Coronavirus

[RobYob]

Re IR35, if the employer has decided you fall within it and pay you in that respect (IE on books, off books, etc), the implementation of it being 'next year' doesn't make any functional difference, surely?

Also, now that the CEOs sister and nephew are showing symptoms - both of whom work here - suddenly WFH is being considered.

Oh. What. A. Shock.

"There’s locking the stable door after the horse has bolted and then there’s locking the stable door after the horse has bolted, died of old age and long since been turned into glue."

Talk about 11th hour. I've little confidence HR can react quickly enough withdraw their SDS and reinstate my old contract in the next twelve days. I imagine the thousands of contractors forced into umbrellas or permie or out of work over the last six months will be ready to riot this morning.

For me it'll give HR another 12months to correctly categorise my work if and continue the other backups I've already doing (without much success, see my "Automotive industry is FUBAR" post earlier)

What a fucking debarcle.

[Swervin_Mervin]

Rumour up here that schools will close on Friday for the foreseeable.

We've taken our lad out of school from today. Yesterday parents were casually letting others know via a fvcking WhatsApp group that their kids have symptoms, rather than letting the school know the stupid cvnts.

So we've had to inform the school instead.

[Mito Man]

Hopefully it’s less of an issue now that many are WFH. Kids can still receive their education online, I don’t know how it is these days but even 10 years ago I was submitting most of my prep via the school portal and all the powerpoints and webinar things were on that.

[Zonda_]

If the schools close I don't get paid. Email today says 60 students are self isolating, it was 26 yesterday. These are not school kids skiving either, they are doing their A levels and don't miss unless they have too.

[dinny_g]

I'm in the office downloading a load of documents and templates and will be working from home for the foreseeable future starting in about half an hour. Our network is up to the challenge of Home Working but I'm just trying to be efficient and keep of the network when I don't need to.

Nipper's school is still open but they're sending kids home for as little as clearing their throat in class, it's only a matter of time. I'm taking the decision and keeping him off from today anyway.

[Rich B]

Work wise, we’re pushing to keep everything running “as normal” where possible, treating this as a blip to get over. We’re not the most technologically advanced but we’re learning - I’m just in my first “Teams” meeting, once it’s up and running it’s ok - I think I’ll be doing most meetings that way over the next few weeks...

Seeing LOTS of stories of people being laid off though, that worries me as much as anything.

[Ascender]

Re IR35, if the employer has decided you fall within it and pay you in that respect (IE on books, off books, etc), the implementation of it being 'next year' doesn't make any functional difference, surely?

Also, now that the CEOs sister and nephew are showing symptoms - both of whom work here - suddenly WFH is being considered.

Oh. What. A. Shock.

The damage has been done for the majority of contractors. I couldn't find another outside contract so have taken one as inside, but my client won't waste time reversing their blanket decision, especially as its just a delay.

Many positions have been outsourced, many contractors have walked-out due to the rate decrease. With corona, clients are considering stopping work and putting more people out of a job.

I'm grateful to be in work just now, but its a bitter pill to swallow given the big drop in pre-tax income, especially in uncertain times like this.

FWIW, there were a lot of delays in the public sector too, so I'm sure it is just a delay, even though The Lords ripped it to shreds.

[integrale_evo]

If the schools close I don't get paid. Email today says 60 students are self isolating, it was 26 yesterday. These are not school kids skiving either, they are doing their A levels and don't miss unless they have too.

Lol, when I was a student I would happily have taken a no questions asked two week break at any point if I knew I could have got away with it.

Actually pleasantly surprised at how few people at work have taken the chance to do the same. I was convinced that as soon as it was announced it would be carnage, but so far it's only three people. Two from the same household who always get everything going and take more time off sick each year than anyone else, plus one chap from the night shift.

[McSwede]

Nice to have a good new story from a Yorkshire Greengrocer. Well done them!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-engla ... s-51930987

[Zonda_]

Nice to have a good new story from a Yorkshire Greengrocer. Well done them!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-engla ... s-51930987

They won't have much to pick, I was in our local one yesterday and it was like a science from communist Russia! Rows of empty shelves and freezers

[Carlos]

If the schools close I don't get paid. Email today says 60 students are self isolating, it was 26 yesterday. These are not school kids skiving either, they are doing their A levels and don't miss unless they have too.

Prepare to do some tutoring via web call or in person if appropriate. My daughter's science tutor who is a college lecturer has messaged yesterday to say he will be doing Maths tutoring if the schools/colleges are closed.

Get whoring

[Beany]

[mention]RobYob[/mention] [mention]Ascender[/mention] - you might find this useful - a list of major companies and their IR35/off payroll position.

If your current position is fucking you over, it might be worth a sniff if you're considering looking for other contracts.

https://offpayroll.org.uk/

[RobYob]

@RobYob @Ascender - you might find this useful - a list of major companies and their IR35/off payroll position.

If your current position is fucking you over, it might be worth a sniff if you're considering looking for other contracts.

https://offpayroll.org.uk/

Interesting tool thanks! Most big automotive have gone the blanket decision, Bentley appears to be the only one doing the right thing, maybe they are not in a position to lose people?

[Mito Man]

Has anyone seen the Ocado website

[240PP]

So glad I’m not a fussy eater.

[Beany]

Has anyone seen the Ocado website

Amazing.

[NotoriousREV]

They've closed their App down completely.

[Holley]

In 15 years working in insurance I've never seen anything like it. Clients with private medical insurance might not be able to be seen any quicker as private hospitals will need to support the NHS (one client was upset that he can't get a Hip replacement for over 6 months. He's kicking himself for cancelling his appointment he had in January).

Several insurers that offer income protection are excluding Covid-19 on new plans (they will cover existing). I'll imagine they will all likely follow suit.

Amazingly though some insurers are covering my clients for self-isolation even if they don't have symptoms themselves (as long as its following medical guidelines from their GP). Although it's too late to jump on the bandwagon now sadly (well, only on short deferred policies).

[V8Granite]

Our boys primary school has 60 people home but I’m quite confident that 90% of them will be for no genuine reason.

Ours are staying in till we are told not to.

The school seem to be acting very sensibly till now, I’m impressed.

Dave!

[scotta]

Schools in scotland to close from Friday and direct quote from Sturgeon - " At this stage we cannot promise that they will reopen before the summer holidays"

oh. fuck.