How to deal with friends claiming to be 'key workers'

[McDougal]

Just as the title says, really. I know a lot of admin staff in the NHS. A lot support inpatient services and have a real impact on keeping things moving. Others are PAs to managers who will be making decisions impacting upon patient care, but could do this themselves without a PA forwarding this communication on their behalf.

How do you deal with this? One friend is continuing to take her child to nursery as she's a 'key worker' when her husband is temporarily at home as his job has come to a standstill and I'm struggling to be sympathetic.

I work in a primary school and I’m seeing all sorts of CF going on. To be honest a lot of employers are putting pressure on their employees and even writing letters to the school saying their employee is a key worker - they’re not! One parent is a low priority key worker, husband works in the building trade and they are desperate for a place. It’s unfortunate, but they can’t have one and our Head is sticking to his guns. Has been told dad needs to care for the kids. Another one (GP) has a full time, live in nanny and wanted a place “because I am entitled to it”. Sorry love you’re not, jog on.

Sounds like the government needs to tighten the definition. In Germany schools and kindergartens have been closed for two weeks. Will reopen next week to provide childcare for key workers. But only if both parents are key workers. If only one is, the other parent is expected to stay home and care for their child. Seems pretty straightforward to me

If these people want to put their kids at higher risk where they will be mingling with children of front line NHS workers then that’s their prerogative.
Despite being loosely classed as a key worker, I’d rather know my kids were safe at home with me.

Your friend is a Key Worker. End of. Doesn't matter what your thoughts are on it. This person probably would prefer to be at home and not putting themselves at risk.

However, if you 100% know the husband is temporarily at home- You should report it to the hub or local authority/council, even though it says only one needs to be a Key worker...it's actually both of you who needs to be a Key Worker.

I work for the DWP. I've seen the form you need to fill in for Key Worker status. Report them.

As a teacher it’s annoying when parents are taking the , we’re putting ourselves and our families at risk being at school and they’re putting their children at risk, if they can be at home they should be at home!!!! If one parents there the kids should be too. End of!

I'm in admin in a private hospital.

Fucking deal with it.

So there are no exceptions. It has to be both adults in the house as key workers to qualify for a space?

What if the other adult is at home ill with something not coronavirus related?
Or they are a key worker who is able to work from home?
What about those who are wfh who won't get paid if they don't work?

The partner who is working from home should be looking after child. It's difficult to do but these are difficult times - they should do their bit.

However overloading NHS Managers with admin at this time (any time really) is irresponsible. I'm guessing NHS(non clinical/critical care) PAs aren't working from home unlike those in other industries is because the NHS is a giant dinosaur!

Similar situation. No good advice sorry as we have just had an argument. I feel like I have lost a friend due to selfish behaviour.

I am a director at an acute hospital in the NHS. I agree children should stay at home if possible. But I'd like to point out that ALL our staff are key workers who are providing essential functions. As part of our incident response, critical tasks are being devolved to different staff.

My PA, for example, is providing crucial administration, that no-one else has the time to do, as we try to respond to this growing crisis as quickly as possible.

Our workforce is being hit drastically due to isolation rules and we (and you) will be relying on ALL staff to keep the hospital functioning, no matter what job title is on their badge, when the peak surge hits.

And if individuals continue to not take this seriously and don't isolate or distance asap that peak surge is going to be far more impactful on us all than it needed to have been! To these utterly selfish people, have you seen the harrowing scenes in Madrid hospitals?! Wake up!!!

And the wfh regardless of NHS or whatever. Has to do their hours as contracted in order to get paid?

One of mine is working from home at the moment. Thankfully no children so now it's all hypothetical. The system her work uses is set up to know if they are working or not. She would get into trouble from work.
Because of GDRP (?), some have been told, they need to work in isolation.
Don't forget Ethics and Gross misconduct are still in place.

None key workers have having serious issues at the moment as well, and have been given some ability to work because they are fortunate to live with a key worker. They would prefer to all be at home.

There are some harrowing videos circulating from hospitals abroad.
Some of the comments from other people begging people to stay home is unreal. The stories of their suffering is bad.

More suffering can be prevented if people started taking things seriously.

Are we still on the 2 week Italy projectory? Take a look at what is coming. These key workers are putting their lives at risk. They want to be at home with their children. They are fucking shitting it. They know what is coming. They don't want to be there when it comes. No-one does.

Well, I say no-one does. The selfish want to continue meeting up with mates. Popping to the shop every day.

Then there are those who seem to get a kick out of dragging those key workers down by their choice of words. Highlighting the risks they face every single second to ensure you have milk on your cereal. That your paracetamol is there. To ensure whilst all this is happening, your health appointments continue. Your surgeries still go ahead.

Are they really the selfish ones?

I was designated as a key worker last week. I work full time in a local council. My DH is a key worker in admin/ facilities in the NHS. All grandparents are over 70. My line manager has issued time sheets so that if we have to work at home we have to account for the hours. The memo says time working at home is NOT to be used for childcare. What do we do?!

It pisses me off massively. I am one of the people putting my health/life at risk to babysit these children. More than happy to do it for those keeping our countries healthcare and infrastructure moving but for those using it so their partner can have some peace while working from home etc WAKE UP 😡

The memo says time working at home is NOT to be used for childcare. What do we do?!

Honestly, what a stupid memo.

These are extraordinary times where we all have to provide flexibility and understanding.

Schools are opening purely for childcare (they are not usually used for childcare either!) but these are not ‘usual’ times and teachers are being superb about it.

Your boss is not being superb; he is being an arse.

Other jobs have to continue though.

My son had a call today from his mh worker. They are at home.

Hypothetically -
His partner is also key staff but cannot wfh. My sons' worker might not have been able to make that call. Young children, he cannot supervise and take a work-related personal call.

Don't forget a lot of keyworkers are working from home. Confidentiality is still a must. Other household members should not be subjected to some of the calls made.

Lawyers, Doctors, mh workers, sw, legal system defence/prosecution etc. The list is endless that workers still have to deal with very sensitive information. I don't think I'd really want my kids around listening to graphic details of a murder trial. Regardless of whether they are a key worker or not.

I'm at a total loss as to what to do because I have to send my children into school. I make vaccines-so it's not something I can do at home. Work are forcing me to go in so I have no choice but to put myself and children at risk. I feel terrible for the teachers but I have no other choice.

I cannot even begin to imagine what you and others in this situation are feeling ally.
And then to come on to a site that is supposed to be supportive, and well.

I have a lot of respect at the moment for key workers (not that I didn't to begin with). The choices are hard to make due to the many natures of the job on a regular day.

I really feel for you all, I am so glad that I now have the choice. If it wasn't because I'm in the at risk group, I would be making the same choices.

Fuck the end of whatever teachers gifts this year. This year, I'm planning to give something special to everyone who is currently supporting my household. I have already been thanking them over the past few weeks. The sacrifices all these people are making for us is incredible.

And it’s got to do with you because?????

What if one parent is a key worker and the other is employed but in a job where they cant work from home? Are they supposed to just take unpaid leave for an indeterminate period in order to look after the kids?
I am a key worker (utilities) but I wish I wasn't. Its not like I'm going to be on the front line saving lives and yet I'm going to have to go out and potentially expose myself and in turn my family to the virus because I have not been given any choice.
In my case DH has had to shut up shop on his business and will be at home so I will not be taking up a school or nursery place but there are those that will have to, even though they don't want to.

Hasn’t the latest announcement quite clearly said only key workers should be going out to work

No , it said travel to work only if essential if you can't work from home which leaves the ball in the employers court.

I am a key worker in a community nursing team. I have no choice but to go to work and that’s what I actually want to do! Have you seriously got nothing better to argue about than who is or is not a key worker? Are you that bored already? We would not function without our admin team and yes, some of them are very likely to be redeployed soon. None of us signed up for this chaos, uncertainty or sadness. But we will continue to look after you all for as long as we can. Please stop the pettiness & be thankful that we have our amazing NHS with a huge variety of highly trained staff who will work together to support you, me & everyone in these darkest hours.

Official guidance here

“Travelling to and from work, but only where this absolutely cannot be done from home.“

Non essential workers can still go to work if their employers require them to, as long as the job is impossible to do from home.

Eg construction, live-out nanny, manufacturing.

Our school is closing this week and not opening during Easter holidays or afterwards until BJ gives the all clear.