Can’t work due to children off school . Will I get fired ? Will I get paid ?

[Tigertigertigertiger]

I work part time as a receptionist.
Schools are closed and my mum who sometimes lookS after my kids has said she can’t look after them .
I have no one else to ask . I can’t afford childcare.
My husband can’t stop his work.
We will struggle to get by without my wage

I can’t work. I can’t get furloughed. ( specifics of my workplace )
What do I do ?

aIBU to ask to still get paid ? If so what do I do ?
What are others doing in this situation? I can’t be the only one.

If DH is a key worker you can get a school place.

If DH is not a key worker he must share childcare.

DH can use flexi time and/or take leave

This while situation is absolutely bloody ridiculous.

Necessary. But ridiculous.

I don't know what people are expected to do.

Schools close. Only critical workers kids and vulnerable allowed in.

Businesses (not essential) forced to close or work remotely. Not all can do this. Just doesn't work. Need large equipment or to be on site. Can't close for financial reasons. Can't accommodate home working.

Some businesses (not essential work) are just refusing to accommodate home working despite being possible. (My friends place of work are doing this)

Parents of young kids refused access to school but can't afford to leave their jobs and for whatever reason can not work from home.

I mean wtf? What are people supposed to do?

I have no answers but I just don't think some people realise the impossibility of some peoples situations.

This thread is the perfect illustration of how women and in particular mothers of dependent children are taking the biggest hit in terms of earnings and career in the pandemic. They always seem to be the ones who have to solve the childcare issue.

I know this seems like an odd way around it, but do your kids have laptops at home? As school now has to let them attend if they don't.

I keep seeing how the men can't possibly help sort this problem. Why? They get annual leave, they're a parent, furlough exists for men as well.

I keep seeing it, why is it always the mother's issue to solve?

@gamerchick

I keep seeing how the men can't possibly help sort this problem. Why? They get annual leave, they're a parent, furlough exists for men as well.

I keep seeing it, why is it always the mother's issue to solve?

Because all too often, the man has been told he has to be the provider/breadwinner, otherwise they aren't real men. And so they chase the highest paid jobs more, they are constantly told they are better than everyone else and they feel they deserve more money than their peers. And then they pair up with partners who have been pushed towards care-giving roles, which are lower paid because women generally do those jobs. And then when it comes time to decide who takes the hit at work, is it the nurse on £40k a year working night shifts, or is it the investment banker earning £200k a year working office hours from home?

What does your DH do, and is he working from home or outside home?

For the record, my DH earns multiples of what I earn. We shared childcare when DS' bubble at nursery burst. When he resumed work, he was several days behind and is still struggling to catch up (3 months later). At the end of the 2 weeks, he seemed close to a nervous breakdown. If we have to isolate again, I'll be taking unpaid leave.

But adrienne, why was your DH so stressed by having to share the childcare? Being several days behind is just par for the course if you have to take time off work to care for a sick child or an unexpected event involving caring duties. His problem there is with his employer.

You're right about everything you say about how people get into these circumstances but I really really bloody HATE the way the "higher earner" apparently can never rock the status quo once they're there. So the keyworker nurse who earns a bloody good £40K a year should quit and leave society worse off because the investment banker's company can't get into the 21st century?

As long as one parent is a keyworker you are entitled to provision. It's in the guidance as of today

Can DH take annual leave?

Sorry if I’m being slow but I don’t understand why furlough isn’t on the table? Is it a public sector job?

@NoSquirrels

But adrienne, why was your DH so stressed by having to share the childcare? Being several days behind is just par for the course if you have to take time off work to care for a sick child or an unexpected event involving caring duties. His problem there is with his employer.

You're right about everything you say about how people get into these circumstances but I really really bloody HATE the way the "higher earner" apparently can never rock the status quo once they're there. So the keyworker nurse who earns a bloody good £40K a year should quit and leave society worse off because the investment banker's company can't get into the 21st century?

He wasn't stressed by the childcare at all. We have a pretty good division of mental load now, though I probably do slightly more, but he is good with the kids.

Yes, his problem is with his job and his employer, but then they pay a high salary and they expect dedication to the detriment of everything else in his life. As a family, we have a choice of this and the extra money, or he takes a less well paid job, and has more flexibility.

I think you either need to take unpaid leave or pay for childcare, unless your partner can be furloughed?

Could you take a mortgage holiday or similar?

Can we stop suggesting that people just try to persuade the school to take them? If schools can't socially distance, this is going to go on forever.

Is your husband WFH? Why is this your problem to sort and not his?

There could be many reasons that OP DH cannot take leave:
He could be

• working away from home
• already used up his leave
• at risk of losing his job if he asks for Flexi working
• abusive

Unfortunately the government should really be shutting all nonessential work down and furloughing anyone in non essential employment to sort this out.

@Kpo58 that's why I've asked why her DH can't do something.

Governments don't have power to furlough anyone