Agency worker ‘made a scapegoat’ over Covid outbreak

AN East Midlands Airport warehouse worker believes he has been made a “scapegoat” for a Covid outbreak at his former place of work.

Stephen Worrall had worked for DHL at East Midlands Airport as an agency worker but claims the company said it doesn’t want him back after he caught the disease.

The 39-year-old says he went to work at the site Monday, January 25, without displaying any symptoms, but fell ill while on the night shift.

He says that after feeling unwell for just over an hour, he left work and booked himself in for a Covid test, which came back positive. Upon being able to return to work, Mr Worrall says he was left shocked to hear DHL had requested his agency did not send him back.

DHL Aviation said there was a misunderstanding and are working with the agency to find a solution. Mr Worrall, who lives in Beeston, Nottingham, had been working at the site since October, and says he was left shocked by the positive test.

“I started work at 9pm and started feeling unwell at midnight,” he said. “I had a really poorly stomach and I suddenly got severe diarrhoea. I was on the toilet for so long I decided to book myself for a test.

“I decided to notify my supervisor I was having to leave work due to feeling unwell and I had booked a Covid test just to be safe, and left work at 1.30am.”

Mr Worrall says when he got home his symptoms began to intensify.

“Everything felt so much harder to do, I had aches and pains all over my body. It all seemed so strange.

“I had the test and got a positive result at 4am on Wednesday.”

After that Mr Worrall waited at home, which he shares with his landlady and her son, until his isolation period was over.

But he was devastated to hear DHL had asked him to stay away.

“I was informed by my agency at the end of my isolation period that DHL no longer wanted me,” he said. “It feels like I’m being made a scapegoat because they’ve gone so long without anyone testing positive.

“They’re saying I shouldn’t have gone back to my area to tell my manager and that I should’ve just walked off site.

“I can’t just walk off site, if there’s a fire they need to know where I am.”

Mr Worrall added: “I’ve got two children with my ex-wife, I need to help support them. I did everything I should’ve done in terms of guidance.

“The thought I would put the people I live and work with at risk is absurd.”

A spokesperson for DHL Aviation, said: “Due to a misunderstanding, Mr Worall was regrettably let go from his position prematurely. We have made contact with his employment agency to find a solution for Mr Worrall.”