any. The last week I worked, I refused to take payments unless the patient had a card on file, which many do as they come weekly. My bet is I will need to be a team player and do as I have done prior to COVID and that little has changed since I was last there.
I have my cloth masks all cleaned and will be with me, although I also have plenty of surgical mask at home; hopefully the clinic has enough for us to use while working. While we asked for goggles when I was in, there were not enough for all of us, so the nurses were using them. Again, it will be interesting to see what, if anything they had done differently. We wear scrubs, so easy to clean.
Being furloughed is different. You are on unemployment, and you agreed to go back to work as soon as it is available as a condition of accepting the unemployment payments. In regular times, if you are on unemployment you have to apply for available jobs and take them if they are offered. I think there are a lot of exceptions with unemployment now because there just aren’t jobs out there and being furloughed means the employer is hoping to call you back soon. The benefit to you might be that you don’t have to look for jobs but you have to be available.
You work at home at the discretion of your employer. If it needs you to return to the office, you have to. If you have sick time or other time off, you can probably use that to go to appointments.
Of course many employers can give their employees some notice and not all employers can accept 50k employees to return on the same day, but that’s up to the employer and not the employee.
We had a lot of new rules from the governor this weekend and now businesses are allowed to reopen. Today’s the first business day back, and I’m sure there are a lot of employers calling their employees back to the office. Both my mother and brother had medical appointments today, and even the dog went to the vet.
My office has moved all payment to online only.
DD’s store opens Friday but she and other managers have not been furloughed like associates were. The managers have been going in for several weeks cleaning, rearranging and painting to freshen the store. They have been wearing masks the entire time. The company just extended furloughs for associates thru June but they have to be ready to come back on relatively short notice if business picks up. Just the nature of the beast I guess. They do seem to be giving them some heads up to be ready.
Family member in Seattle has been called back to work because guitars and accessories are much needed . So ends the unemployment.