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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think my employer should have been ready for this?

37 replies

ArgumentativeAardvaark · 19/03/2020 14:45

So, schools closure announced yesterday as everyone had been expecting.

It’s now 2.30 and not a word from our management about their policy on employees who have children to look after during the working day from next week onwards. Whole company (about 500 people) WFH since Monday. I asked HR in advance last week what the approach was likely to be if the school closed-silence, not even a “thanks for your email, we’re thinking about it”. Another email today- tumbleweed.

I’d like to know if I can take annual leave at short notice, or if parental leave may be available, whether they might relax the strict (sensible) rules re no WFH if you are in sole care of a child, if unpaid leave requests might be considered, whether targets might be amended to reflect altered circumstances etc etc.

I appreciate that there is a balance to be struck between case-by-case flexibility depending on role/workload, issues around potential discrimination and a lot of other business continuity issues to think about. TBH I am not really all that bothered what the policy is, I’d just like to hear something, even if just some sort of basic message of support and initial acknowledgement of the gravity of the situation. I work in quite a male-dominated field where a lot of employees have SAHM wives. No coincidence I feel. But this can’t have taken HR by surprise!

Would also be interested to know what other employers’ policies are.

OP posts:
EnglishGirlApproximately · 19/03/2020 14:49

I've been WFH for two weeks now and many of my colleagues will have kids to take care of. My boss at the moment is fairly relaxed - we had a video conference yesterday and there were several children on screens in the background and on knees and not a word was said. These are exceptional times and I'm lucky to work for a company that knows we're doing our best. Do you have a job where you can work flexible hours at all? I'm picking up work in an evening to keep on top of everything

Star81 · 19/03/2020 14:50

I think you are being a bit unreasonable as this is such a fast moving, fast changing and unprecedented event that nobody really has a clue what they are to do ! There’s no rules in the book for this as it’s never happened in anyone’s lifetime.

Give them a bit of time

annamie · 19/03/2020 14:57

I think YABU too. You're allowed to WFH, that's the most important thing. There's nothing stopping you from asking those questions of your manager.

Vinylsamso · 19/03/2020 14:59

I think YABU too. People are up in arms. They’re busy. Most people have got kids at home. You’re lucky to work from home and still be in work.

arethereanyleftatall · 19/03/2020 15:05

But it's fine to wfh with school age kids? They'll just have to entertain themselves. Can't go out anyway.

edwinbear · 19/03/2020 15:07

YABU. You do what the rest of the country is going to have to do, which is WFH whilst looking after DC. I echo a PP, we've had a giggle in my team about team confra calls going forward with kids shouting and fighting in the background.

bemoreeverything · 19/03/2020 15:07

YABU. Particularly as your issue is about the fact you have kids. No employer in the world could have foreseen this situation, they have a shit load to do and individual employee circumstances are not their responsibility.

chockaholic72 · 19/03/2020 15:09

Ideally every business would have a business continuity policy, which would include things like childcare. I’m really lucky - we’ve all been working flexibly for six months and our switch to home working has been pretty seamless and we’ve all been told to be considerate to those who have kids. I think after this is all over a lot of companies will have to have a massive review of their BCPs.

Changedmyname84 · 19/03/2020 15:10

YABU I’ll prob figure something out with my husband and do what I can - not sure what your employer can do or say at this time - probably they will look to us to give an idea of what we can do.

MARMITEcheese2020 · 19/03/2020 15:13

Be thabjfuk you can work from home. Many can't and will lose pay.

By all means take unpaid dependancy leave but this could go on a long time.

Purpleartichoke · 19/03/2020 15:22

Everyone is scrambling to react. We can’t plan.

For now, you work from home with the kids present. Try to think about ways you can manage. Many of my colleagues are working different hours than normal and we are all trying to be flexible with regards to meetings.

Original poster
ArgumentativeAardvaark · 19/03/2020 15:26

@annamie I have raised with my manager. No response.

My point is that a simple email acknowledging that it creates a new logistical difficulty and they are dealing with it would be welcome. Also, they have extensive business continuity procedures and policies in place re other aspects, and offices in countries that closed school months ago. It is by no means a case of them scrabbling around trying to work out what to do. This is not a small local business.

OP posts:
Original poster
ArgumentativeAardvaark · 19/03/2020 15:29

Be thabjfuk you can work from home. Many can't and will lose pay.

You’re missing the point @MARMITEcheese2020. I can’t work from home if I have to supervise my 2 year-old. Not possible. So I need to know if I will keep my job when unable to work for an extended period.

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Insideimsprinting · 19/03/2020 15:41

We can't work from home, we're a fuel station so it would be unpaid dependants leave, only one person it would effect though and their child is 15 and they luve less than a mile from work, they also work part time so hoping things will work out.

Inthemuckheap · 19/03/2020 15:48

If you can't WFH then you take either annual leave or dependent's leave to sort out alternative childcare which is usually a couple of days and is unpaid.
School closures were announced yesterday, a lot of employers are on the back foot right now as things are changing hourly. May be they have to wait for somebody higher up to authorise their policy change -that person may not be in UK timezone. It's all a bit of a cluster currently for us all.

pangolina · 19/03/2020 15:52

They're obviously trying to work out what to do so sending out an email saying so is just a waste of time. Try and be a little more patient, it's a tricky time for everyone.

isseywith4vampirecats · 19/03/2020 15:54

I have two jobs that I cant work from home at and if the people who employ me go out of business that's two jobs I lose and at 63 not much chance of getting employment again and no pension for another 2.5 years so at least you have the option and lots of people employed by small companies are now actually losing their jobs over this situation

Ejmorgan · 19/03/2020 16:07

I worked from home very successfully for 7 years during that time I always had 1 child with me and sometimes 3 , alot of my work was done during the evening but all call needed to be done during buisness hours . Children do not need occupying every moment of the day smaller ones nap bigger ones can entertain themselves for some of the time . However they do seem to need to be eating every given moment of the day . From 4 upwards they seem to enjoy having their own pretend office to be just like mummy and it will make you laugh when you hear them having pretend buisness meetings with their toys .

Dishwashersaurous · 19/03/2020 16:10

Ffs there is no alternative childcare. Every childcare provision in the entire country is required to shut. And grandparents are not allowed to do childcare.

Constantlurker · 19/03/2020 16:13

I have a 2 year old and will be working from home with him. It can be done, if employers are flexible. But I understand you need the confirmation either way, if they're not going to be flexible they need to say now as you need to figure things out. But you'd hope they were, I was also on a Videocon yesterday and 3 people had kids in the background. I just worked in short intensive bursts. 1hr of me working and DS colouring, watching cartoons, 1hr of my attention, going for a walk etc. Did it like that throughout the day and it worked. Yes I also caught up for an hour or so after he went to bed but that's just life at the moment. But I totally get where you're coming from OP, businesses knew this was coming, my company put out Comms on this 2 weeks ago so parents wouldn't feel any extra pressure. So you're within your rights to be frustrated..hope it all works out for you.

heartsonacake · 19/03/2020 16:16

YABU. You need to be patient. They are a huge business with a multitude of employees with various situations to consider. This is unprecedented and it will take them some time.

Replying to an email to reassure one employee that they are obviously trying to work out a plan is just a waste of time. They don’t need to be pandering to individual employee needs when they have so much to sort out.

MarginalGain · 19/03/2020 16:17

I think you should stop worrying about it and just let them get on with their planning, because obviously the majority of their workforce will be in the same position as you are.

I'm sure they'll be in touch when they figure things out.

AStarSoBright · 19/03/2020 16:23

Your email was probably one of many. I'm sure, like most employers, they are busy trying to work out a fair approach. I am extremely lucky to be able to wfh while my son is home but I put this in place as soon as I realised it may become a possibility.

Original poster
ArgumentativeAardvaark · 19/03/2020 16:23

Replying to an email to reassure one employee that they are obviously trying to work out a plan is just a waste of time. They don’t need to be pandering to individual employee needs when they have so much to sort out.

I meant that they should send a holding communication to the whole company, not to me individually.

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Original poster
ArgumentativeAardvaark · 19/03/2020 16:25

Ffs there is no alternative childcare. Every childcare provision in the entire country is required to shut.

So lots and lots of childcare workers available for private work then.

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