My work won't pay or furlough me.

[Mammatomyboy16]

So I have a 13 month old son. My dad looks after him when I go to work. Since we went on lockdown my dad hasn't been able to look after him as he's classed as vulnerable. Over 70 and has diabetes. I'm a key worker so haven't been able to go to work. My partner is also a key worker so can't stay off and look after our son.

I've taken some weeks timebanking, holidays and 2 weeks we had to self isolate as my son had a high temperature but he was fine.

Anyway, my work won't furlough me. They've said if I don't come back to work next week I won't be getting paid. I've told them the only way I can come back to work is if my dad comes back and looks after him, which is risking his life and my sons life. I am furious with my work. They have furloughed other people which I understand as they live with someone who's vulnerable. But because I don't live with my dad I won't be furloughed.

I can't afford to not be paid. I can't work around my partners hours as he gets in so late from work everyday.

I don't know what to do!

You can't use lack of child care as a reason not to work. The employer doesn't have to pay you under these circumstance I'm afraid. Employers can't be forced to furlough staff.

Lots of sympathy OP. Unfortunately on MN, you are unable to rely on grandparents for childcare, even if they have actively offered and want to provide it for you - you are judged as being unable to bring up your own child! Twisted logic when grandparents are otherwise fit and well and this situation was not predicted by anyone when planning their family

COVID has cost us a lot too - both key workers and usually our childcare comes from combination of grandparents and nursery. As we are unable to use grandparents, I am paying childminder much more than nursery fees cost whilst also paying nursery a small amount to allow them to stay open thanks to government U turn on their ability to furlough workers. I am also not receiving funded hours as they go to nursery who are currently closed. We are lucky to be financially comfortable so while it costs us more, we can afford it but some are unluckier than others unfortunately

paying for childcare is what parents usually have to do when they work and have young children.

If you are on a low wage, you will get a substantial chunk of your childcare paid through the childcare element of UC.

You can't use lack of child care as a reason not to work

Of course you can, unless you are prepared to leave kids on their own.
You can't expect to keep your job if you don't go in, though.

Do you want some more shit with that spoon @Staticelle

OP you have had an unfair kicking as alas the first few responses set the whole tone of a thread and if those who like to stick the boot in get in first then in they all come in droves.
Nasty Mares.

Think how many supermarket / carers are in same position. We’ve had to make it work or lose money. Loads of people are worse off. Why are you so special that you pass through unscathed?

This is turning into a straw man argument.

Supermarkets are hiring, not laying off staff.

I think any furloughs from one of the few current growth sectors would attract HMRC attention.

Rearranging shifts or going part time with current employer might be the best options, with unpaid leave until you can sort out alternative childcare

Why would a company, which needs to take on more staff, not less furlough you just because you cannot afford to pay childcare?

You say you’ve paid taxes ever since you left school and taken nothing out. That is simply not true and makes it sounds very much as though you’re looking to take some benefit back.

Let’s be clear. Working in a supermarket, you have never ever earnt more than you cost. Quite the opposite actually. The country doesn’t work by giving back what people have paid in and that’s a really good thing because people like you would be in the shit. You’ve take more than you put in every single day and will probably continue to have it for the rest of your life.

How about being grateful for what you have instead of complaining what you don’t? 🤷‍♀️

I'm not surprised that a supermarket are refusing to furlough you, OP. Can you imagine the headlines if Tesco were asking for the government to fund part of their wage bill right now? They have been employing additional staff and delivery staff so can hardly claim that they don't have work for you to do and so you would be at risk of redundancy.

I am surprised that you say they have already furloughed others. Perhaps they have agreed to allow shielded employees time off (paid or unpaid) instead?

I do feel for you, OP. If you had a different job, say for a shop that had been forced to close stores, you may well be able to be furloughed and receive the 80% pay while staying at home.

Unfortunately you can't.

Your options seem to be requesting unpaid leave (eg parental leave), your dh taking leave, requesting furlough, work from home, you and your dh requesting different shifts to work around one another, or you finding some childcare.

Good luck and I hope this resolves soon.

You said you are part time - work all day Saturday and Sunday and that should nearly cover it.

I'm sorry you've found yourself in a difficult situation. I'm guessing the people who are furloughed at your supermarket have health conditions? I work in a supermarket too and we've got some people off on full pay, but only for this reason, not for childcare reasons.

Is there no way you could work a few hours around your husband? We have people in stacking shelves till 1am. Then people in again at 6am. It's not ideal but these times aren't ideal.

OP I agree with the PP who said why your DD can't babysit us irrelevant. It could have been a medical issue/accident. You and your DH need to make a next step. That could be him using AL, working around each other, paying for childcare.

not on OP's topic exactly, but i think a lot of grandparents feel under pressure to provide childcare, and they don't really want to. some feel it is the only way they will be allowed to see the GC, or if they don't agree to do it, any other fun times will be strictly limited. which is wrong i think.
just have a read of GN.
wonder if all this disruption will upset the apple cart a bit. older people and their own needs, preferences are often overlooked generally.

Same issue - boss wouldn't furlough me for childcare issues. Pissed me off cos l have worked there for 9 years - never been late or phoned in sick. They should furlough you. I quit the job so now they will have to find someone else - that'll learn em😂l realise that isn't the ideal solution but the problem with the furlough system is that employers hold all the cards. Should be made law they have to do it imo.

anybody else wondering if an granddad of over 70 with health issues is the best childcare for toddler?

Should be made law they have to do it imo.

You do realise that businesses have to keep running so you have a job to go back to, you do also understand the company has to pay it back right?

I don't think you quite understand the potential recession and the amount of businesses that could fold even after lockdown

Please don't insult my intelligence by saying l don't understand!! My job was funny hours so l couldn't have put my child in school so that wasn't an option for me. And no actually, employers don't have to pay it back. So for myself and the OP through no fault of our own we are losing regular wages because the govt are telling us not to allow our usual childcare providers.

Fishfingers

Most people are losing money, I've lost all mine and won't get anything, not even extra tax credits.
I'm sorry you have a problem with childcare, but so so many others.
Do you think only you and the OP are the only ones who "aren't at fault"
Nobody losing work, or money is at fault, it's a bloody pandemic, we're all up shit creak one way or the other.

Exactly @Devlesko so many people on this thread think that there's somebody to blame here who should sort it all out for the OP. There really isn't.

Thanks for pointing that out to me....l really had no idea what was going on in the world🤔 you only have to look on fb or mse to see how many unscrupulous employers aren't paying their staff furlough when they should be, although l think there is a lot of confusion around it. And no l am not someone who has ever in my life claimed anything, before anyone wants to assume l think the world owes me a living. For no fault of her own, ie childcare, OP cannot work and the government says you can be furloughed for this reason. I didn't make this rule up, please don't shoot me for it!

So basically you want the tax payers to fund you staying home because you refuse to pay for childcare?

This sums it up for me, why others were furloughed is none of your business and of course it has to be taken on a case by case approach.

I work part time for a supermarket. I was taken aside around 2 months ago and asked if I could cope with childcare. If not, they would put me on annual leave for a short period, then unpaid leave. (My child is primary school aged and I could have opted to have her in school as a key worker, but chose not to)

However, I'm also asthmatic. And very close to the 'extremely vulnerable' group. But just two puffs away on my preventer inhaler, so not entitled to pay or furlough. I made the decision even before my employer that I'd rather not risk my health, and if it had to be unpaid leave, then so be it. I don't have a partner or husband to support me financially. And I've never taken on any debt in case anything (like this) should happen.

I was 40 when I had DD. A lot of my friends were similar age. All relied on grandparents as childcare. Parents were in 60s and 70s at the time. I see it every day at the school gates. And it makes me feel very sad. I've told friends of my Mum that I hope her friends daughters and sons have backup if anything should happen to the aged grandparents free childcare. Ultimately they don't. Most of them are very high earners.

About 2 weeks before lockdown, my Mum was diagnosed with bowel cancer and was swiftly taken in for radical surgery. She is very poorly. I've had to take on a caring role. I've been careful. I bought masks back in January as I saw what was coming. I'm not trying to be some sort of Told You So dick. But I never, ever would have left my childcare to my 70 plus parents. With or without underlying health conditions. With or without a global pandemic. And it's something that has pissed me off for years.

I'm confused surely without the virus neither of you could have stayed at home, therefore resulting in needing to find childcare anyway or one of you would need to work part time or be a SAHP.

I work part time so my partner can work full time (we still manage to pay the bills), we have a 5 month old and 3yr old at home. Neither in any form of childcare because we can't afford private nursery for the baby and we are having issues with the 3yr old nursery which was happening before lockdown. Luckily I work afternoon/evenings and my partner does nights or mornings plus in the supermarket I work for we get the right to ask for flexible working hours and parental leave

I'm confused surely without the virus neither of you could have stayed at home, therefore resulting in needing to find childcare anyway or one of you would need to work part time or be a SAHP.

OP's dad is looking after the child so no fees. But as he has to shield, he cannot look after the child anymore...