To think my employer should have been ready for this?

[ArgumentativeAardvaark]

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.

They're obviously trying to work out what to do so sending out an email saying so is just a waste of time.

I strongly disagree -communication is very important.

Me and dh are both working from home, him running a haulage firm (not a driver runs the office so brought what he needed home) and me running online classes and continuing with admin for my Performing Arts school. We have dd 4 at home (her school closed yesterday as they have moved staff training days from May forward to give them time to prepare school packs and online schooling) so we will be allowing her some more tv and tablet time than usual and setting up lots of activities to keep her occupied, as well as doing her school work in between our own work. It won’t be easy but can be done. Set up an area you can see with toys or activities to keep him busy change the activities or toys regularly so they don’t get bored, put on cartoons or a film or work when they nap or go to bed. One of the teachers from my school taught an online class yesterday with her 3 yo in the background trying to copy what she was doing (she was teaching a drama class) it gave some people a laugh and no one minded.

The majority of childcare workers also have their own children and thus won’t be available for work.

If you can afford to employ a private nanny crack on

You probably can work with a 2 yo you will just need to plan meetings and work across the whole day rather than just the working day. I am on mat leave but am already seeing this - boss has moved our catch up to after his daughter’s bed time. Several colleagues are producing output / reports at night once the kids have gone to bed. These are extraordinary times so anything goes as long as you get the work done

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.

The nature of my job and my child don’t lend themselves to that unfortunately. I have to do a lot of detailed analysis/writing of documents and spreadsheets and need total peace to do it, and others working normal hours need me to respond during the usual working day. My son just presses my keyboard keys all the time, or shouts “mummy stop TALKING” when I am on the phone, or will need food/drink/bottom wiped approx every 10 minutes. Hates colouring, wants me to join in all games, won’t watch a full film- one episode of paw patrol is the max that he’ll sit still for. 25 minutes. Plus he is a jumper and climber and falls off chairs etc if not watched or locked in a furniture-free room. By the time he goes to bed I am in no fit state to do any more work.

I appreciate that every single person who has a job that can’t be done from home is in the same position as me. But I’d hope their employers have noticed that and told them what the policy is.

I dont think YABU, we are a few weeks behind italy and france but have been following most of their procedures so it was hardly a surprise. A quick 'we are looking into how we can support our employees, please bear with us' would suffice. Some people will be worried about losing their home etc and one function of HR is to support employees

My company were very slow to send us to work from home even vulnerable people but have been great about parents who will now have to look after young kids, the message is basically we will try and pay you as long as we can if you can be as flexible as you can in making up hours when you can.

Our company have said that if we can not work due to school closures the options are

• use one week of AL (only 1 because ours just refreshed and nobody has accrued any)

• unpair dependents leave.

I'd be surprised if most companies aren't the same.

My youngest child sounds like yours. Her sole mission is to try and destroy me / my phone and laptop/ herself when I've tried to work at all with her there.

The majority of childcare workers also have their own children and thus won’t be available for work.

Many do. In my son’s preschool only 2 out of 10 have own kids. You can’t just make sweeping statements about “the majority” like that!

Well why don’t you proactively contact preschool and find out if any staff want to be a nanny.

And nationally you will find that the majority of childcare workers do have children.

I have. And how do you know?

You could be working for my company - there's no plan in place at all.
We have the capacity to work from home - I've have taken equipment home and tested. Despite government guidelines that we should be working from home where possible, the company policy remains as NO WFH.

Parents have been told that if they don't make it in they will not be paid (and not given option to take holiday)

My DH has been sent home to WFH for the foreseeable as he is immune compromised. No bloody point seeing as I have no choice but to come into work everyday. I'm giving it until the end of the week and will