To think accountancy isn't a "keyworker" job?

[hannabull]

One of the parents at school is a self employed accountant who works from home, but sending kids into school. The other parent works out of the home (not a key worker) how is this allowed? Claims to be an essential worker (doesn't work for the nhs or anything, just accounts for small businesses)

[quote Schoolchoicesucks]@tigger and that is why those who work in public transport and food production/retail are specifically included in the key worker definition.

Accountants are not.

Those who run payrolls for essential services should also be included IF they can't do that work flexibly around their childcare needs.

I'm a bit boggled that payroll professionals (which, yes, would include accountants who run payroll, like me) are supposedly all unable to work from home or flexibly.

A huge number of them will be working remotely (from their clients), using cloud software and don't have 100% of their clients as "critical to the coronavirus response".

Accountants in non critical industries should not be taking up keyworker places at the expense of key workers in critical industries.[/quote]
Payroll is part of the accounting services, and as many have pointed out for a self employed accountant they are likely to do this for their clients.

My employer hasn't been closed. Staff were classed as key workers in April and continue to be classed as such. Staff have got school places on that basis. You may disagree, but the government and local authorities do class them as essential.

Many small businesses have relied on our services much more than usual this year and would have really struggled if they suddenly had to sort out furlough, grants etc on their own, never mind the day to day bookkeeping/vat return compliance

There are lots of reasons a child would be accepted into school, not linked to the parents occupation or being a key worker. Other parents would have no knowledge of the background reasons.

I emailed the D of E to clarify if Accountants came under Financial Services and they just replied today referring me to the guidelines .

So no confirmation from them.

It’s very unfair when some schools allow it and some don’t.

Does everyone want their DCs at school, I though MN was all close the schools. I actually know a keyworker couple were the Dad has insisted their kids stay at home and is not using the school place.

It would be interesting to know what percentage of everyone are happy to send in their children ( assuming their are some resources and guidelines for home
Schooling and no fines ) My Facebook is flooded with stay home preachers again, so I doubt everyone wants a school place ?

sleeping I have no desire to send my kids anywhere near it. Either it’s safe or it’s not.

It’s a long, boring and cold day for them. None of their friends are there. Whilst it’s harder for my husband and I to have them here, I think they will be happier here. They have each other.

I do not want to send my DCs in at all, DS2 will be going in as he is suffering mentally at home due to his additional needs not because we are key workers.

My DS would much rather stay home than be thrown into a random key worker class. He's only in reception and had just settled and was gaining confidence. So it's such a shame to stay home and not the best to go in.

@tigger I'm not disputing that many businesses would have struggled to calculate their furlough claims without their accountants taking on this additional work.

But if those businesses aren't critical to the immediate coronavirus response, then I don't see why their accountants' children need key worker school places at a time when schools need to ration them, in order for school closures to have any impact on the current infection and hospitalistion rates.

Many (far far too many) businesses have struggled and failed due to the pandemic. Many more still will do. Maybe more will if accountants can't send their kids to school and don't meet deadlines.

But from the current place we are in, that's not (meant to be) the priority.

I don't (completely) blame those who are taking up spaces that the govt and the schools are saying are permitted. But I do disagree with it.

Otherwise schools may as well have stayed open.

sleeping I am against all school closures and mandatory CV19 measures.

[quote Schoolchoicesucks]@tigger I'm not disputing that many businesses would have struggled to calculate their furlough claims without their accountants taking on this additional work.

But if those businesses aren't critical to the immediate coronavirus response, then I don't see why their accountants' children need key worker school places at a time when schools need to ration them, in order for school closures to have any impact on the current infection and hospitalistion rates.

Many (far far too many) businesses have struggled and failed due to the pandemic. Many more still will do. Maybe more will if accountants can't send their kids to school and don't meet deadlines.

But from the current place we are in, that's not (meant to be) the priority.

I don't (completely) blame those who are taking up spaces that the govt and the schools are saying are permitted. But I do disagree with it.

Otherwise schools may as well have stayed open.[/quote]
But that's the point. Keyworker isn't about being critical to the covid response and never has been. It's about keeping the country going.

Infrastructure is so intertwined it is difficult to separate out what is needed for covid response and what is needed to support that and actually keep the country going at the same time.

Haha trust me you do not want these people to stop working!

The government guidance says:

“ Parents whose work is critical to the coronavirus (COVID-19) and EU transition response include those who work in health and social care and in other key sectors outlined in the following sections.”

And note it refers to sectors, not occupations...

www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision#critical-workers

For the last time, it's not about what the job is, or how important it is, or the fact that tax returns are now due so she's probably busy, it's about the fact that this person works from home and is using a school place, when the idea is that they have as few kids in school as possible.

This thread is like a rerun of the April threads policing how much exercise you were allowed and what constitutes essential shopping! People trying to police everyone.

The fact is, the guidelines are purposely open to interpretation and if a school allows an accountant as a keyworker then so be it! There are plenty of people from all sectors including the NHS who will be taking key worker places who are working from home - in fact I would go as far as to say the vast majority are taken by people still working at home - why are any of them entitled to a place if they can be at home with the children??

it's about the fact that this person works from home and is using a school place

Plenty of nhs workers are wfh, including in clinical roles. Should they not get placed either?

Not at our school they aren’t. Two key worker parents plus have to be working out of the home. Less than 10% of kids in, as it should be

As it should be according to who? That's not what the government guidance says

How about the government needs tax to pay for all this?

@ceevee people are picking the parts they like and ignoring the rest.

How the fuck it is critical to the coronavirus response that I get Bob Smith's tax return in on time, when Bob Smith is a sole trader who sells photo frames?

Even those who disagree with school closures on principle, must see that having them half full will be more harmful than having them used less.

@tigress Aren't they borrowing most of the money to pay for it?

Of course they/we need tax revenues to pay for public services.

But right NOW. For the next few weeks (maybe even just 2 weeks and then it could open up more widely). Everyone who can needs to stop mixing. Including in schools.

Schoolchoicesucks - I dont think anyone has said that though, they have clearly stated that they are doing vital work to ensure businesses can keep going and pay/furlough staff and other covid related work. A sole traders tax return is clearly not a big job that requires so much peace at home you need to send your kids out to school to do it. I think it really belittles the work people are actually doing right now.

I really dont think the schools that are half full are due to the genuine cases though, I suspect that they are full of the bullshitters.

@hannabull

For the last time, it's not about what the job is, or how important it is, or the fact that tax returns are now due so she's probably busy, it's about the fact that this person works from home and is using a school place, when the idea is that they have as few kids in school as possible.

I still think ‘key worker’ may be a cover for the school believing there is a child specific reason to offer a school place.

I know lots of people on the thread are arguing about accountants being key workers, but they aren’t all saying they are accountants using key worker places.

The trouble is that the government have basically allowed all work places to stay open with the exception of hospitality, entertainment and beauty services. Almost everywhere else is allowed to stay open whereas in the first lockdown most places closed including indoor building/home improvement services, dog trainers, all professional sports and so on. These are all open now. I suspect this is what the government want to ensure less people are claiming furlough and to keep the economy going. They can't have it both ways. This is not a proper lockdown and the government have done it this way on purpose I believe.

All we can hope for is that people only use school places if they really need to and that schools manage it well. There are very few children in at DSs school so I am happy with how they are managing it, if at any time I dont feel comfortable or the school say they cant manage then DS will stay at home full time.

@Pug I really hope so.

I'm not trying to belittle my profession, or make anyone who is struggling feel worse. But I am worried there is an element of "my job is so important and I am very busy" going on.

I've said on another thread that after struggling through the previous lockdown, if my child were offered a place (on the basis of mental health) then I would leap at it. But right now, with 1 in 30 with the virus they wouldn't be going in. And taking up a space as a critical worker never crossed my mind.

@hannabull

For the last time, it's not about what the job is, or how important it is, or the fact that tax returns are now due so she's probably busy, it's about the fact that this person works from home and is using a school place, when the idea is that they have as few kids in school as possible.

The title of your thread is aibu accountant isn't a key worker. So it very much is whether that is a keyworker role or not.

Plenty others wfh and get places at school.

People have realised that wfh isn't always compatible with having young children around.

But at the end of the day, the school disagree with your view - they gave them the school place