No working from home if you have children at home

[Sparrowlegs248]

I mean, Wtaf?? How on earth am I supposed to work then? I can go to the office for 1 full day. I'm part time. I can fit my other hours in in the evening, probably a few in the day over a week. But no, we are not allowed to work from home if we have children at home. What's the point?

Okiedokie, SO MANY people are going to have to wfh with children around. Many, many teachers, for one. Employers are going to have to suck this one up for now and accept we can only do what we can do.

I work for and with a couple of very significant companies in the technology and business sector.

This week (US) we've all been working from home, and the schools are all closed. So children in meetings has simply become de rigeur. It was amazing how fast everyone adapted. Yes, sometimes we all have a good laugh, and sometimes someone has to excuse themselves for a minute and put themselves on mute to make sure we're not all distracted by some child's antics.

But in general, it's been surprisingly normal feeling. It's made me wish we could all work from home with our children at our feet, if that's what we'd prefer. It's what I was doing already, before any of this started.

@mumwon I can't say that, as if I have someone to have them I have to go into the office.

I think you need to raise a fuss as loudly and high up as possible. People right across the country are dealing with the same problem and most employers are being reasonable.
I will be working flexibly, making sure I am available for key teleconferences and making up hours in the early morning or evening. If your work isnt dependant on being available within certain hours (eg you work in a call centre) then there is no reason you can't work at 'odd' times

Please talk to your union asap

It's like the reverse of my issue.

School staff. Apparently we aren't yet officially keyworkers but have to provide the service for key workers whilst our children are at home

Just lie about having a cough and ‘isolate’ yourself?

And honestly, I've worked for them for nearly 20 years, I expect more than this.

Rightly so. I think they will soon discover their position is untenable. But I do agree that this is one of those times to make a fuss and a well-established worker of 20 years might be a good person to do so. They hopefully wouldn't want to risk losing that experience at a time like this.

Totally with you @michaelbaubles .
In normal circumstances none of us would WFH with kids at home, but these are about as far from normal circumstances as it's possible to be! If every person who has kids in the public sector, and who is currently WFH, has to stop next week because their kids are under 12 and you can't do both (work and supervise kids) we will have lost a huge portion of the workforce!

I'm wfh and I have 2 primary aged children here with me. Fine rule under normal circumstances but atm this is the only way I can do my job and have children looked after.

Current self isolating, which is in any case for a max of 14 days, so no real help!

My company have the same policy and there is zero chance that they will relax it because they are cunts. They asked us to confirm whether we will find childcare or take unpaid leave. So I'm lying to them.

Are you in a union? But yes push back hard and loud.

Just lie. It's going to end up being a moot point anyway when we end up on lockdown - they won't have any choice but to allow it!