Childcare

jessi_clarke

I’m unsure of what to do next, my childminder closed on the 22nd of March to the Covid19 virus so I was unable to work so I was told I’d be put on unpaid leave as I had used a private childminder and not a funded nursery. I asked to be furloughed and I was told I didn’t meet criteria as it didn’t cover childcare, then got told I had been furloughed to be told later in the week I hadn’t as I still don’t meet criteria, I am currently on the sick due to stress. They have furloughed other staff. I found out that my childminder is opening but can’t do school runs for my eldest so I need to drop him off to school and pick him up but they won’t accommodate me to work 9:30-2:30 is there anything I can do? I have worked for them for 9 years 30+ hours ever been off work sick, I’m worried stressed and don’t know what else I can do 

Undervalued

Sadly no, beyond asking nicely I'm afraid.
No employer is obliged to furlough staff, even if they are eligible. Equally they are free to treat different staff differently, as long as it is not unlawful discrimination (race, gender, religion etc etc).

jessi_clarke

So they aren’t liable  to help me with shifts to come back to work to coincide with the childcare I can get? 

sharpe106

If you can go with a solution i.e. what you can work and why it would benefit your employer they will be far more likely to help you then if you just dump the problem on them and demand they do something about it.

Undervalued

jessi_clarke said:

So they aren’t liable  to help me with shifts to come back to work to coincide with the childcare I can get? 

They don't have to I'm afraid. That is not to say they won't if you have a sensible workable (for both sides) proposal.

Your only legal rights are.....

To "short" periods of unpaid leave, which is normally taken to mean time to arrange care, not time to do it yourself for more than a day or two.

and / or

To formally request flexible working, which the employer must consider (one request per year) but in all honesty they can fairly easily reject it on "business grounds" if they are so inclined.

In the real world a lot depends on their attitude. Some / many employer's willingly go the extra mile whereas others will be as difficult as the law allows.

jessi_clarke

So if I am off work in sick due to stress when I go back can I request shorter hours to fit in with not wanting to work the 12 hour days I was before? Sorry to keep asking you questions I’ve never had gone off work before 

sharpe106

You can ask and it is up to them if they want to or not.

Undervalued

jessi_clarke said:

So if I am off work in sick due to stress when I go back can I request shorter hours to fit in with not wanting to work the 12 hour days I was before? Sorry to keep asking you questions I’ve never had gone off work before 

You can request, yes.

As sharp106 has said, you have a better chance of success if you try and present them with a solution that works for both parties, rather than giving the employer a problem to solve.

As I mentioned, so much depends of the culture of your workplace - and that would be in normal times! Obviously, depending on how much your company is affected by the current situation other factors may come into play. They might be delighted to agree less hours or, to be blunt, they may choose to be difficult in the hope that you will look elsewhere. As I said whilst they must objectively consider a flexible working request, realistically it is not hard to find lawful reasons to turn one down if that is what they are minded to do.

jessi_clarke

I have offered what I can work with no reply already

sharpe106

jessi_clarke said:

I have offered what I can work with no reply already

Have you suggested how it would be beneficial for them, after all your boss is human too, give them a good reason and make their life easier and they will go for it. 

BrassicWoman

If you can use a childminder, does that mean you are a key worker? Some jobs, like nhs, it’s not possible to furlough.