Told to go back into office but schools closed

[user1475002412]

I work in an admin role for NHS in a level 3 service ie non essential healthcare setting. I have been working from home (re-deployed as no work in current role as service is closed and will be until August).

Today I had a call from my manager telling me I have to go back into the physical office on Monday doing my old job. My problem is I have a primary aged son and his school is shut until September at the earliest.

The school will not take him as apparently there is no demand. And anyway from July they said they are shut for the summer holidays even for any key workers they may have had.

I don’t know what to do. I am a single parent and can’t leave my son who is 9 home alone everyday to go into work. But my manager is not interested & just expects me to be in work on Monday. Of course she is working from home still.

Any ideas? Should I try and get HR involved? I was thinking of putting all this in an email and copying in my managers manager which will make me very unpopular...

Sick with worry. Not sure what work there is to do as no patients means no need for admin. I was quite happily doing me re deployed role from home and there was plenty of work to do. Apparently me doing this is no longer an option as my manager said she wants me back doing my old job!

What would you usually do with him for the 6 weeks holiday?

If his school is shut it means they are running local hubs so ring the council or ask the school where the key worker hub is and he should be able to go there.

What do you normally do in school holidays? Because I guess from July the schools being open / shut point is moot.

The government advice is If your school is shut contact your local authority And they will find a place for you.

I’d email HR and her manager and her and innocently enquire whether this wouldn’t constitute indirect sex discrimination, and therefore be in contravention of the Equality Act. Measures that disproportionately disadvantage primary carers have previously been upheld as discriminatory towards women who are more likely to be carers.

I’d also join your union if you have one.

Speak to the LA. Good luck.

Your usual holiday clubs should be running, or do you have family that usually do it?

And surely they need to give you morre notice?

I would (& have) email their manager.

Well I would normally take 2 weeks annual leave in the school holidays but we are not allowed to book leave currently. My mum would look after my son and also his other grandparents help out too. His dad died 3 years ago.

Childminders are open. Who has your child before and after work normally and during the holidays?

What would you usually do with him for the 6 weeks holiday

I assume what most working parents do. Annual leave, holiday clubs and grandparent.

2 out of 3 which are not available at the moment. So it's pointless asking "what you normally do"

OP, talk to hr.
Find out if there is a keyworker hub in your area, some childminders are opening so you may get lucky finding one.
Do you know anyone with a trustworthy teen?

workingfamilies.org.uk/articles/flexible-working-and-the-law-a-guide-for-employees/

You should have been given more notice. You cannot use school, there may or may not be other local provisions and you may or may not be able to use family based on their set up. You should not be penalised if this isn’t possible as it is not within your control and would constitute indirect sex discrimination.

Well, holiday clubs will be running I imagine and if it’s choice between grandparents and no job then grandparents are going to be around too.

The annual leave it a kicker and you will need to talk to HR about that.

But you will be fine until July and a lot can change in 5 weeks.

Can you do your normal substantive role from home? If so, this seems utterly punitive!

As a single parent you're eligible to form a bubble with another household. Could this be an option for you?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52567567

Some info from BBC re - returning to work.

Has DS got any friends that go to a holiday club, would he be able ro go knowing friends are there?

Ours runs from 08.00-18.00 with all meals for £25 a day, I have never had any family near me to look after DD, so she is used to going to 4 different clubs, she chooses which ones she wants, but if DS hasn't been before he might be nervous.

I agree with speaking to HR and seeing what can be agreed.

It’s one thing for people to be telling you that childminders and school clubs are open but that doesn’t mean any are near to you, have space available or are suitable for your child.

Do you know of anyone else where you work who is in a similar situation and what has been agreed for them? If a precedent has already been set, it could work in your favour.

I’m not sure if normal holiday clubs will be running. The one attached to our school is not taking bookings and a national company that delivers Summer activity days that I usually book a few days on has just today announced that they will not be able to run this year because of gov guidance.

Ours is running and they are advertising for new parents/key workers to send their children, I think they are struggling to stay open due to low numbers.

OP the end of that BBC article also clearly states you should not be forced to go in. If you want to sort new childcare for your DS by all means do it but don’t do it because you feel under pressure from your (wfh) manager. You’ve proved you can do the role from home and balance childcare (I assume) so imposing this working condition is not on the face of it reasonable.

Well according to Cummings and Johnson if it’s a safeguarding issue you can see your family. So if you feel happy then your mum could look after your DS if she’s able to. Obviously if she’s shielding then. NOt possible,

you're a keyworker so a place should be available for your son until summer hols.

What is the rationale for having you back in the office? I work for the NHS and all of our buildings have to be risk assessed before we can even start bringing people back into the building.

I'd have a chat with HR, explaining the situation. Before doing that, I would contact the local LA because although your role is non-essential, you are still classed as a key worker as you work for the NHS. They have to provide some sort of provision for key worker children even if it is at a different school to the one your DC would usually attend. I'd pre-empt this first before making the call.

Regarding your annual leave, if you are working in a non-essential role how can you not take your leave? We're actively encouraging our staff to take their leave to avoid future problems with staff having too much leave left. I'd be questioning that too.

Good luck :-)

Where are you all that you think holiday clubs will be running? None round my area are, they're currently signing people up for online holiday club, no physical setting for the council/school/church/Community ones.

As more people are asked to go back to work but usual child care provision is not available this is a massive problem.

Our holiday clubs are open (Cornwall) they have been for a while. They ask for shift patterns, as they have 8 sites, they may put the children in a couple of sites and leave the others closed.

So cheeky when she is working from home. I would just ask the Grandparents if they are in agreement.

Key worker hub for sure. Not great solution, but a solution.