Essential Work And Corona Virus.

[mopardave]

Right gents and ladies....just want everyone's take on this. I run a small gardening/handyman business and for now, I've suspended my business activities. I don't need to come into contact with my customers as most of my work is outside. I'm getting really mixed messages! North of the border it's okay for gardeners etc to work....but I keep hearing no travel unless your work is essential....which mine isn't to be fair. My neighbour has someone doing their garden and I'm not impressed....but is it just me being too willing to comply???
Any thoughts????

 

[cgtmiles]

I believe the rule is not to travel unless it’s essential and work from home if possible. The rule was not only travel to essential work is allowed. You must also be able to maintain social distancing while working, which is why there was the question about whether builders working on large sites should be allowed as it seemed impossible to maintain the 2m rule.

Not sure if this has been updated in the last few days but this was the case originally

 

[mopardave]

BBC radio newsreader just said No travel unless it's to do essential work....which mine isn't. I CAN socially isolate whilst working....that's not an issue. If I'm reading it correctly, the government guidance says "travel to and from work if you can't work from home" is permissable. Which is different to what the radio newsreader just said. By the way, I'm not moralising....I'm just confused!

 

[cgtmiles]

Looks like the advise remains the same
Coronavirus information: What should I do? Coronavirus information: What should I do?

 

[Dellmassive]

I'm still at work as unable to work from home. (Security systems installer)

If I dont work then no cash for me . . . . . No 80% HMRC or PAYE.... so I have to go to work to provide for the family etc etc or go onto GOV SSP which wont cover the food bill let alone the mortgage or van finance.

Most of the work is building site and local authority.... . . . So is in the current grey area of either building site or critical infrastructure which is currently still open and operating.

As above the main thing is to keep up the social distance measures, 2mtrs appart and keep hand washing etc etc


We have to were PPE at work anyway.. gloves, glasses, hard hat, hivis...

We have been issued with a letter to take out in the van if stopped by police etc to say why we are out........

So I think you need to make a personal choice.

Do you need to go work to pay for the family? . . . . If like us and may others we are still at work..

On the flip side my partner is currently working from home via the internet and phone as she has an office based job where they are all remote workers now. (Apparently they are MORE productive at home !!!! Just shows how much chit-chat and waisted time goes on at work!)

 

[Long tall John]

I believe you can go to work if you can keep your distance. The government want the economy to cary on as much as possible where it's safe. I question why Argos are still open, why Sainsburys and the range are allowed to sell none food, none essential items. They are encouraging people to go out.

 

[Paynewright]

I have a car which requires servicing at a specialist and they are still working. I pulled in a visit to tesco while it was being serviced last week. I bet >50% of his work is on weekend toys.

I was in two minds whether to cancel but he employs staff who all have bills to pay.

Its difficult, but gardening outside you’ll encounter less people in a week than 10 minutes in tesco albeit I guess many of your customers are elderly.


I’d carry on but put measures in place to not be in contact with customers on site - get instructions over the phone, pay on line, no cups of tea & cake etc

 

[czmate1999]

I have a car which requires servicing at a specialist and they are still working. I pulled in a visit to tesco while it was being serviced last week. I bet >50% of his work is on weekend toys.

I was in two minds whether to cancel but he employs staff who all have bills to pay.

Its difficult as gardening outside you’ll encounter less people in a week than 10 minutes in tesco albeit I guess many of your customers are elderly.


I’d carry on but put measures in place to not be in contact with customers on site - get instructions over the phone, pay on line, no cups of tea & cake etc

Sound advice. there are so many of us that the current measures do not help. I count myself as very fortunate that the missus can still work from home!!!

 

[Ian28]

My take is that as long as you can keep social distancing and cannot work from home then OK to work. Most people’s work is essential to pay their mortgages/rent/bills etc.

I have an electrician coming to our work place and a topographical surveyor coming to my house - both over the next few weeks. Could both be delayed 12 weeks? Suppose so, but then they may not have jobs by then if they don’t fit into any of the Government pay schemes (eg self employed and trading as a limited company).

I will obviously ensure that these individuals are able to work alone and with no contact.

 

[Petehelmet]

I'm still at work as unable to work from home. (Security systems installer)

If I dont work then no cash for me . . . . . No 80% HMRC or PAYE.... so I have to go to work to provide for the family etc etc or go onto GOV SSP which wont cover the food bill let alone the mortgage or van finance.

Most of the work is building site and local authority.... . . . So is in the current grey area of either building site or critical infrastructure which is currently still open and operating.

As above the main thing is to keep up the social distance measures, 2mtrs appart and keep hand washing etc etc


We have to were PPE at work anyway.. gloves, glasses, hard hat, hivis...

We have been issued with a letter to take out in the van if stopped by police etc to say why we are out........

So I think you need to make a personal choice.

Do you need to go work to pay for the family? . . . . If like us and may others we are still at work..

On the flip side my partner is currently working from home via the internet and phone as she has an office based job where they are all remote workers now. (Apparently they are MORE productive at home !!!! Just shows how much chit-chat and waisted time goes on at work!)

Same situation as myself except I'm a Fire Alarm system installer, all my jobs got cancelled last week but at work the next 2 weeks on various projects, doctors surgery, railway premises and a testing laboratory. Also been given a letter explaining key worker status given to the company I sub-contract to.

 

[Ads_Essex]

I believe you can go to work if you can keep your distance. The government want the economy to cary on as much as possible where it's safe. I question why Argos are still open, why Sainsburys and the range are allowed to sell none food, none essential items. They are encouraging people to go out.

I think this is the key part. They want the country to carry on running, as much as it can, safely. If they didn’t, then we’d all be in receipt of some kind of benefit payment.

If you’re able to work - whether you be a builder, gardener, tradesman, or what have you - then provided you’re able to keep safe, both you and the customer, then I can’t see why you cannot carry on.

The donning and changing of PPE, the cleaning down of surfaces, and the avoiding people element will certainly make the job longer and harder but, provided you’re not spreading it or catching it, then I think you’re better off working.

 

[BeePee]

I'm a gas engineer that specialises in repairing gas fires, I am at home with no income because I feel travelling to individual houses is more of a risk than I want to take, then coming back home with a potential to spread at home.
I took this decision and now have zero income !

 

[.50]

The Governments advise around work is very clear.

Only go to work if it cannot be done from home and you can maintain a 2 meter distance from anyone you come into contact with.

Anyone who does not comply with the above is putting themselves and whoever they come into contact with at risk.

I will not stop going to work untill I am told I cannot or I cannot keep 2 meters, (at least), from people.

We are going to be facing a very difficult economic future as a result of this which will be made all the more difficult by people who do still have jobs to go to, not going to them.

Every pound I continue to earn I will pay tax on, and that tax will be sorely needed as this goes on.

I am self employed, and as such always plan to be out of work for periods of time and am hoping that continuing with what little work I have left will enable me to survive further into, what will undoubtedly be, very long periods without any.

People are deluding themselves if they think the world wont be a more difficult place to live in after this, as the consequential economic effects will hard and far reaching.

 

[Tourershine]

Like many people on here, I could almost self justify going to work, and I can do my job with zero contact with my customers.

However....
When the stricter measures came in, the customer we were meant to visit the next day called me and almost put this as a moral choice. He was extremely uncomfortable about myself and my brother driving from one end of the country to the other, just to carry out none essential work on his Motorhome and after thinking about it, I fully agree with his sentiments.
We all have to make our own decisions on this subject, but bare this in mind. The public are extremely hungry for what we now know as 'Social Shaming' a new phenomenon that the media are lapping up in droves. Just take a look through the tabloid websites for full and clear photos of individuals doing some of the most basic of things like shopping at a DIY store. Tearing the members of public to death just short of public hanging in many of the comment sections. This is also a trend across all aspects of social media. It was only a couple of days ago that I saw two detailers on my Instagram tearing each other a new bottom hole over one of them working and the other not. All a total misunderstanding, but made them both look daft.

Would you want your face on the internet carrying on with your daily work, when so many are confined to their homes looking for someone to vent their frustrations at. Me personally, no thanks, but that's just my choice.

 

[JasonW]

I work for a company that are refusing to close even though the 2 meter rule is impossible to maintain in the workplace.

Ironically its a chinese owned company and the orders are coming down from the top....

Their recent statement reads ' Because Covid-19 is a global problem anyone who has returned from overseas travel recently should return immediately back to work, as it is no more of a risk than going to a local supermarket'

I had to read it twice to try and comprehend the logic...

Up to 100,000 people an hour go through an airport terminal... My local supermarket wasn't that busy even with the chaos of the loo roll panic buyers..!!

A few people here have just returned from New York . They asked the HR department regarding isolation period suggested by the Government... There response was 'the government has got it wrong, you should return straight to work..'

They're playing with peoples health just for profit gain... W**K**S !!

 

[Skyliner33]

I work for a company that are refusing to close even though the 2 meter rule is impossible to maintain in the workplace.

Snap

 

[VanDamMan]

This might sound harsh...but if you put yours in danger ..it’s not just your own skin it effects...apparently the police are stopping people travelling to London and if not essential..your being turned around
The broadcasts say....try to stay 2mt apart?...1.8 or 2.1..... no one is saying what they mean...so everyone is confused..
Is your livelihood worth more than you life......you can rebuild your living........my wife works on boats, outside so no social contact issues ...material things can be replaced can’t replace the wife....so she stopped until things get better

Please stay safe

 

[Skyliner33]

This might sound harsh...but if you put yours in danger ..it’s not just your own skin it effects...apparently the police are stopping people travelling to London and if not essential..your being turned around
The broadcasts say....try to stay 2mt apart?...1.8 or 2.1..... no one is saying what they mean...so everyone is confused..
Is your livelihood worth more than you life......you can rebuild your living........my wife works on boats, outside so no social contact issues ...material things can be replaced can’t replace the wife....so she stopped until things get better

Please stay safe

I agree, however according to all the government guidelines, Im classed as a key worker, so there is not much I can do about it apart from be as careful as possible.

 

[Dellmassive]

im hearing the same story on the building sites from other workers from other trades . . . .

seems like the building, distribution, service/engineering sector is classed as essential services and will not be closed down.

so that means all the staff relating to the above trades have to be at work . . .

the story seems to be the same.

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if you self-isolate, ur taking yourself out of work so can not claim sick pay, but use holiday owed or claim SSP from Gov.

if you have symptoms then you can co off sick for 28 days max but need a doctors note

if the site gets closed down you will be moved to another operating site.

stop moaning and get back to work - but keep social distancing


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yet if you are office/retail/entertainment business its either work from home or stay at home with 80% pay via PAYE GOV assistance


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[Skyliner33]

im hearing the same story on the building sites from other workers from other trades . . . .

seems like the building, distribution, service/engineering sector is classed as essential services and will not be closed down.

so that means all the staff relating to the above trades have to be at work . . .

the story seems to be the same.

***************************

if you self-isolate, ur taking yourself out of work so can not claim sick pay, but use holiday owed or claim SSP from Gov.

if you have symptoms then you can co off sick for 28 days max but need a doctors note

if the site gets closed down you will be moved to another operating site.

stop moaning and get back to work - but keep social distancing


**************************



yet if you are office/retail/entertainment business its either work from home or stay at home with 80% pay via PAYE GOV assistance


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Not quite, I'm in Education, but I know what you are saying.