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Covid

WFH but not allowed to look after my kids??

62 replies

Hmmmmminteresting · 25/03/2020 22:26

Ranting more than anything... i have a 3 year old and a 1 year old.
Classed as a key worker but due to the sector I'm in I am working from home.
My dcs nursery has closed down due to lack of demand.
My dh has to still go to work every day due to the sector he is in too.
Work have now sent out an email to all staff saying we must not be working from home whilst looking after our children. And that the expectation is that as key workers, nurseries and schools MUST stay open us.
I'm fuming! I would never send mine in to put them and others at risk while I'm sat at home. This is a shitty thing to do, right?

OP posts:
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NuffSaidSam · 25/03/2020 22:29

I suppose it depends on what your job is.

It does seem a bit unhelpful though.

Is there not a nursery that could take them?

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MirrorGold · 25/03/2020 22:29

Yes that is not right
Businesses are supposed to be making sacrifices and receiving support and all I’m seeing is them being selfish and screwing everyone over.

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RoomR0613 · 25/03/2020 22:34

Well my employer has two choices, I either work from home and do as much as I can whilst trying to look after my (preschool and younger) children, or I don't work. Luckily mine realised they were better off getting something instead of nothing.

I'm also a key worker, technically front line but very temporarily my job can be done WFH.

Normal rules don't apply at the moment.

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minipie · 25/03/2020 22:35

I can’t see how anyone could do their job properly while looking after a 3 and 1 year old tbh. As you are a key worker it’s pretty important your job gets done properly.

So the solutions are either 1) you put pressure on their nursery to re open - did you tell them you were a key worker and needed spaces for your DC?
or 2) you find alternative childcare for them. Maybe a temporary nanny? May be more expensive but would be less exposure than a nursery
or 3) your DH stops working and looks after them.
or 4) you take leave from your job, but that’s going to be strongly resisted given you are a key worker.

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PinglePongle · 25/03/2020 22:38

Same position here, options seem to only be stop work and have no money which I don't find fair!? Everyone's in the same position and it's a national crisis

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OhNoNoNoNotThatOne · 25/03/2020 22:40

I'm in the same boat as @Room the option was I do some or they get nothing because of ds.
My role has changed and I'm now flexible working from 7.5 hours 3 days a week to working Monday to Friday around ds and dh, I will be doing stuff that no one in the team wants to do, but at least I'm working and not sitting at home being paid 80% as my role in itself is not doable and the rest of the team get paid 100% and have to pick up the slack.

I think your employer needs to realise that their request isn't an option, are they aware nursery has shut?

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Hannah021 · 25/03/2020 22:40

I'd take them to school, it is not a shitty thing (very judgemental?)
If i were you and had the concern about risking my children, i'd consider quiting if my finances allowed for that. Otherwise, i know i cant do my work with 1 and 3! Its just impossible to be ethical and deliver to the standard of being in the office.

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RoomR0613 · 25/03/2020 22:40

Minipie or option 5, you do as much as you can whilst looking after a 1 year old and a 3 year old as per government guidelines.

Out of your options

  1. OP can work at home, therefore shouldn't be putting her children into childcare just because her employer wants her to.
  2. again, creating unnecessary contacts with the outside world just because her employer isn't happy.
  3. DH is also a key worker, but one that can't work from home
  4. the employer loses out even more, they would have been better off letting OP work as best she can whilst looking after her children.
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EL8888 · 25/03/2020 22:41

Maybe your employer needs to speak to nurseries and schools if it’s that simple?!

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PippaPegg · 25/03/2020 22:42

Your nursery has screwed you over here. Tell your employer. And try to find alternative provision. There will be other nurseries which have remained open to support key workers.

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RoomR0613 · 25/03/2020 22:43

Its just impossible to be ethical and deliver to the standard of being in the office

no one should be expecting the same standard as in the office. We are in exceptional circumstances. Decent employers should realise that people can only do what is possible for them to do in the circumstances.

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fairgroundsnack · 25/03/2020 22:44

The new guidance issued to schools and nurseries last night says they should only be caring for children where both parents are key workers who cannot work from home. The expectation is that any child whose parent is working from home should be at home. Employers have to understand this.

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RoomR0613 · 25/03/2020 22:46

The government advice is that nursery/school provision is only supposed to be for key workers who cannot work from home the OP can work from home her employer just doesn't want her to have her children there at the same time.

I cannot believe the amount of posters who think that the OP should be putting her child in nursery because her employer isn't happy.

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fedup21 · 25/03/2020 22:51

What is your job- are you able to do bits from home whilst the children are there?

What a shitty employer!

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Couchbettato · 25/03/2020 23:00

OP send your employer the government guidance. Tell them you will be doing as the government has advised.

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Hannah021 · 25/03/2020 23:01

@RoomR0613, give me a percentage? 80% less efficient? Whats acceptable for working from home? Are serious that anything is even achievable with a 1 and 3 yr old kids who need constant attention?

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Bufferingkisses · 25/03/2020 23:06

You're not "sat at home " or you shouldn't be. You're working in a key worker role.if your childcare isn't open contact the council, there will be local provision. If you don't want your kids in take unpaid leave.

I'm struggling to see why the government/business/childcare providers have to fix everything and more. We're adults, work some of it out yourself!

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PinglePongle · 25/03/2020 23:08

As long as the work gets done what dies it matter, it can't be helped right now

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PinglePongle · 25/03/2020 23:10

Childcare is only for those that can't work from home?! OP can work from home so shouldnt qualify

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HerRoyalNotness · 25/03/2020 23:11

Yeah our work is the same. Both DH and I at same company and WFH with D.C. we are not allowed to charge for any time spent seeing to their needs. But we have to put x hrs on our timesheets (due to a quirky law here) they haven’t bothered giving us a non paid code to charge. It’s unrealistic to expect us to leave a toddler unsupervised while we do 9hrs.

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RoomR0613 · 25/03/2020 23:11

Hannah you are entirely missing the point. This isn't about efficiency it's about keeping people alive by staying at home wherever possible.

I have a 1 yo and a 3yo. I'm in a key worker role. No I'm not doing as much as I would in the office but I'm doing more than I would be if I wasn't working at all and definitely more than I would be doing than if I was sick or dead.

It's perfectly possible to prioritise the most important tasks during nap times/ Mr Tumble, before they get up and after they go to bed. We are in an extreme world currently, fortunately most people understand that key workers aren't all operating in a 9-5 world at the moment.

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Quartz2208 · 25/03/2020 23:12

Is your DH a key worker

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RoomR0613 · 25/03/2020 23:13

Is your DH a key worker says it in the OP.

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vitaminCandzinc · 25/03/2020 23:20

I don't see you you can look after kids and work? unless your partner could take care of the kids.

I would feel comfortable sending my kids into nurseries and schools unless they or I had an underlying health condition. They're open so you can do you job. Most of us are all going to get CV. YABU.

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RoomR0613 · 25/03/2020 23:23

They're open so you can do you job only if you can't work from home. OP can.

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