Shady Actions from a Creche/Montessori

JustAGuy1090

Hi guys,

My girlfriend is working in a creche for the last 8 years. Yesterday after the announcement of the closure of childcare facilities all the staff were handed letters which basically said they had been let go during this period of closure. The creche in question is still charging parents to hold places for their children and, as far as I'm aware, they are still receiving payment for free preschool from the government.

They received a message this morning stating if any staff member decides to mind children during these two weeks they may not return to work until after an isolation period.

They are expected to receive no income for these two weeks or even longer if this closure is extended.

This all sounds very shady to me.My girlfriend had already discussed with some parents who needed to go to work about childcare. How can the creche dictate if they can return to work when they issued letters that were basically stating they are now not employed by the company for these two weeks.

Any advice is appreciated

BoardsMember

JustAGuy1090 wrote: »

Hi guys,

My girlfriend is working in a creche for the last 8 years. Yesterday after the announcement of the closure of childcare facilities all the staff were handed letters which basically said they had been let go during this period of closure. The creche in question is still charging parents to hold places for their children and, as far as I'm aware, they are still receiving payment for free preschool from the government.

They received a message this morning stating if any staff member decides to mind children during these two weeks they may not return to work until after an isolation period.

They are expected to receive no income for these two weeks or even longer if this closure is extended.

This all sounds very shady to me.My girlfriend had already discussed with some parents who needed to go to work about childcare. How can the creche dictate if they can return to work when they issued letters that were basically stating they are now not employed by the company for these two weeks.

Any advice is appreciated

Sounds like profiteering.

If I was a parent of that creche I would be contacting other parents and trying to unite to ensure either the staff get paid, or we stop paying, or pay a reduced amount to allow for non salary costs like rent, rates etc.

runawaybishop

JustAGuy1090 wrote: »

Hi guys,

My girlfriend is working in a creche for the last 8 years. Yesterday after the announcement of the closure of childcare facilities all the staff were handed letters which basically said they had been let go during this period of closure. The creche in question is still charging parents to hold places for their children and, as far as I'm aware, they are still receiving payment for free preschool from the government.

They received a message this morning stating if any staff member decides to mind children during these two weeks they may not return to work until after an isolation period.

They are expected to receive no income for these two weeks or even longer if this closure is extended.

This all sounds very shady to me.My girlfriend had already discussed with some parents who needed to go to work about childcare. How can the creche dictate if they can return to work when they issued letters that were basically stating they are now not employed by the company for these two weeks.

Any advice is appreciated

They are temporarily laid off and will qualify for payments, the DSP have been preparing for a surge for weeks.

JustAGuy1090

runawaybishop wrote: »

They are temporarily laid off and will qualify for payments, the DSP have been preparing for a surge for weeks.

I understand that. Why are they being laid off work if creches are still charging for services that they aren't providing and also claiming for free preschool from the government. It doesn't seem legitimate at all

runawaybishop

JustAGuy1090 wrote: »

I understand that. Why are they being laid off work if creches are still charging for services that they aren't providing and also claiming for free preschool from the government. It doesn't seem legitimate at all

They still have costs in fairness but if they are charging the parents imo the staff should be paid.

beggars_bush

Many creche owners are profiteers

Surely there's legislation somewhere to state creches cannot charge parents when they cannot provide the service?

ted1

JustAGuy1090 wrote: »

I understand that. Why are they being laid off work if creches are still charging for services that they aren't providing and also claiming for free preschool from the government. It doesn't seem legitimate at all

Ate if they are being made redundant then they need to receive mandatory redundancy pay.

Are they receiving a p45 or the modern equivalent

SnowyMuckish

Not fair on the workers, fair enough if parents weren’t being charged you’d understand it but if parents are still being charged and still receiving payment from the government you’d expect worker security. My crèche texted parents today to say that there was no charge. They are such hard workers, who do such an invaluable service, I hope they all get treated fairly they’ve earned every penny.

Victor

ted1 wrote: »

Ate if they are being made redundant then they need to receive mandatory redundancy pay.

Are they receiving a p45 or the modern equivalent

They aren't being made redundant, they are being temporarily laid off.

Claw Hammer

People can't expect to be paid for doing nothing. What the creche is doing is charging the parents for this for keeping places open not for minding the children.