Rich house poor house....confusion

[ChangeAndThenChange]

I watched one recently from a few years ago a couple were in the bottom 10% the man worked but the lady did not despite having children that were in school, I could not see any reason why she couldn’t get a job to get them out of the bottom 10%.

AIBU to think this?

It very much depends on where you live I think.
Here (Hartlepool) a supermarket, bar/restaurant or cleaning job with any hours will get up to 1000 applicants. They will almost all be perfectly capable of doing it - it's basically pot luck who actually gets it.
Also, because a large percentage of the population are at the less well off end of the spectrum, there are less jobs in "luxury" things like salons, spas, restaurants etc that would be available in a more affluent area.

@ChangeAndThenChange

Actually you are wrong. Flexible hours in low paid jobs are all about the employer telling the employee when they want them to work. Hours varying from week to week, rota's changing with very short or no notice.

Supermarkets very very very rarely offer 9-2pm hours. Sainsbury's, Tesco and now Asda all expect their employees to be fully flexible which means if the supermarket wants you to work you have no choice but to work. That could be any shift such as 6am-2pm. 10am-8pm. 5pm-10pm. Finding childcare for jobs like these can be difficult.

I’m surprised people are having a go at you for asking, OP.

The many times women in her situation have posted here and without exception, they have been called lazy and told they should get a job.

I worked in a supermarket when the kids were little. The hours they required the most were Friday nights, all day and night Saturdays and Sunday nights.
They also reviewed hours constantly for the needs of the business definitely not to fit around school hours!

@Weymo what if like me you're over qualified? I asked several agencies to find me anything with school hours. And even now I have a job how am I supposed to cover summer holidays on shit pay an hour?

They could be like me, and have no childcare.
And, when I say no childcare, I mean, there is no childcare. No after school clubs, no childminders, no private nursery (nearest one is a 20 minute drive, and full, with over a years waiting list).
There is literally no childcare here at all. I currently look after 3 different friends kids on an ad hoc basis (unpaid) because of the lack of childcare. I have 2 extra today, and 1 tomorrow. Because there is no childcare.
Even if I could find a job that fits round school hours, it would be in one of the towns around here. All of which are at least a 30 minute drive away. So, I'd only be able to work 10-2. And, I'd have to take time off for hospital appointments, ill kids, etc.
I wouldn't be employed for long!
Dh works shifts, which change regularly, so even evening work is out.
So, I'm a sahm. We're probably in the bottom 10%, but, we own our home, have no debt (except the mortgage), and the kids are clothed, fed, warm and loved. What more do they need?

Yes. VVVU.

@RebootYourEngine well there would be no point of flexible working then would there, I work alongside HR & it’s about give & take. If we cannot accommodate what the employee needs we refuse it but 9/10 times we approve it. Flexible working includes set hours or flexible hours that suit both. Your wrong stating the employer can change hours short notice, they can’t! You are well within your rights to refuse a shift change short notice.

I’m certainly not saying flexible working is easy to come by but your making out flexible working employees are not given hours they can work or set days in certain circumstances

I love how people see supermarkets as the skip of employment. 'Surely' anyone can just rock up at a 'supermarket' and get a job with flexibility, health conditions, long periods of unemployment, 'as a stop gap' because of course, supermarkets are able to take on and accommodate anyone and everyone, being the midden heap of jobs.

They actually have quite a nice pick of the employee pool and can be as selective as they like, especially ones like Lidl and Aldi that pay nicely and rota a month in advance.

@ChangeAndThenChange

I know for a fact that some employers do change hours at short notice. I know for a fact that some employers do not take kindly to employees saying that they can not work a shift. I know for a fact that some employers do not give their employees set hours. I know all of this because I have worked for those employers.

Flexible working in most retail/low paid jobs mean that the employee is expected to be 100% flexible, at the beck and call of their employer and if you don't like it you know where the door is.

Yet another mother bashing thread, nice goadiness there, op.

Well both DC are now in school (DD only started reception in September) and I’m still not working. It’s really bloody hard. I live in the middle of nowhere where I would have to travel 30 minutes plus for any job opportunities which isn’t a huge issue but there aren’t many school hour jobs around. Plus what about the school holidays? Who would have DC? They also both have additional needs which adds to it as could be needed or hospital/school apps at anytime. It’s not easy to find childcare.

My Oh works, we own our own house. We aren’t poor but we aren’t well off either (literally scraping by every month). My OH does double days so finding a job around him is impossible.

Just because children are in school doesn’t make it any easier in fact it can be harder. When children are babies and toddlers there are day nurseries. That isn’t an option when they are older, not where I live anyway. My local school does breakfast and after schools clubs but not holiday club. The nearest holiday club is 15 miles away! The 3 childminders in my area at capacity and my family don’t have DC.

Not that easy!

It’s really bloody hard. I live in the middle of nowhere where I would have to travel 30 minutes

Both of us work, we travel more than an hour. One starts early does pick up, one finishes late does drop off. I must have missed the memo where it is mum’s sole responsibility.

Why should she? I'm in the same position, don't know if we are bottom 10% but we get a lot in tax credits. If I worked we would be worse off after childcare / work clothes / transport / dog walker. And I need my free time in the day when they are at school!

@rebootyourengine I can’t really see any point discussing it further maybe we should agree to disagree I work for a large company and have given out flexi working when possible.

As I stated before in this particular episode the partner worked part time so it just seemed odd not to look for part time.

Thank you to everyone who participated in this thread

I recently returned to work part time now the kids are at school. The before and after childcare take 50% of my salary. I'm fortunate that my DH earns reasonable money.

Plus what about the school holidays? Who would have DC? They also both have additional needs which adds to it as could be needed or hospital/school apps at anytime. It’s not easy to find childcare
This. I was looking at going back to work this Sept past when DS started reception but I'd be screwed for holidays, and yes even with DH doing his share. And that's before medical and school appts. As it is I'm pregnant with twins so not very employable anyway and hopefully it'll be easier in a few yeaes

There’s been a real range of families but some episodes for me highlight why social mobility can be so challenging. I remember there was one episode where two grads were working in low paid, non-graduate work and really they were in that situation because of having children young and being reluctant to travel or move away from their deprived area. If they had grown up in the commuter belt, I’m sure they would have had a very different lifestyle.