What will your work do if work places are open but schools aren’t?

[gingajewel]

Just wondering if work places re-open and schools don’t what you’re work place will suggest? Do you work somewhere where you will be able to continue to wfh for a few weeks? Will you have to take parental leave or annual leave?
I have no clue about my employers, currently wfh but I don’t think they are too keen on it!

I don't think people will be going into their offices full time for months to come therefore WFH will become the new normal

My employer "temporarily" reduced our salaries by up to 50% - because of this I had to give notice to my childminder who was expecting full fees even though she was closed. If my employer doesn't reinstate our normal salaries once the mortgage holiday is over there is no way I can afford childcare over summer - I've already told them since I've been working from home for 2 months already with no loss of output they can suck it up until school starts in September unless they want to reinstate my full salary of course!

@ChrissieKeller61its a tough one isn’t it! Hopefully the government may have some ideas on this but who knows!!

on what grounds though? You can have parental leave? So how could they just sack you? For what?!

emergency carers leave is short term and would not cover more than a day or 2 to put something in place. Parental leave has to be agreed in advance and the company can refuse the dates you request so if you do not go in claiming that you have not got child care then yes you could be sacked for breach of contract, obviously they would still need to go through a process but they can still sack you if you claim to be unable to go into work.

I’m a part time receptionist so can’t work from home in my role. My childminders husband is classed as high risk so can’t go there. I would have to use a different childminder if schools don’t go back before my work wants me to return. But not sure other childminders will be open for business. I would have to take unpaid parental leave or if my work are sympathetic to my circumstances either pay me or make me take holidays, holidays won’t cover it all though.

If an employee has managed to wfh effectively to date, then there's no issue maintaining the status quo, surely?
If it's to do with retuning to an office environment, then I imagine that there will be a lot of discussions around how to support employees etc to be able to work. Flexible working etc, alternating shifts with partners etc. Rather like having to cover child sickness.

Regardless of 2 years, if you've been somewhere 50 years and start not going ultimately you are breaking your contract to go to work and can lose your job.

No bloody idea. I'm a keyworker, so not relevant to me, but concerned for those who it will affect.

What if schools open partially? E.g if your child only attends 2 full days?

Let’s hope that employers can be a bit flexible considering this is far from normal! I hope companies would show some empathy or this scenario has been built into the governments plans?

If they're being ridiculously inflexible - turn up to work with the kids (grab a couple of spare feral ones along the way too for maximum impact)

It's not discrimination though. Having children isn't a protected characteristic.

@Chosennone I thought this too, I really don’t know what will happen in this scenario?

It's not discrimination though. Having children isn't a protected characteristic.

if it affects more women than men, then it would be indirect sex discrimination though.

I work in public services in a customer facing role

It'll be the same old shite , those of us without primary kids will cover for those who do, staying at home doing nothing which is currently happening while were still going in

@AmelieTaylor you don’t need to grab extra kids, if you have kids who aren’t in school then you have kids who aren’t in school 🤷‍♀️ Doesn’t matter how many!

@dairyfairies yep this exactly!

@bigchris but what do you propose the people with primary age kids do?

@dairyfairies Women are still asked daily what their childcare arrangements are at job interviews..... nobody cares

Also nurseries need to open too don't forget, childminders etc or even more people won't be able to work

WFH...large employer, all staff WFH across the UK. I asked the very question of my manager this week, and was reassured the company stance will continue as is...staff with any caring responsibilities including childcare can continue working flexibly. I'm full time, but working about 2/3's of my hours currently as my children are 4 and 6 so can't easily entertain themselves for long periods. Our employer has been quite clear it's not furloughed anyone and all employees are continuing to receive full salary (including those unable to work at all / very little) and thus will continue until schools all go back. I feel very lucky especially as there's no expectation to make up the reduced hours.

And also if grandparents are shielding those without sch hours jobs will still struggle to work outside the house for 7.5 hours a day

Who knows if after school clubs will open

I know in our school we are planning for different scenarios. So if June 1st we are planning to split each class into three so they only come in ten at a time for 2 hours each day so there is a break in between the different groups to disinfect. (Key worker and vulnerable will continue to attend all day). I know this is going to be a no gun taste for working parents but a lot of our children are on the edges of being vulnerable and Coming in each day gives us the time to see each child everyday and helps them get back into a routine. Then eventually increase the amount they come in. Of course there is every eventuality that schools will continue to be partially closed no one knows for sure yet. I know it’s also been spoken about new reception intake having a staggered Start date depending on when their birthday is.

@gingajewel I'd rather it was fair instead of the rest of us having to cover , it shouldn't be those who can work take the flak, shit end of the stick, when others sit at home on full pay tbh

emergency carers leave is short term and would not cover more than a day or 2 to put something in place

That's all very well and good but there is no "something" to be had

I'm sick of seeing the "schools aren't childcare" line being trotted out. No, they're not but some of us rely on actual paid childcare to enable us to work and at the moment actual paid childcare does not exist to those of us who are not key workers and we are also not permitted to using grandparents/friends/the next door neighbours teenager.

Like what are working parents supposed to do if schools and nurseries and childminders don't open soon?

All the unemployed people will be young women with children.

I think if your job can’t be done from home and you can’t come to work then they can sack you. You can have parental leave for a limited amount of time but not weeks and weeks. Might be wrong.

I’m seriously worried, I work in a very small team. From sept we can not do our job working from home. But if there’s no vaccine one of us should be shielding as is very vulnerable. The second person has a young child so if schools aren’t open she can’t come in. Which leaves me, but Dd though older lives at home and is vulnerable....so not sure I can go to work. Work could potentially sack all 3 of us if they want but we’re quite a niche, specialised role which takes quite a few years to train to do. Not many people in this area and work have struggled recruiting in the last so not sure what will happen.

@Sunshineandalltherainbows im notconvinced peolle will bother bringing the kids for 2 hours a day especially the vulnerable