The Gig economy, self employment and self isolation

[chomalungma]

15% of people are now self employed
Many others in 'employment' are on zero hours contracts, gig economy work etc with little sick pay.

Living from pay cheque to pay cheque.

It's going to be very hard for many people if they have to self isolate in such a situation. 2 weeks with potentially no income could be devastating.

I am sure some people will mention critical illness cover. It's expensive and I don't know how it would operate under such conditions.

Exactly. People aren't making enough money now. Right now people are living in their overdraft.
2 weeks with no pay will be devastating.

But of course. They should just save a bit better

But of course. They should just save a bit better hmm

Yeah, that was basically the message from the other thread. 'No excuses'. Right, people will just magic up money.

Then there are other claiming those who are stock piling are being 'selfish'.

In reality, the government does not give a shit about anyone besides the very rich and their cronies, who are one and the same.

So they will likely do FA about those in self-employment or gig jobs.

Exactly!! The Government and employers are not going to care.
People can not afford to take two weeks unpaid. So what can they do?

I don't have the answer. And I don't think me donating to a charity is going to help.

The gig economy is not about working from home. Its about precarious work, zero hour contracts and little access to sick pay.

As a self-employed person, working under the gif economy, actually, a lot of it is about working from home, for me.

I knew I wouldn't get holiday pay being self employed. A lot of employed workers only get SSP anyway. I knew the downsides when I moved from employment to being self-employed. If I didn't want to do it, I wouldn't. Nobody is forcing me.

*gig. Freudian slip.

Good for you.

A lot of people on 0 hour contracts on NMW don't have a choice.

Johnson said he knew people were lending him their votes. Here's the test of that reluctant faith put in his government.
Write to your MP. Get them to make some noise about how this is being disregarded. www.parliament.uk/get-involved/contact-an-mp-or-lord/

It may be about working from home for you and you sound well prepared.

There are many people in the gig economy who do not work from home and who are not as fortunate.

Could people in work, use their holiday time up if they desperately need the money?

Holiday time and zero hours contracts is a bit of a minefield

Two weeks can be 10 days of A/L.
Some don't have that.
Some employers wouldn't accommodate at short notice.

The reality is the infrastructure is not in place for some people to self Isolate at the drop of the hat.

Some people do not have the funds to buy in extra food even a little at a time to try and create a stock pile.

And some can't even afford to do the home deliveries.

These are the people who we should be discussing.

Not be shouted down and told we're scare mongering and that they don't exist.

Because even though I don't believe this virus is going to get to a devastating stage. This topic should be addressed. As a PP said it's highlighted the fragility of our entire economy.

The Gig economy is not working from home for many people. My son does Deliveroo and has done Uber Eats - you are in constant contact with people - collecting the food etc, deliveringi t, going into people homes etc. My oher son whose job is PAYE - delivery driver - I don't think gets paid if off sick other than SSP on day 4 or 5 and he is in constant contact with people many times a day.

Isolating is going to be very hard - our local supermarket is right near a hospital just discovered which has the virus - I am certain doctors there will shop in lunch breaks where I do - there is probably a very good chance they have touched the very foods (which are not covered) and pu thtem down again from peppers to bread rolls so all the other open stuff and then I pick it up, take it home and get the virus on my hands. It is very hard to avoid picking this one up as it stays on surfaces rather than only travelling if somenoe coughs on you and it is infectious before anyone shows a single symptom.

The way I understand it is that there is an opportunity at the moment with using isolation to CONTAIN the virus.

But that once it is endemic no one will be required to self isolate and it will become like any other virus and just be worse in winter.

I won't be isolating I don't think (I work for myself, mostly at home but I travel to another Central London site for 3/4 mornings a week)