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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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

732 replies

hannabull · 06/01/2021 13:41

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)

OP posts:
FuckOffBorisYouTwat · 07/01/2021 22:14

God why would anyone want to work 12 hours a day. Life is short. Live a cheaper life.

studychick81 · 07/01/2021 22:17

I know! There are parents at my dcs school who are both accounts - not for essential business- and both WFH and have used KW places in both lockdowns. I think it's really bad.

TheKeatingFive · 07/01/2021 22:18

People don’t seem to be able to grasp that accountancy is not actually part of financial services.

According to what official definition? Presumably there’s a huge amount of overlap into ‘financial services’ anyway. Whatever you deem that to be.

And haven’t schools been advised that this is not a totally prescriptive list anyway?

studychick81 · 07/01/2021 22:19

Just because they cab doesn't mean they should. I am a key worker and contemplated sending my dcs in but haven't.

PolkadotGiraffe · 07/01/2021 22:31

@TheKeatingFive

where furloughed for several months last year so they are taking the piss

What’s last year got to do with it?

I highly doubt many of the essential workers in financial services were furloughed at any point. Because their jobs are essential. Non-essential jobs in the sector were though. Is it so hard to understand that one sector can contain both essential and non-essential workers? Just like medicine, retail, law, pharmaceuticals, defence, etc?
TheKeatingFive · 07/01/2021 22:34

I highly doubt many of the essential workers in financial services were furloughed at any point. Because their jobs are essential. Non-essential jobs in the sector were though

Do you work in finance?

Are you aware of the seasonal demands of accountancy work? Like the rush on tax returns at the end of January?

PolkadotGiraffe · 07/01/2021 22:35

[quote Schoolchoicesucks]**@ceeveebee* Anyway guys it's 8pm. Time to go and clap those accountants.*

And the lawyers, don't forget to clap the lawyers. Or society will collapse. [/quote]
Well yeah, it will. Do you want to live somewhere with no rights and no functioning legal system? Many are available that you can move to: good luck. In the meantime, for all the flaws in our system, I'll continue to consider some roles in law absolutely essential if we wish to retain democracy and freedom. These comments are so spiteful and short-sighted. I'm actually shocked by how bad they are.

PolkadotGiraffe · 07/01/2021 22:38

@TheKeatingFive

People don’t seem to be able to grasp that accountancy is not actually part of financial services.

According to what official definition? Presumably there’s a huge amount of overlap into ‘financial services’ anyway. Whatever you deem that to be.

And haven’t schools been advised that this is not a totally prescriptive list anyway?

You're right. That has to be up on the list of the most absurd comments on the thread (which is quite an achievement)!
ilovesouthlondon · 07/01/2021 22:42

Those who work in financial services qualify for a key worker spot. Stop curtain twitching!!

TheKeatingFive · 07/01/2021 22:42

That has to be up on the list of the most absurd comments on the thread

Based on ... what exactly? Confused

cherubtastic · 07/01/2021 22:43

As a nurse with a brother who is an accountant I’ll offer the following ranty unsolicited very basic opinion ...as a single mum working with oncology patients, I desperately need my children to go to school else I can’t go to work and prevent all my highly vulnerable and acutely unwell patients being admitted to (All) covid wards...on the other hand, my brother earns 5x my wage, has been furloughed for a large part of the year, sitting at home moaning about having to school his kid! So no, apologies to the accountants out there that think they are key workers. You’re fucking not!

Schoolchoicesucks · 07/01/2021 22:43

@Polkadot. Clearly I am being a bit of a twat and posting facetious comments. But you have just responded to my comment that society will collapse if no-one claps the lawyers by agreeing and saying it will.

Either you are enjoying the drama (in which case, crack on love, it's scare fun rations at the moment), or you are a bit too invested and taking comments that aren't addressed at you too seriously and could consider stepping away from the thread for your own sake.

CasperGutman · 07/01/2021 22:46

Accountancy isn't a keyworker job for getting in-school childcare where we are in Wales. It's basically limited to staff in health and social care, and schools.

CasperGutman · 07/01/2021 22:47

Plus emergency services, of course.

Dinocan · 07/01/2021 22:48

Of course accountants are essential. What do you think happens if people’s accounts aren’t filed? They keep the economy running. It’s their busiest time of year, very time consuming and requires absolute concentration and absorption. One mistake could cause a major fuck up for a business. I’m not surprised accountants are using KW places if they’re offered tbh.

Dinocan · 07/01/2021 22:53

I’m really surprised at people saying they know accountants who have been furloughed! Are they actual qualified accountants? Dhs small/medium firm has been as busy as usual. I think some of the reception staff were furloughed for a bit but that was it. They’ve had to advise all of their clients through the pandemic/furlough/grants scheme which has created plenty of work.

PolkadotGiraffe · 07/01/2021 22:53

I'd love to know who people like @TheKeatingFive think create and maintain the financial ecosystem, if not accountants. Who do you think writes the tax laws? Who enforces them? Who do you think works for the Treasury? Who do you think writes accounting and reporting standards? Who processes regional development grants? Who ensured the tax that the treasury needs gets paid so that we can fund public services? Who ensures that your pay goes into your account when it should? Who do you think enforces the laws on how companies are held accountable and all of our pension schemes invested in them are not being ripped off?

Yes let's get rid of lawyers too. Great idea. Then when you want to deal with contact issues with an abuse ex, legal separation, an employer discrimination against you (or, as an employer, an employee breaking their contract), or a contractor paid to fix your house not doing it properly, or an pension company disappearing with your investment... who cares right? Fuck our civil rights, fuck human rights, fuck employment rights. These people are completely superfluous, right?

These posts are baffling. For society not to descend into anarchy ALL of these things need to keep happening even in lockdown.

PolkadotGiraffe · 07/01/2021 22:55

[quote Schoolchoicesucks]@Polkadot. Clearly I am being a bit of a twat and posting facetious comments. But you have just responded to my comment that society will collapse if no-one claps the lawyers by agreeing and saying it will.

Either you are enjoying the drama (in which case, crack on love, it's scare fun rations at the moment), or you are a bit too invested and taking comments that aren't addressed at you too seriously and could consider stepping away from the thread for your own sake.[/quote]
I was being sarcastic. See my subsequent comment for more explanation as clearly that is necessary. Although frankly that is mind blowing.

PolkadotGiraffe · 07/01/2021 22:56

@TheKeatingFive

That has to be up on the list of the most absurd comments on the thread

Based on ... what exactly? Confused

If it's not apparent to you on reflection, that is even worse.
TheKeatingFive · 07/01/2021 22:56

I'd love to know who people like @TheKeatingFive think create and maintain the financial ecosystem, if not accountants.

I think you need to read my posts again. Slowly. And in a calm frame of mind. I’m agreeing with you.

JammyGeorge · 07/01/2021 22:58

I work for one of the emergency services. All staff are classed as keyworkers.

I work in an office based role and switched to home working during the first lockdown. Neither I nor any of my team have taken up keyworker places at schools.

We work flexibly helping the kids where we can during the day and picking up the slack on an evening. 12 hour days are a regular thing.

Front line staff absolutely but some people taking up the school places are absolute piss takers. They send the kids because they don't want to be inconvenienced and are sat with their trotters up drinking tea, usually because they are young/fit and don't care if they catch covid.

I work with a fair few accountants and they all have their kids beetling around in the background.

PolkadotGiraffe · 07/01/2021 22:59

@TheKeatingFive

I'd love to know who people like @TheKeatingFive think create and maintain the financial ecosystem, if not accountants.

I think you need to read my posts again. Slowly. And in a calm frame of mind. I’m agreeing with you.

I was agreeing with your rejection of the post that somehow accountancy is not part of financial services.
PolkadotGiraffe · 07/01/2021 23:00

Apologies, I see I misquoted you as writing that post when I was actually agreeing with your rejection of it.

TheKeatingFive · 07/01/2021 23:01

Ok, accepted

PolkadotGiraffe · 07/01/2021 23:03

When I said "one of the most absurd comments on the thread" I meant not yours, but the one you had replied to also, about how accountancy isn't part of financial services. 😆

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