If you are still going out to work what do you do?

[louise5754]

I'm just nosey and wonder which industries are classed as key workers other than the NHS Police Fire Brigade and Shop Staff.

I know of 3 in my family.

Armed Forces
Social Worker
Dog Unit Support

Rest of the family are working from home but aren't key workers so can't actually go out to work.

I'm a TA, DP is prison staff we're both still working. DP is working his normal shift pattern while I am on a rota.

Teacher

Teacher

Nurse.

I work as a 1-2-1 in a school. The little chap I am assigned to isn't in despite his ehcp so I am in school as standard teaching staff. One week on two off.

Structural engineer. Some sites still going, so I'm still visiting them. Rest of my work from home as office closed. Slowly losing my mind with having kids home as well.

Husband works in rail construction

but aren't key workers so can't actually go out to work.
Of course they can go to work! And they should be. Have they all resigned? Or are they furloughed?

Homeless housing worker

A family member of mine is an outreach worker for a homeless charity.

Non key workers are allowed to go out to work though. It's only pubs, restaurants, cinemas etc that have been told to close. My place of work closed last month and furloughed us due to losing business and safety issues but are looking to reopen if they can get social distancing measures implemented.

Anyone working for utilities. Electricity, gas and water supply needs to continue.

This means behind the scenes essential maintenance and upfront emergency repairs.

Director of factory. Most support staff on furlough

I went to work last week because our router broke at home so I couldn't wfh. I'm an accountant so not by any stretch of the imagination key to anything except paying our suppliers and reporting our results!

Teacher

As everyone said - anyone who cannot WFH can still go to work. Nothing to do with being a keyworker. Really the government needs to get a clear message out this is ludicrous! Some of my clients are struggling to get the staff to do the work (construction, cleaning etc) because of the number of people thinking they shouldn't be in work because they're not 'keyworker'!!

Otherwise to answer your question re who can be keyworkers - my DH is a keyworker by working in the vaccine industry. But he's a manager so can mainly WFH.

Trilbydoll the news has given the impression that only key workers should be at work. Not true. There needs to be an economy left.

My customers are making parts for ventilators too and need my machines.

Cannot dial in to our finance systems, and the site needs some senior staff at all times

@daisypond neither

People can go to work if they can't work from home

What she said ^

There is (has been) a huge misunderstanding about the lockdown rules. Many closed they didn’t need to. They could have put in place rules to ensure social distancing.

There is a list of businesses and premises that had to close

Manufacturing could remain open, but had pressure to close from all angles, which confused the whole manufacturing industry, and yet manufacturing in this country supports the main infrastructure of our economy (think house building needing everything from bricks, to tiles, to wood, to plaster). Retailers are on the list to close, yet can still operate click and collect if they have the products which are deemed as “essential” (think beyond good, plumbing supplies, car supplies, electrical). They too have had a slamming for being open, despite the measures in place to be safe (I say that broadly, there were/are naughty organisations not practicing social distancing and should rightly close)

There are various letters from the business secretary telling numerous industries to continue, including:
Retail sector - 16th April
Construction Sector - 16th April
Manufacturing Sector - 8th April
Banking Sector - 21st April

So in theory, quite a few organisations open and many home working in technology and customer service.

@WhereIsTheSaladDoris I don't exactly live in the real world. I don't work 9r go out and don't watch the news much.

The message was just ridiculously unclear. My window cleaner stopped working even though it is perfectly safe to continue. He's thinking of re-starting thank god.
The economy cannot sustain too high a number on furlough and loads of businesses shutting down. We need to keep going.

Accident and Emergency nurse. Wish I could WFH some days

Occupational therapist in mental health unit.

Outsourcing contact centres - accounts are utilities and govt. I don’t mind going in !

I feel so thick having started this thread

A lot of businesses chose to close because 1) staff refused to work.
2) They felt they wouldn’t be as profitable with people choosing to restrict their movements and took the furloughing option gladly.