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Is anyone in your family still going out to work every day? What do they do?

232 replies

ruby2019missyou · 26/03/2020 11:02

Just wondering.

OP posts:
LaurieFairyCake · 26/03/2020 12:35

Teacher/school Counsellor

Ohjustboreoff · 26/03/2020 12:41

Both DH and I are frontline emergency services and work is so busy our only downtime is at home with the kids now. No extra curricular activities is bliss.

itgetsthehoseagain · 26/03/2020 12:42

Teachers. Going into work on a rota, leaving our own DC (14 and 10) at home.

SorrelBlackbeak · 26/03/2020 12:43

Doctor on the covid ward but it's okay because he's probably had it.

wineandcheeseplease · 26/03/2020 12:43

Yes, dh does sandblasting with a contract for the railway

anothernotherone · 26/03/2020 12:51

I work long shifts so dont work every day but am still working 2pm to 10am (10pm to 6am is on-site on-call so can sleep but not enough) twice a week. Adult social care.

DH has to go into the office twice a week but they've got time slots to minimise numbers in at any one time. He chose the 6am slot so he says there's only ever one other person on the same floor, quite far away!

I'm the weak link most likely to catch the virus but it actually is essential someone is working 24/7 and we're already short staffed due to colleagues who've actually been tested negative for Corona still being signed off Hmm

FishOnPillows · 26/03/2020 13:01

I work in pharmaceuticals, so I’m still going. DP works for an alcohol producer, but his work could be done at home - but his company won’t let him 🙄

Blobby10 · 26/03/2020 13:10

Engineering - work areas all at least 2m apart, no air con, no 'at risk' staff. Orders still coming in from customers for pharmaceutical, food and aerospace products for packaging so whilst we aren't as important as NHS staff or actual food producers, down the line if we were to shut there would be problems in these areas.

We are waiting for Govt advice on closure - I consult with our staff regularly and they know they can ask me anything and if they feel at risk, they can take holiday or unpaid leave. They have all said they would rather be at work than at home with wife and kids even on full pay.........

I don't trust the Govt to stick to their pledge of paying 80% wages for us as we aren't directly affected by COVID 19 ie not like retail or hospitality industries which rely on public footfall - and HMRC reserve the right to reject a claim for the 80% repayment. My firm has had such a shit few years it could bankrupt us paying wages for 1 or even 2 months without any sales.

Chickenandegg8 · 26/03/2020 13:14

My DH and I work for an ink manufacturer, we make ink for flexible food packaging.

I can wfh but my oh has to go in. They’re taking lots of precautions but I still worry.

cheesenpickles · 26/03/2020 13:21

Works fixing military boats. There's absolutely no way they can adhere to the 2m rule with their work. We're worried sick.

joystir59 · 26/03/2020 13:22

Yes, cleaner at the local council offices, key worker apparently

Ohmaidaiz · 26/03/2020 13:23

Broadcasting - news. Can work a lot from home/remotely but has to take lots of precautions when filming and interviewing the public /in gp surgery/ etc etc.

february08baby · 26/03/2020 13:28

DH works in the banking industry.

I am on annual leave, then I'll be WFH

Songofsixpence · 26/03/2020 13:29

DH is, he’s completely alone though. He runs his own business and just finishing up the last of his jobs, invoicing, etc. The front gates to his unit are locked and no one else is allowed in.

His employee is furloughed.

I’ve mostly been working from home but got to pop in for a couple of hours on Monday so I can pay everyone and officially put them on furlough, but I will be alone, front door locked

Thelaughinggnome123 · 26/03/2020 13:29

A sincere thank you to all people having to work at the moment.

BiddyPop · 26/03/2020 13:29

I was until earlier this week. Civil servant, and in the middle of a change of role so I needed to pack up my old job (both finish off a load of files, and literally pack up 5.5 years of my stuff to transfer), and do a starting day with new boss to understand the new role.

Old role, there was still active work going on that needed to be handed over to the person taking over from me.

New role I need to read into, but the work itself is at a strange hiatus until we get both a new government (elections already held) and the covid situation dies down.

Most people in my old building were working from home. But there were key people there too - literally organising supply chains, supports for businesses, organising how staff can continue to work etc.

In the new building, there were less than half there, and I think as much because they couldn't work from home. My boss could, but wanted to go in as long as possible as he cycles and has a reasonably busy household (2 students at critical points trying to study and a DW WFH also) so wifi getting hammered. I have no staff in new place so no need to worry about that - my staff in old place had been WFH for 10 days in most instances, some on work devices, others through their own devices, and the remaining one in another location had wanted to attend their office which is much smaller and they drive in so no public transport (and also a busy home with 3 teens, 1 in exam year, and a DH WFH) - but that was a personal choice as the management team in our section had been working, the day the announcement that schools were closed, to facilitate everyone to WFH where possible, days before it was generally accepted by our Head of Department that everyone should be doing that. Some have devices provided by work and they are being shared on rota basis and greatest need. Some had their own laptops etc that they could use. 1 needed a wifi dongle, (which luckily we had for another remote device when travelling - but the person with that had home broadband) but had their own laptop. Shared filing systems were set up to allow non-work devices access certain key documents. There is only 1 who couldn't as no wifi, and they could have taken home reading and hand writing work, but chose to keep attending office.

I must admit, DH didn't do any ordering that I WFH, but was mightily relieved when I did get a remote device from work (as I had one in old role but it needed to stay there and new role didn't have one initially), as DD had taken my personal laptop for school so I couldn't work on it. But when I got home on Tuesday, with the device working and my old office packed up, and my office chair in the boot (to be able to work properly at the kitchen table) - he really was so relieved. We had already agreed I would only go in if I had parking as I normally get the train - last week, I paid parking 2 days (€40 and €36 respectively!!) and this week I had a space in a car park. But he is now very relieved that I was able to make the decision for myself to WFH.

MNnicknameforCVthreads · 26/03/2020 13:33

Yep, factory worker, makes widgets for trains, planes and automobiles

mygrandchildrenrock · 26/03/2020 13:35

Dentist, food shop worker, teacher.

RoseDog · 26/03/2020 13:38

Dp works in an oil refinery, a few people have commented that it should shut...wonderful idea no one needs oil or it's byproducts 🤷‍♀️

AuntieMarys · 26/03/2020 13:39

Food industry

EsmeeMerlin · 26/03/2020 13:42

Yep dh is a store supervisor, not only am I worried he will get ill, it worries me he has to work with people panicking. A lot of people in stores have got abuse and even assaulted lately.

My Nan is a gp receptionist so still working answering calls and my aunt is a carer.

randomsabreuse · 26/03/2020 13:48

DH. Vet and based at home only going to emergencies that can't be dealt with by phone prescribing. Has been 1 or 2 of those per day for him.

MacavityTheDentistsCat · 26/03/2020 13:48

I am. I'm a translator but my work is highly confidential and requires me to use some systems/information that I can't access from home. Corona has led to a massive spike in my workload but I'm lucky because I can drive directly to my place of work, park in the basement car park, and get to my office without seeing a soul.

TheFairyCaravan · 26/03/2020 14:01

DS2 and his DP are both nurses, and DS1 is a soldier.

BiddyPop · 26/03/2020 14:02

I meant to say that I had individual offices in both buildings I was going to and people are pretty good at the social distancing in both buildings as well - so I was happy with the level of risk involved once I took the public transport out of the equation and brought my lunch from home so no need to go out for one.