Who has an AC who’s lost a job due to virus?

Yes mine he was on his last few days from completing his notice, when lock down began, but was assured by his new employer his job was safe.

Last week he got a phone call letting him go.

Not only has he lost his job though he has lost his company car so he now has no transport to pick his children up, its looking like he will lose his home as well as his landlord only takes working people, so its been put back up for rent but they will let him stay until they find someone.

He will end up with a bill from them as obviously he can’t pay his rent.

So his whole life has been destroyed by covid 19.

All my AC are okay as are most of the older GC but one GS who had only joined his company last year was let go as soon as the epidemic started. A case of last in first out. His wife was due to gave a baby a few weeks later so at least he is able to be at home to help with the baby and 3 year old GGS. Despite looking for jobs all the time there isnt much around and the ones he has applied for he hasnt heard back from. His brothers though have been working right through. One GS and his partner work for Amazon so have been busier than ever.
Thinking of everyone having such a difficult time and having to rethink everything. I was there in the early 90s and am just grateful I am longer of working age.

My DD and SiL have (had!) a small craft cafe that ran workshops and events . They cannot see when they will ever be able to open with the regulation 2 metre space between tables . Very worrying for everyone

Try to get your son to reframe this in his mind. He has discovered what he doesn't like and found what he does. This gives him the opportunity to search for similar jobs that he know will more than likely suit him. If he was a different person, he would have stayed in a job which he hated and had a very miserable, unsatisfied life. Instead he was brave in saying that it wasn't for him despite all he had invested in his training. (Believe me, he really isn't alone in finding out that teaching was not an enjoyable experience and is one of the biggest problems in the profession.)

My son in the US lost his job right at the start of the pandemic. Unable to,pay the mortgage, his house has been foreclosed ( no mortgage windows there) and his ex wife is refusing to allow him to see his children because he cannot afford to pay the maintenance. He is not a citizen but does have permanent residency and the right to work but he is not allowed unemployment benefits nor any special Covid funds. It looks as if he might be deported.

Unfortunately his way of coping is to distance himself and ignore things so at the moment he is ignoring my attempts to contact him so my anxiety is sky high.

Sadly like many my DS who was put on furlough is now to be made redundant which is likely to stop him buying his first home which he and his partner have worked very hard to save a deposit for its awful and makes me feel helpless and i think he will be one of many as the impact of this situation goes on all I can say is keep listening to him and talking to let him know you are there for him

My son who loves his cabin crew job at BA is furloughed and I am so worried as he spent years doing jobs he hated until getting this ideal job. Anything could happen, although I imagine in the long run, we must return to some normal life. The 1918 Spanish flu came and went and this must too. It’s the uncertainty which is so trying. Life can be so unfair and who would have thought so many things would implode like this?He has fixed himself up with another hated job. When our children suffer, we suffer so much too.
But to me, health is the most important thing (but mental health will suffer) and I will help as far as I can.

I tried to send this as a pm, but think I failed
You are right Menopause and they were very apologetic but were only able to furlough a percentage of their staff and not unreasonably were offering this to staff who were planning to stay on after the furlough period. She was not prepared to appeal or have any unpleasantness and she was among friends!
She was in a senior position and it would have involved (as before) regular buying trips to China, trade fairs in Germany and commuting to their head office in the city. Frankly she did not want to go on with this sort of high powered career anyway, her little boy is now 15 months and she still gives him the occasional breast feed So a more flexible arrangement closer to home was what she wanted. Just bad luck with the timing and that the start-up company she is joining will take longer to get properly on their feet. It is easy to fall through the net isn’t it?
Middle D was able to apply for the self-employed grant but even there, that is based on average earnings for the previous three years -one of which she was on maternity leave and earning nothing!
Can’t win them all (sometimes you can’t win any of the !)
I hope your business gets back on its feet ASAP and all goes well for you.
Thank you for your interest,

So lucky really. Two AC who have kept jobs. One Dil also. Other DiL had to close business (curtains, blinds) but is working towards reopening on 18th June. Will be a different business by appointment only. At the very beginnings of this pandemic I did realise there will be a lot of real hardship suffered by many people and none through their own actions. Easy to say but unless money is available to give all that can be offered is support and understanding of how dire some lives will be.. It's just awful.

Menopause thanks for your good advice I’ve tried to persuade my daughter to do what you suggest but she won’t hear of it she’s so independent and stubborn. She was just getting back on her feet (literally) she still isn’t able to drive unfortunately but because she has savings to hopefully house herself (at present living with a son and fiancée) she isn’t able to claim anything and of course her savings will dwindle away supporting her in the meantime. So unfair to everybody affected.

I was in a similar situation to your son I left school and got a my dream job working with children. They closed down after a year and I took a job in a shop until I could find the right job unfortunately stayed for 14 years. AT 40 I moved
and had a mother I was looking after and a Husband unable to work for a while I did a correspondence course in book -keeping. Sadly mum died and I then went to evening course and at 44 started my own accountancy business at home and my Husband worked with me. He just needs to focus on what he likes and go for it. 40 is not to late to achieve a good career and a happy one. It can also give him a good future to retire in. Unlike your son I left school
with no real qualifications so it I can do it anyone can.

So many difficult experiences shared here. Nanamar your son is one among many, and I'd say many in his generation and those younger have had a lot to cope with (student debt, financial crisis, insecure employment ...)

Among my 6 AC and partners, 1 is newly-redundant, and employment is looking precarious for all but the teacher among the remaining 5 (and she has been crazy-overworked). We have to look for chinks of hope, and support good change wherever we can.

Yes, my son's partner has just been made redundant. Also my Nephew and his two half sisters.

Yes. Furloughed and then will be made redundant. A kick in the teeth given that earlier in the year, the firm threw a party to celebrate his 20 years of loyal service. Hopefully he will find something else before too long. It's happening to so many people.

MawB & TANITH
MawB
As far as I am aware your youngest Dd’s firm could have taken her back on their books legally even if she had handed her notice in on 28th February.
The government encouraged employers to do this to staff that had either left, (Even I believe up to 4 wks before lockdown) been given notice to quit or were due to be given notice to quit or due to leave sometime during the lockdown. This was to help ensure that people still had some sort of income while the lockdown was in effect. It would definitely be worth your DD checking with her old company to see if they would do this for her especially as Wednesday 10th June is the cut off for employers putting additional staff on to furlough. As a company it would have been the decent thing to do & It would not have cost the company any money as the government are obviously paying the 80%.

TANITH - not very nice of your DD’s company to do that but obviously they wanted it done before the 2year mark!
But again the government asked all companies not to do this but to instead keep staff on & claim furlough for them & then sort out any leaving etc after the lockdown.

I run a hair salon that had not been as financially healthy as I would have liked it to have been before lockdown so to help it out I had not taken a wage since Jan.
When the lockdown happened I was able to furlough my staff including one member who had handed her notice in on 15th March, as advised by the government I took her back on & furloughed her.
But because I myself had not been taking a wage to my shock & complete horror I found that I was not actually eligible for furlough myself!
I do not come under self employed either as it is a Ltd company so I fall through the net as they say.
I know I am certainly not the only person in this situation, my accountant after much checking could not help with a solution so the only option I have is to claim Universal Credit which if eligible I should receive on 9th July! I run a business employ 6 people pay tax, NI & company tax, & as asked to by the government I have kept a leaving member of staff on my books & furloughed her, yet I have received no help for myself, madness!
TANITH please get your daughter to take advice (even just a phone call to the citizens advise) I obviously don’t know the reason your daughter was given for being ‘let go’ but having spoken to my employment advisors before & throughout this lockdown I know that it is very difficult in normal times to have a Legitimate reason to let an employee go especially if they have health issues but in the current situation the law is very much on the employees side when it comes losing your job.
I have heard of many companies exploiting this situation with regard to wages & letting staff go, please make the effort to check it as you may find that your daughter hasn’t been treated fairly. If nothing else they should have had the decency to keep her furloughed as they where asked to do!

Sorry for such a long text & I hope that you both take my advice & do some checking with a favorable outcome for your DD’s

I have two friends whose offspring have been made redundant. My DD was furloughed immediately but is going back for a week parttime so we are hopeful she will still have a job.

Nanamar, you say your son is beating himself up because of his choices. It does sound as though your he has a 'negative attribution style' which occurs when people are depressed and tend always to blame themselves. Try to reframe the situation for him. It's a global pandemic - it's not him! It is awful when your children are hurting, isn't it? If you think he is really sinking into depression again, try to get help. However, looking at the positive, there will be opportunities aplenty for those looking for them in the coming months if they are prepared to be open and flexible. What are his skills? Can he start a small online presence, based on his interests, just to keep himself busy in the meantime? One of my children is a solo web-designer and she has been inundated with requests to set up websites for solo businesses, showing that people are getting economically active. Other daughter is furloughed and has been home-educating son. She has set up an ETSY account selling personalised embroidered face-masks. It's only pin-money, but it's something to give purpose during this imposed period out of normal employment. Good luck!

In the short term, to tide people over, I don't know how you get into it but I am sure there are lots of farmers who would really appreciate some help with fruit picking etc. It may be low paid but it at least doing something useful - often in the fresh air and sunshine and it would also provide exercise to get those good feeling endorphins working! Also, it would be doing something for others (another feel-good factor) - and helping the economy.
I remember potato picking and fruit picking when I was a kid and I absolutely loved it!

DS is currently working for a university on a fixed term contract ending at the end of this month. His wife is training to become a vicar but is currently pregnant so will be taking a year off from the training next academic year. He has got another job starting in October but it is in Germany so they have to deal with moving abroad with a newborn! Between June and October he will be unemployed unless he is able to do any private tutoring so I'm not sure how they will be financing things. I'm only in a position to help a little bit - buying some of the stuff they will need for the baby - but they are going to live with DiL's parents so at least no rent to pay! I'm aware some people are in much more difficult circumstances and really feel for them. DD is working from home but many of her colleagues are furloughed and as she works for an orchestra as a planner the future is uncertain. We are all grateful for what we do have, especially our health!

So many are in this situation - one of my sons included. However, we all know that it is easier to get a job IF you already have one. Many many firms are hiring and desperate for delivery drivers - may not be what one wants to do but it will be seen more favourably by future employers and pay better than Universal Credit.

I think many who are currently furloughed will not be taken back but they just don't know it yet. Very worrying for all at moment. Some will lose their homes for sure.

My ds1 was furloughed as lorry driver as they you to supply schools and pubs. Home for 7 weeks to then back to work but delivering pallets of gravel and DIY stuff to individuals.
Ds2 works through agency and still furloughed but it sounds like he will be returning to previous work soon. Company he worked for now have all their own staff back and will be taking some agency back from July 1st and hopefully all by end of July.
Dd works for company in HR. There are 1600in company. She has had call to tell her over 800 will lose their jobs. She said she will likely have to work out the redundancy packaged then she thinks she will be let go. She has worked there almost 8 years. She has 3 months notice built into her contract. She says in a recession no one wants hr as no training, no bonuses and no promotions. They had a 5 year fix on mortgage come to end so got a new fix on a much better rate so mortgage almost £200 month cheaper now. Her husbands job is ok at moment though. She is looking about for new job but not seen any advertised. She has to work to help pay high mortgage. At moment furloughed and looking after 2 dgc 5 and almost 2.

If she loses her job I will offer her help towards mortgage. Probably give her our holiday money as it does not look like we will get holiday out of UK this year. She has said maybe she could get part time and then less nursery fees. I am worried about them.

Yes my AD is going through the Redundancy process - basically they have managed without her for 3 months as she has been shielding for herself and me, and he has incorporated her job into the ones that are still there and can pay them a lot less anyway! She is heartbroken - she has severe MH issues (been waiting years to get the appropriate treatment) and was only managing that job as she had done it before - I doubt she will ever manage to work again.

We now have to fight the benefits system and will potentially lose he roof over our heads as I cannot manage without her income either as I am also ill and unable to work and have been for a decade - I am very asset rich and cash poor but buying in this area is virtually impossible and you don't get houses much smaller than my cottage! In any case, if I pay off my mortgage the council will grab that extra income to pay for my care - so am I going to be any better off moving?? Possibly not ..... it would be helpful if I could actually manage to speak with my bank, (currently have a complaint in with the Financial Ombudsman about them as have been trying to sort something for years now) but it seems that is impossible too .....?

My daughter wants to die, and I am not that far behind her - I am also going through a cancer scare. If it weren't for my little DGDs then I doubt I would be here much longer. In any case I will probably end up having a stroke with all the stress, it is just constant .......

I am in touch with the MH and Money Advice Service who are calling tomorrow - if they don't come up with anything then I don't know what to do?

My DiL is a oboe player, freelance like most classical musicians. She has had no work since lockdown, apart from a bit of online teaching. The Guardian today reports that there are fears that classical music will not recover from this pandemic.

Such worrying times that will take its toll on our mental health.
DS is currently being assessed for redundancy, he has just signed a 12 month lease on a rental property, sharing with two others who are also at risk. I worry for him and his future and feel so powerless to help. I am so glad I am nearing the end of my working life but feel so sorry for those that are just starting out on theirs.