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)

There are no easy answers to any of this.

A year ago, any parent suggesting they’d like a WFH job they could do around their young children would be told in no uncertain terms that this was not possible.

We are now in a situation where we are having to do just that, plus providing education.

It does not work properly. It’s no ones fault that it doesn’t work properly, but it doesn’t change the fact that it doesn’t.

Those of us who can afford to take a hit usually are. During Lockdown #1 DH and I shared the homeschooling and did as much work as we could around that. Lots of balls were dropped and serious money was lost. It is what it is. We kept a roof over our heads and out of debt, so I’m thankful for that.

This time around DS is in a different school who are providing online teaching and we have managed to find a tutor for DD. Not cheap, but cheaper for us in the long run. Not every family has that luxury.

I won’t criticise anyone for making decisions different to mine.

A great quote from Little Fires Everywhere about having the luxury of making ‘good’ decisions:

You didn't make good choices! You had good choices

Apologies I misread.

Lots of companies payroll can be done remotely. The public sector can be quite outdated & archaic unfortunately so there are definitely roles you can't wfh where you could do so in the private sector.
At my DBs school the support staff including some finance are helping with the testing.

I've heard some schools are beginning to clamp down on this, and only take critical/essential workers...you know, accountants and the like!

ha, i mean doctors etc...but places are being revoked, which i'm pleased to hear!

hopefully this will begin to happen across the board. i really hope so, because i'm feeling mighty peed off at the mo! :)

I have emailed the school, mp MP and this morning my local councillors - the more people that put pressure on, the better i reckon! so if you're annoyed get writing to your local representatives!

ha, i mean doctors etc

What’s your stance on doctors currently wfh?

I certainly won't be complaining to the school, MP etc. You do not know peoples individual situation and I for one will not be potentially making a family homeless if they have no other choice than to work away from home regardless of whether you consider them a critical worker. And I am not talking about accountants, I am talking about anyone.

@Catrina123

I've heard some schools are beginning to clamp down on this, and only take critical/essential workers...you know, accountants and the like!

ha, i mean doctors etc...but places are being revoked, which i'm pleased to hear!

hopefully this will begin to happen across the board. i really hope so, because i'm feeling mighty peed off at the mo! :)

I have emailed the school, mp MP and this morning my local councillors - the more people that put pressure on, the better i reckon! so if you're annoyed get writing to your local representatives!

How wonderful that you are celebrating lots of working parents (women) potentially losing their jobs.

I fully understand the frustration being felt by teachers and schools but there is no need to sound so jubilant!
This might make you happier about your situation but for others this could really put them in the shit.
Have some compassion ffs.

@Keating. If the doctors who are wfh can wfh and meet the basic needs of their kids, without there being an immediate detriment to their patients, then I would say they should be at home too.

Before you or someone else jumps in and says the accountant not submitting the furlough claim today means people won't get paid and will be left in poverty and that will impact their health. Yes. It might. It might not.

They might have savings and be able to ride it out. They may be able to get a UC loan and then a new job and be ok in the long term with no impact on their health.

The immediate priority has to be the immediate impact.

I have emailed the school, mp MP and this morning my local councillors - the more people that put pressure on, the better i reckon! so if you're annoyed get writing to your local representatives

I don't think this is necessarily the best course of action but understand how frustrating it is.

Take a doctor working remotely. They can do this from home or work. If they do it from home some would argue they don't need a space. However if they then go in to work to legitimise their school place they will likely be mixing more eg transport, other staff.
The guidance was also to work from home where possible.

The time for schools to crack down is when they decided at the start of the week who would get a place. Set the capacity- choose who fits the requirements and fill to the set safest level.

For clarification my "ha" was not aimed at places being revoked, it was joke about accountants being the top of the essential/critical worker list! Which i found funny, even if others didnt...

I don't want people to lose their jobs, but also - no-one seems to care about these non key workers potentially losing their jobs and/or their companies going under and their children's education suffering and their mental health etc etc because the schools are too busy to provide a proper home education etc because theyre looking after so many kids in school that could just as easily be at home. It is absolutely IMPOSSIBLE working full time and home schooling - I know, i'm doing it! But it is a totally shit situation we're in - and the fact is if everyone else keeps their kids at school, the situaiotn will continue!

There needs to be consistency across the board - and i think/hope that will come. i know doctors who are WFH and homeschooling, so yes of course its possible.

@Schoolchoicesucks I think you misunderstand - people are using that argument on the basis that in many companies it's the accountants that do the accounts and the transactions related to payroll. I.e. OTHER people won't get paid if all accountants have to be on furlough.

@Winterwoollies

Oh OP. You’ve obviously never been self employed or run a business. 🤦🏼‍♀️

I'm both and do accounts and payroll - and have worked from home successfully while bringing up kids. It's completely doable if you have the right mindset. Furlough, grants and homeschooling during this pandemic has added in more stress I agree, and there's little down time for me as I work all the time the kids don't need me, but I'm very grateful to have a job that i rarely have to leave the house for. Why would I choose to send my kids to school to mix with others at this point in the pandemic when I don't have to. I'd rather keep them home and keep school numbers smaller, and therefore safer, for the people that have jobs that absolutely cannot be done from home.

Taking the piss... how are financial services, accountants key workers!!
Why do people have kids if they don't like being with them?
I have a friend who works from home, beautician and when her kids were primary school they could be quiet and stay out of trouble while she had clients. You just have to parent them and teach them how to behave.

Also when was a kid I would have loved not to go to school, hated it. Kids resilient, look at war years, we still had qualified professionals from this cohort!! Also in Europe they don't start formal learning till 7. What about kids from Syria and any other place with disrupted learning many do very well, catch up quickly etc.

Why do people have kids if they don't like being with them?

Wtf has this got to do with anything.

Why do people have kids if they don't like being with them?

If you think this is why people want/need their children to attend school then you need to think again.

@Juno. Nope I hadn't misunderstood that at all.

@PugInTheHouse

I love how many people are in their own self absorbed, narrow-minded bubble and have no understanding of how other families, job roles and general situations work. It's actually really pathetic and shows such a limited intelligence.

I agree - goady fucker.

This 100%

I've been shocked at people's inability to see things from a different perspective.

@TheKeatingFive

If they where that essential they would have been workinging ! Not being furloughed for 7.

Not necessarily, seasonality plays a role in lots of businesses. January is the key time period for accountants. And plenty of places are much busier now than they were in March.

She and he are not in practice so January is not there busy time. She just didn't want to be homeschooling her son. Just because January is the deadline month accounts tax returns can be done anytime most year ends are 31st of March or 5th of April that was 9 months ago. Most are now using online software to be inline with MTD. I have been able to work remotely since 2006 and that was when I worked in a small practice.

@user1497207191

It would be great if school staff were given vaccination priority (I think they are looking at this) so all kids can get back in.

Absolutely, once the elderly and ECV have been vaccinated, school staff should be next on the list.

But protecting school staff isn't the reason schools are partially closed - it's because children mixing in schools are a known vector of transmission back to their families.

Friendsoneuptown

Must have hit a nerve then, as I have re read and it does not warrant your very rude comment. It is just my thoughts the same as all other posters. Why do so many think they can put rude comments and not back them up.

what is your issue, are you putting that on all the posts. You are just ignorant and rude.

@amispeakingenglish

Friendsoneuptown

Must have hit a nerve then, as I have re read and it does not warrant your very rude comment. It is just my thoughts the same as all other posters. Why do so many think they can put rude comments and not back them up.

what is your issue, are you putting that on all the posts. You are just ignorant and rude.

The comment of yours that the poster was responding to was ignorant and rude.

@amispeakingenglish

Friendsoneuptown

Must have hit a nerve then, as I have re read and it does not warrant your very rude comment. It is just my thoughts the same as all other posters. Why do so many think they can put rude comments and not back them up.

what is your issue, are you putting that on all the posts. You are just ignorant and rude.

Why do people have kids if they don't like being with them?

This is the epitome of ignorant and rude.