I'm stuck on unpaid leave!

[Starlive23]

I'm sure there must be lots of these posts but does anyone know where I stand at all?

I work for a solicitors which is deemed essential work at least according to my employers. Currently no childcare as my mother who usually cares for my daughter falls very much into the high risk category (age, diabetes, has had spleen removed!)...so legal work is deemed as key work according to employers but of the 7 childminders I have spoken to today and yesterday nobody is willing to take on my 2 y/o (cant really say I blame them!)

They wont lay me off so I cant do the 80% wage thing, and I've had to take annual leave this week until I can sort something out. After that its unpaid leave.

I cant live on unpaid leave, but I feel I'm stuck and have no option but to leave my daughter with my mum which I really, really don't want to do.

They aren't set up to work from home so that's out of the question too.

Is there another option I'm not thinking of here?

TIA

[Starlive23]

Bump

[Spam88]

Don't know if it's the same everywhere but in wales there are phone lines set up for you to find a childcare place for you child.

[Zavy]

I think it's shocking that parents are not being provided with paid parental leave whilst others are getting 80% wages guaranteed if they cannot work. I bet it's mostly women who are suffering under this and it's most likely discrimination.

Martin Lewis has a video on FB saying ask your employer to furlough you as he said it is an option according to his official sources.

[Flummingbird]

I think you've a lot better chance of getting DC into a nursery than with a childminder, they're more likely to be open and have spaces... certainly the case where I am.

[Spam88]

Family Information Service is who we have to contact round here.

[CaryStoppins]

Try your Local Authority - they can help find childcare for keyworkers.

[EmmaC78]

What type of work so the firm do? My understanding was that only some lawyers are regarded as key workers.

Could you ask to vary your hours so you can fit it round childcare or do you have to be available during office hours?

[Starlive23]

Thank you so much for replies!! I am a secretary, but they haven't set us up to work from home, it's a small firm and they have pretty much buried their heads in the sand and told me to sort it out for next week.

Spoke again to them this morning, no chance of being furloughed at all.

Will try all of these suggestions today and will try nurseries.

Again thanks so so much for this, I was in such a panic. Just feel shafted by my company but that's another issue!

[MairzyDoats]

Sounds like they have royally shafted you, why won't they put you on furlough?

[Starlive23]

Oh and yes, I offered to go in evening gs, weekends, basically work around my DH but it was also a flat no. They want us all in the office (open plan, 12 of us!) Only during work time. Not to mention I could of course type letters at home but again, that's another issue!

Thanks so much everyone and fingers crossed.

[Russell19]

I would try and ring around private nurseries. Such an awful situation though. I'd remember how unhelpful your employers were next time they ask you to go above and beyond.

[Russell19]

Are you 2m apart in this office?

[Starlive23]

@Russell19 apparently they have moved some of the desks around ap we are 2m apart but that's all.tbey have done.

Its really made me question my loyalty to them, a lot of other firms have been working from home for a week or so but mine are waiting for full lockdown before that!

[Spam88]

If it makes you feel any better about having a shit employer, I work for the NHS - not remotely a front line service, we don't need to be on site by any stretch of the imagination (most of our work isn't for the hospital we're based at any way), occasionally work from home so we're all set up for it. And yet after boris announced the lockdown we all received a text to say we still had to go in. And when he announced school closures we were told we could have one day of paid leave to arrange childcare and then it would be unpaid.

[Starlive23]

@spam I feel lucky I managed to get 3 days annual leave before mine is unpaid. You couldn't make it up, honestly. How they expect me to find childcare in a week when most are obviously not taking new children is beyond me. Magic people out of thin air it would seem.

Good news though I'm waiting for a nursery not too far away to call me back 🤞🤞🤞