My work are trying to class me as a key worker

[CorinnaSinner]

I work on the phones for a financial company.

My role is not critical for helping people through coronavirus.

They disgust me. They just don’t want to lose money as we can’t work from home.

Surely if you’re not on the list then you can’t go to work?

Is there an official list?

Sorry I have just seen it on the Hovernmenyd website

Key public services
This includes those essential to the running of the justice system, religious staff, charities and workers delivering key frontline services, those responsible for the management of the deceased, and journalists and broadcasters who are providing public service broadcasting.

I feel they will try and say it’s a frontline service

The FCA has issued guidance:

www.fca.org.uk/firms/key-workers-financial-services

It’s not only key workers that can go to work ffs. Boris was very clear, it’s anyone who can’t do their job from home. He gave a list of what he was shutting, it was shops etc. It was not offices and factories.

Right now your company is correct but they don’t have to make you a key worker, unless it’s key to their business staying operational and an internal definition..

So yes, they can make you come to work.

Looking at that list, you are on it op,and it’s key as in keeping the business operational, not key for corona.

I'm in the same position. We can work from home but we're not being allowed to. It feels awful that there are so many employees (and their families) at risk but the only other choice I have is to leave my job.

We can work from home but we're not being allowed to.

That's not right and you should challenge it.

OP, if you can't work from home then you're still expected to work. I know it's shitty and some banks have designated all their staff as key workers. Things may change after tonight's announcements so see how it goes.

Daughters fiancee calibrates and repairs machines for the blood industry. He has to go in as no one else can do it in that company.

He isn't on the list, but is vital for the company. He can't do it at home because of all the sensitive machinery required.

Finance is on the list of key workers , my husband is a financial advisor. He's in

It won’t change they sent a text tonight to say we are expected to go in.

I'm in finance too, I saw that people working in finance are on the list published the was published the other day so its not just your company.

You are a key worker.
We need to have a semblence of an economy when this is all over, or there won't be any money to pay for services like hospitals, schools and social care.
People need to keep working to keep us afloat.

Aren’t you glad you that can continue to work?

Aren’t you glad you that can continue to work?

This sounds a little like you think the OP shouldn't be worried and should be grateful @Rhinosaurus. I hope I'm wrong.

We have no idea of their circumstances. They may have an elderly relative living with them, or a child with a compromised immune system or they may just be shit scared like many other people. Either way, they shouldn't be made to feel bad about being worried about this. Not enough people were worried three weeks ago and now we have this shitshow.

OP it does sound like you are a key worker, (I am too) take the recommended precautions and keep safe. It's all any of us can do right now.

It wasn’t meant to sound like that, I was wondering why someone wouldn’t want to work if they could as lots of people are worried about the money side of things. They didn’t mention any underlying issues in their post.

It's such a tough one. A friend's husband works in a call centre for a bank, and she's in the vulnerable group (albeit not hugely high risk). They would rather he wasn't going in to work, but can't afford for him to be unpaid for a long period.

At the same time, lots of people will be needing to phone their banks to rearrange things now they have less income. It is important that the financial services remain at least somewhat operational, for both business and individuals.

Aren’t you glad you that can continue to work?

No. Because they have the capacity to let us work from home. They are choosing not to.

I’d rather stay inside than travel every day and have a risk that my normal every day actions could cause a death, I’d rather put people over profit.

My job won’t keep the economy going, my work is just petrified that our department will not be able to work and they will get fined.

No. Because they have the capacity to let us work from home. They are choosing not to.

Name and shame! If you can work from home, you should be working from home. I don't know why companies are being so difficult about this?

@CorinnaSinner if they have the capacity to let you work from home then they should - that is what has been said, as working from home will minimise the travelling and use of public transport. As PP have said, report anonymously.

@HugoSpritz we do this, you can log into “hot desk” phones remotely and make and receive calls, pick up voicemail etc.

I'm currently working from home and I work in financial services.

I have a virtual desktop on my own computer and a headset.

Over 90% of us are at home.

We can no longer issue cheques or post. Everything is by email and direct credit. It seems to work.

How will you work the phones for your company from home? I am not being goady but genuinely asking how this could work?

VOIP, phones are set up to operate over the internet, so you can log in to your assigned number anywhere. It's something planned for where I work, but hasn't yet been set up, so I have a work mobile that my office number is being diverted to for now.

They ought to be setting you up to WFH.