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)

School - I don't entirely disagree with what you are saying, I am probably naively assuming everyone has a conscience and only would send their DCs if absolutely necessary. The fact so many people are so angry on this thread probably shows that this isn't the case.

Trouble is people make many assumptions (sometimes correctly and people are just being thats of course). I have mentioned this on another thread but a parent at DSs school does a completely non essential role, one that has been closed in all lockdowns but she sent her kids to school anyway. So many parents were vile about her (she can be pretty entitled at times) but she really had a genuine, very personal reason for her kids going in so things aren't always as they seem.

@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)

Does he do payroll and furlough claims? I may that is essential really but is totally not something that needs to be taking up a key worker space at school. Especially given the other partner isn’t a key worker and they could work round one another. FYI two accountants here, not sending our daughter to nursery.

If accountants are essential, then surely so are lawyers.

And by lawyers, I mean financial services lawyers.

@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)

It is a key worker. They keep businesses running and tax income flowing. Investment bankers / economists / fraud, KYC and financial crime employees are also classed key workers for a similar reason.

So, are all of you happy if you don't get paid at the end of the month?

Some lawyers are indeed on the list. it is a question of whether we want to keep people being paid, criminals tried etc etc or if we want to be unable to pay nurses and want hospitals not to stay open. Lots of workers are key/critical to that and a lot of peopel have been working full time and very hard indeed all year without a break, holiday or penny of furlough, some private sectors workers doing 20% more work for 20% less pay.

It is a key worker. They keep businesses running and tax income flowing. Investment bankers / economists / fraud, KYC and financial crime employees are also classed key workers for a similar reason

Yeah, but what's more important? A midwife delivering babies/doctor saving lives in the ER, or someone identifying fraud? I mean, for fucks sake, come on.

Wow. It's amazing how ignorant some people are.

"staff needed for essential financial services provision (including but not limited to workers in banks, building societies and financial market infrastructure)"

I doubt many of the posters here have the faintest clue about how financial markets function or what is required to keep them going. Which is fairly shocking as it's the industry that contributes the most tax revenue of all in the UK - this is what pays for a huge chunk of the NHS, social care, education, welfare, etc. And without this work you don't get paid, your furlough or benefits don't go into your account, you cannot withdraw money from your bank, there is no money to fund public services. What is the definition of keyworker if it is not that society doesn't collapse without that industry?

This naivity about how things get done and who gets them done is shocking and perhaps explains some of the disrespect against crucial professional without which society DOES NOT FUNCTION. Accountancy and law are needed just as much as medicine, that's why these have always been the three professions. If any one of the three disappears society does not function.

@YouJustDoYou

It is a key worker. They keep businesses running and tax income flowing. Investment bankers / economists / fraud, KYC and financial crime employees are also classed key workers for a similar reason

Yeah, but what's more important? A midwife delivering babies/doctor saving lives in the ER, or someone identifying fraud? I mean, for fucks sake, come on.

Until the midwife wants her paycheck then goes on strike...

So, are all of you happy if you don't get paid at the end of the month?

If you're on the operating table, I highly doubt your first worry will be "will I get paid?", more like "I hope I don't die". So what would you rather then? The doctor who can't work because the nursery/school denied their child a place so admin could secure that spot for their kid? Or the fact that admin/account had TO stay home because the doctor's kid got priority? Yeah, thought not.

@Mydogdoesntlisten

So, are all of you happy if you don't get paid at the end of the month?

^^ Exactly

I expect the first month you didn't get paid if your employer furloughed the accounts department you'd have a different perspective

@YouJustDoYou

So, are all of you happy if you don't get paid at the end of the month?

If you're on the operating table, I highly doubt your first worry will be "will I get paid?", more like "I hope I don't die". So what would you rather then? The doctor who can't work because the nursery/school denied their child a place so admin could secure that spot for their kid? Or the fact that admin/account had TO stay home because the doctor's kid got priority? Yeah, thought not.

And all the people not on the operating table?

We are not proposing disbanding supermarket workers because it'll take people longer to starve to death than it would to die in an operating theatre.

People still need to eat. And to buy food they need to get paid. Accountancy is absolutely essential to ensure that taxes reach HMRC to pay doctors and nurses and that everyone else receives their salary so can still pay mortgages, rent, food and bills. Grow up.

If you're on the operating table, I highly doubt your first worry will be "will I get paid?", more like "I hope I don't die"

I suspect the doctor might like to be paid.

Until the midwife wants her paycheck then goes on strike

Okay, let me explain it to you simply. One of our nurseries had to go down to skeleton staff yesterday. Ratios mean yo legally can't just let all kids in, you HAVE to abide by legal ratios. In a 24 hour emergency, would you allow the midwives child in tomorrow so the midwife can work that day, or the accountants child so the paycheques can be processed in 3 weeks time?

We had to prioritise both parents CRITICAL, so bith doctors/medical/nurses etc came first. Then police. Etc. God forbid you ever had to make these decisions. "Er, yes, sorry Dr Jones, you can't work in paediatric today, people need to be paid in 3 weeks, so you have to stay home and look after little Jonny, we've given his priority slot to someone else". FFS.

YouJustDoYou, my point is that, without pay, there may very well not be a surgeon there to operate on anyone. With the greatest respect, they do not turn up at work for charitable reasons.
There are many, many 'key workers' without whom society would not function.

@merrymouse

If you're on the operating table, I highly doubt your first worry will be "will I get paid?", more like "I hope I don't die"

I suspect the doctor might like to be paid.

Nah. Let's put all the accountants on furlough or sack them and then all NHS staff can become homeless along with everyone else. Most genius mumsnet plan of all time.

@Iremembertheelderlykoreanlady

I don't think anyone who can work from home (whatever the job) should be sending their children in using the key worker places.

I say that as someone on the key worker list (the far far too long key worker list)

So nurses and doctors working from home can't then?

However, I doubt that most accountants actually are claiming key worker spaces.

@YouJustDoYou

Until the midwife wants her paycheck then goes on strike

Okay, let me explain it to you simply. One of our nurseries had to go down to skeleton staff yesterday. Ratios mean yo legally can't just let all kids in, you HAVE to abide by legal ratios. In a 24 hour emergency, would you allow the midwives child in tomorrow so the midwife can work that day, or the accountants child so the paycheques can be processed in 3 weeks time?

We had to prioritise both parents CRITICAL, so bith doctors/medical/nurses etc came first. Then police. Etc. God forbid you ever had to make these decisions. "Er, yes, sorry Dr Jones, you can't work in paediatric today, people need to be paid in 3 weeks, so you have to stay home and look after little Jonny, we've given his priority slot to someone else". FFS.

What patronising shit. You have no idea who you are speaking to and come out with this moralising bullshit? think you should be ashamed.

However, I doubt that most accountants actually are claiming key worker spaces

Hahaha. Oh, they were. We had plasterers, insurance brokers, fast food workers etc, all claiming they were "critical", trying to convince us and the nursery managers they were the most important. We had to explain that, no, doctors are critical tomorrow. Midwives and nurses are critical. No, Mrs insurance broker, for one day you do not get priority over Dr Jones who works in ER. No, Sally, I don't care that you work in accountancy for a bank, Mrs Smith is an ER nurse and her childcare place tomorrow.gets priority over yours.

What patronising shit. You have no idea who you are speaking to and come out with this moralising bullshit? think you should be ashamed

So you agree in an emergency situation an account gets priority over a doctor? It's literally what we had to decide yesterday.

I'm honestly confused why it's patronising to state that in an emergency situation a doctor's child wouldn't get priority? I sorry,I literally don't understand how you have a problem with that.

No one is saying the accountants aren’t important or that they should be furloughed. Just that they shouldn’t get prioritised for critical e we other childcare because they can do the job from home and don’t have to work specific set hours. Whereas a hospital doctor on the COVID ward clearly needs to be at the hospital

It’s about prioritisation because we absolutely need to keep the children in school to the minimum possible numbers if we are going to limit transmission

Did anyone watch the news at 10? The ICU doctors in tears because they are overwhelmed with patients. Why would you not keep your kids at home if you possibly can?