School closed....isolate..no pay

[swimmingc]

So had a message to say DS bubble at school has closed. Ds is 7. He has to isolate so I have to take 14 days off work unpaid. I have worked through lockdown and am lucky to have not been furloughed but AIBU to think now I have to take 14 days unpaid leave off work I should be entitled to some kind of pay. I can not afford to lose 14 days pay. No other childcare option. No annual leave as work term time. Feel like crying.
What are everyone else in same position doing?

I also work for the NHS, its a nightmare. Our trust has increased childcare leave to 5 days, but that still isn't enough.

Is there nothing you can do from home to try and minimise the time off work? Like any admin type stuff? Some of our nurses have been allowed to work from home doing admin when they have needed to

The thing is, I could ring work and say I am sick and I would get full sick pay, just because it is childcare issues I get nothing.

@Greysparkles exactly. I am tired of posters telling others to "get a grip" when there is a discussion on how to avoid spreading an infection inside a household. They must have so much spare cash that being out of action for a month is no biggie.

You get SSP
"If a dependant such as a partner, child or relative in the same household gets coronavirus symptoms, they should receive Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) as a minimum for this time."

Thank you for all suggestions. My manager is looking into it for me and going to call me this afternoon. I am really limited to what I can do from home, could possibly do some mandatory training on line.

@Pharmacistquestion, my whole job is admin/computer based and myself and the rest of the team have been refused the option to even consider home working at any point throughout this pandemic in my trust.

Without wanting to sound whiney, resources for non-clinical home working have clearly been allocated to much higher grades. If the work from home option hasn’t been available to the OP till this point it’s highly unlikely to be an option now.

Apologies OP. I sympathise. It really affects carers/parents.

@Sooverthemill no one in the household has symptoms. Teacher tested positive so Ds has to isolate for 14 days so I don't know if I would be eligible for statutory sick pay

What a horrible situation, the governement should be doing more for people like you.

As you work for the NHS can you speak to them to see what they might be able to offer you in terms of compassionate leave or something? It must be a situation they are increasingly coming across?

Neither the child or OP is sick. There won't be any childcare options available to look after an isolating child as they shouldn't even be going out of the front door

It really should be 14 days isolation from last day of contact with the teacher; so I would follow this up with the school if they are saying 14 days from the day they are sent home (I assume teacher has been off a few days at least).
Every day that he doesn't have to be off benefits you.

Are you eligible for Universal Credit? It will take into account a longer period, which may make you ineligible, but no harm in checking. Also please do contact your local food bank if you need it, they'll happily do a one off parcel or longer if you're still struggling.

The issue has been raised by Labour, and by individuals at those daily briefings they decided to cancel. The answer was some waffle about all the people they have helped, Johnson completely ignored the question.

We just pay our staff for this

It’s covid related, out of your control.

For those suggesting the employer should do more, please keep in mind that an NHS Trust will have thousands of employees including many parents and carers, and what they do for one, they have to do for all. The government needs to set aside a separate fund for exactly this purpose.

@swimmingc

I have just messaged dad to ask if he can have him any days. I know dad works hard and his company are struggling due to pandemic so don't want to put pressure on him. It's just a really shit situation. I work term time, school hours due to childcare issues, so would really struggle to make any time up. Thank you for all suggestions, I know I won't be the only one in this situation

Do you mean your son’s dad or your dad? If you mean your son’s dad and he says he can’t take any time off to care for his son, could he at least give you more money to make up the shortfall?

Your situation is exactly the kind of ‘fall through the gaps’ one that Boris et al just don’t think about.

Could you not say your son has symptoms (I know it's a lie, but in the circumstances) and therefore you both have to self-isolate? Would they pay statutory sick pay then?

I have a friend who is NHS and she was furloughed due to childcare because her dh found it too stressful to wfh (in his normal work from home office job, not NHS) while also homeschooling, so she was paid to be home all this time to provide childcare. I know that's furlough, but if that's okay, then morally there should be something for people who actually are required to be at home.

What happens if the school keeps closing every couple of weeks? How are people meant to survive?

You're entitled to sick pay whilst self isolating. At a min. statutory sick pay, however your employer may chose to pay more. There are some conditions, so I've included the link so you can read.

www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-back-statutory-sick-pay-paid-to-employees-due-to-coronavirus-covid-19#who-can-use-the-scheme

Please speak to your HR / Personnel department as they will aware of the laws whereas your Manager sounds like he isn't.

@Funkypolar

What happens if the school keeps closing every couple of weeks? How are people meant to survive?

The eternal question.. there needs to be employee protection for all similar to pregnancy related sickness protection written into legislation imho

We’re currently isolating awaiting a test result but we can’t do this regularly throughout the winter. Employers don’t have that kind of patience unless they are forced to have it through legislation.

@swimmingc the entire family has to isolate if your DS has been in contact with someone who’s tested positive now. You should be isolating too.

@Funkypolar this is what I'm worried about. DS has already had more days off than in school this term due to his year bubble being isolated. I honestly don't know how we're supposed to retain our jobs whilst being in and out all winter. My work is pretty accommodating but they can't reasonably be expected to carry on paying me for nothing.

@BoggledBudgie, No, that's not right. If her DS isn't showing any symptoms, only he has to isolate.

[quote BoggledBudgie]@swimmingc the entire family has to isolate if your DS has been in contact with someone who’s tested positive now. You should be isolating too.[/quote]
Really? I thought it was just the person who had contact unless/until they displayed symptoms at which point they then become the risk factor and the household should isolate pending a negative test result.

This scenario isn’t as much of a problem for children old enough/reliable enough to be left alone since they can isolate unsupervised

[quote BoggledBudgie]@swimmingc the entire family has to isolate if your DS has been in contact with someone who’s tested positive now. You should be isolating too.[/quote]

This was not the case at 19:30 last night? Was this in the 20:00 speech?

I thought the rule was the child has to isolate after coming into contact but unless they display symptoms, no-one else in the family does?