Does anyone think they won't have a job to go back to?

[eyesbiggerthanstomach]

I've been put on furlough.

Is anyone struggling to imagine going back to work?

I am recently separated from DH with no local family support and I can only go back to work 5 days a week if my toddler is at nursery. I wasn't put on furlough initially but then basically couldn't do my work with my toddler so my performance and output was down and now have been put on furlough (not my choice). I have basically proved that I need childcare before I am any use to the company.

I honestly can't see the nursery taking toddler back 5 days for a very long time. I can't see the company wanting me when they know I can't work without childcare. Who knows when that will be? I could be forced into a redundancy situation.

I work as a solicitor and the expectations are quite high in terms of output.

I am also concerned companies are preparing for further lockdowns ie in the winter etc and so will be wary of keeping people on who would have child care issues again. Similarly if I applied for jobs I think it is going to be an (unspoken) issue for enjoyment.

AIBU for thinking single parents are going to be shafted and are going to be even less attractive as employees.

That should say, unspoken issue for employers

I work in live entertainment. We're fucked, social distancing is impossible, theatre is going to disappear.

I work at a tourist attraction in Wales, didn't get a chance to sign contract before the virus created lockdown. No furlough pay for me and don't see any of us back there this season.

That's sad. I just don't know what's going to happen. Is everyone going to have to go onto universal credit? It seems to be a case of delaying the inevitable.

In a very similar situation as Vinipote and it's rubbish. I hope you don't lose your job OP.

I'm already on UC. This was supposed to be the year I 'went for it' and made headway in my change of career. It's all gone to shit now though.

I have already lost mine and am in the same boat. I can't apply for a job unless I can send DS back to nursery, so I can't give them a start date right now. Obviously I can't currently use grandparents for childcare either. This whole situation is setting women back in the workforce (and it will usually end up being women being default parent at home) by decades.

I imagine lots of office jobs will be outsourced abroad. You can pay someone £30k to WFH and never go in the office or you can offshore the job for much less.

The NHS is outsourcing audio typing abroad and some huge banks and financial services companies have outsourced secretarial services.

DH is in a similar boat. He is a gas engineer. He works on smart meters. He is currently on furlough, but his job relies on people wanting smart meters and booking appointments. Nobody is going to want to have an engineer come into their house to fit a smart meter. His contract was up for renewal in december. We are thinking he wont be kept on. We are due baby 2 in november, and I only work part time currently. It's going to be a very hard time.

I think lots will change. But one thing OP, please don't let your STBXH getaway without doing his share regardless of your situation now. You need a fair chance in these odd times.

I should say, I work for a charity. We wont be the same size in the future.

@SqidgeBum I would have thought he might be ok? I’m not speaking from any personal experience but people will want to be as efficient as possible in terms of bills and presumably most meters are in garages so the work can be done without going in the house?

I’m currently furloughed because I work in aviation, and after today’s announcement on 14 days quarantine for visitors to the U.K., I think it’s unlikely that I or most other people in our industry will have jobs when this is over.

If this happens, our industry will be completely devastated and will take many, many years to re-build to anything resembling where we were in 2019.

YANBU an employee who can’t actually do anything for the employer (whether due to childcare or any other reason) is not going to be at all attractive to an employer. Something will have to be sorted so you can work.

OP - is there a reason you don't want a childminder instead?

My role involves a lot of business travel (uk wide) which wont now happen. Technically I can wfh but it will probably be cheaper for them to get rid of me and restructure my role.

I was desperate to leave anyway but not without a good job to move to! Like PP this was supposed to be my year to sort out my career.

No issue with a child minder but my son loves his nursery and key worker. I really want him to go back to that particular nursery. Women aren't attractive employees anyway to some employees. This won't help our cause. It's feels very unfair.

“presumably most meters are in garages so the work can be done without going in the house?”

Do most houses even have garages?....

Yeah I agree with you OP.

Equality in the workplace is very much dependent on reliable childcare.

Add that to the fact we’ll almost certainly face a crushing recession, and employers will have realised they’re employing lots of people they don’t necessarily need, and the situation doesn’t look great, especially for women.

I’m a solicitor too so I feel your pain on that front as well.

@DianaT1969 can childminders continue to work while nurseries are shut? I didn’t know that.

yep, cleaner at a gym. cant imagine going back. I think getting closer to the time we reopen they will decide its the perfect time to have a reorganise. Especially as the management team changed a while ago and I don't think the new boss likes me too much.

Work in live music industry. Have worked at a high level for 20 years and overnight I will not have a job to go back to for the forseeable future and I’m devastated about this.

I dont think it will be all doom and gloom re. jobs. Obviously it all feels very uncertain now but no one knows how it will end up.

@monkeynuts - I meant in a couple of weeks as restrictions are lifting. Newspapers yesterday reported that nannies, cleaners and tradespeople can work in other people's homes from Monday. It seems to be an advance leak as it was reported widely. If a nanny comes from a different home and spends extended periods with the child, it's not dissimilar to a child/sibling going to a childminder where they are the sole children being cared for. Some childminders might start of with 1 or 2 as parents gradually come off furlough.
www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1280017/workers-return-boris-johnson-coronavirus-lockdown-exit-plan

Live events here too. I’m not overly confident to be honest. I’ve got enough to survive until Christmas/New Year time so I’m not in a rush incase things do change quicker than we are expecting because I think there will be bits and bobs we can support as we head into winter but I do worry for the newer people coming into the industry in particular.