Women being discriminated against in workplace

[Innitogether]

My friend has been told that she has to physically go in to the office next week (local authority) even though she is a single parent of a 10 yr old. Her single male colleagues have been allowed to work from home. She was in tears on Friday but her male bosses told her to take her child to school on Monday and say she is a key worker (she isn’t). This makes me so mad. The government need to set clear guidelines to employers regarding employees with childcare responsibilities. We can’t be business as usual right now, ways and hours of working need to change. I’m so mad on her behalf. Please give me any advice I can pass on to her. I’ve told her to join a union today and suggested she summarise the meeting and what was said in writing to her managers and copy HR in.

Sorry, should have clarified, male colleagues without children have been allowed to wfh.

She should bring her child to work with her.

@grumpy, I was going to suggest that! But she wants to keep her child safe at home, not be taking her to a shabby office away from her home comforts.

Most companies don't allow you to work from home while caring for a child. It isn't because she's a woman.

They won’t be insured to have the child in the office. She will be told to leave. Tell her to send an email to HR Before she does it that this is the only choice she has.