Husband and wife employed on farm what to do with kids.

[betweenthelines]

TBH nobody should be taking their kids to work. Wouldn't do it if you worked in a factory, office, building site etc. so why should it be acceptable on a farm.

You have children you should make proper arrangements for their care, which may well include only one parent working.

Too many people regard schools as little more than free childcare, which was why there were howls of anguish when lock down forced the closure of schools-parents had to look after their own kids, how awful!

 

[goodevans]

I was just about to say if you both worked in a cotton mill could you take them with you,be a bit like the Victorian times

 

[honeyend]

TBH nobody should be taking their kids to work. Wouldn't do it if you worked in a factory, office, building site etc. so why should it be acceptable on a farm.

You have children you should make proper arrangements for their care, which may well include only one parent working.

Too many people regard schools as little more than free childcare, which was why there were howls of anguish when lock down forced the closure of schools-parents had to look after their own kids, how awful!

I agree, but only if the wages are going to cover child care, if not he is going to lose one worker, perhaps both. This may be the objective, I am a great thinker about peoples motives, but your work contract is often based on your working pattern/ working conditions, so suddenly changing it could be construed as constructive dismissal.
If you have worked there for over two years you have employment rights, negotiate, even try job share 50/50, so you do not lose out. If you leave and do not get another job it may affect any benefits. I think you need some help from Citizens Advice.

 

[kiwi pom]

I agree, but only if the wages are going to cover child care, if not he is going to lose one worker, perhaps both. This may be the objective, I am a great thinker about peoples motives, but your work contract is often based on your working pattern/ working conditions, so suddenly changing it could be construed as constructive dismissal.
If you have worked there for over two years you have employment rights, negotiate, even try job share 50/50, so you do not lose out. If you leave and do not get another job it may affect any benefits. I think you need some help from Citizens Advice.

As parents they have to realise that they can't both work a full time job, especially if its longer than normal hours, if they don't have childcare sorted.
It really isn't the bosses problem, he's actually been very lucky not to have been caught out with workers children on the farm. It would be very unfair to go after the boss now he has finally said enough is enough.

If the boss decided to supply some kind of childcare for his staff, he could certainly do it to help them, but it's really their problem not his.

 

[kiwi pom]

Who from, the Boss or the lad? Not acceptable from either...

The boss.
It's actually worse than that because the lad recently had Covid but the family were still outside round the yard, jumping in tractors working alongside staff etc.

 

[haybob]

Some bosses don't see that their employees are sacrificing hours of family time during busy times on the farm. You sound like good hardworking people who deserve a better work life balance with a different boss .

 

[honeyend]

As parents they have to realise that they can't both work a full time job, especially if its longer than normal hours, if they don't have childcare sorted.
It really isn't the bosses problem, he's actually been very lucky not to have been caught out with workers children on the farm. It would be very unfair to go after the boss now he has finally said enough is enough.

If the boss decided to supply some kind of childcare for his staff, he could certainly do it to help them, but it's really their problem not his.

It is the boss's problem, thats why he is suddenly become aware of the legal implications. If part of the contract has become 'flexible working around the children', through work patterns, he has allowed that to happen, it's not their fault. Like I say they need legal advice

 

[honeyend]

As parents they have to realise that they can't both work a full time job, especially if its longer than normal hours, if they don't have childcare sorted.
It really isn't the bosses problem, he's actually been very lucky not to have been caught out with workers children on the farm. It would be very unfair to go after the boss now he has finally said enough is enough.

If the boss decided to supply some kind of childcare for his staff, he could certainly do it to help them, but it's really their problem not his.

It is the boss's problem, thats why he is suddenly become aware of the legal implications. If part of the contract has become 'flexible working around the children', through work patterns, he has allowed that to happen, it's not their fault. Like I say they need legal advice

 

[betweenthelines]

The boss's problem is that he can't have an 8 year old and an 11 year old unsupervised on his premises. Both parents cannot give full attention to both their children and the job they are paid to do.

Farming has a terrible accident record, what happens if one of the 4 family members gets a serious injury? HSE will be all over it like a rash-f it's one of the kids, it'll be due to lack of supervision, if it's a parent, it'll be because they failed to give full attention to what they were doing.

I'd also like to know how happy the kids are, having to be out "helping" mum and dad all the time. Even farmers kids don't spend every hour of the school holiday's helping dad or mum on the farm.

 

[MRT]

We have tried since we have been here to convince the boss to get vet students to help.. I really rate a vet student as you can mould them into how you want stuff done previous place we were lambing 2000 ewes and had had 8 vet students split over the period of lambing..

They are variable IME, some excellent stock people, hard working >> life long friends, some entitled, bored, vegan, instagram jokers who don't want to be there

 

[betweenthelines]

I'd be interested to know if this was the plan when the boss took on the OP-that two kids would have to be dragged along to work whenever they weren't at school. Obviously if this was more than three years ago the youngest would have been there (at the workplace) most of the time.

Perhaps the boss thought this might just be a temporary thing for a few weeks and is using insurance as an excuse as he isn't happy with the situation?

 

[beefandsleep]

To be fair to the boss here it would terrify me having someone else’s kids on the farm all day, it’s just so dangerous now. However he does need to acknowledge, as he is employing both parents, that childcare at the moment has been difficult to organise. If only for this year extra cover should have been arranged.

 

[kiwi pom]

Perhaps it's time for them both to move on, find a better paid or more reasonable hours job and where they can manage on one income or have one partner take a school hours job.

 

[Flatlander]

The boss was probably aware of the situation from the beginning but turned a blind eye. Partly to get lambing done but also to help the family over a difficult period without childcare. But as time went by it was time to put an end to it. Hse would crucify the boss in the event of an accident. Tough on all parties to resolve. Heard of some business joining resources and having their own child care programs. This farm isn’t alone in covid times with childcare issues.

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

The boss was probably aware of the situation from the beginning but turned a blind eye.

Let's face it, no one could of predicted schools closed for as long, turning a blind eye was good of him, but its probably wearing thin now,
If something was to happen to either of the kids, HSE would go through everything and could be up for a hefty fine, could even be more than a years wages for the staff,
It OK having kids about odd days, as you remember and think on there about, and be extra careful, but day after day familiarity sets in, and lax at keeping an eye on them,
No one would like it if a guy came to your house the fix a washing machine or service the central heating system with 2 kids in tow with him, and that would be less of a danger,
Think that the OP has been taking the p155 on this, and should of made other arrangements before now,

 

[Wombat]

I'd be interested to know if this was the plan when the boss took on the OP-that two kids would have to be dragged along to work whenever they weren't at school. Obviously if this was more than three years ago the youngest would have been there (at the workplace) most of the time.

Perhaps the boss thought this might just be a temporary thing for a few weeks and is using insurance as an excuse as he isn't happy with the situation?

I read it as they only are getting dragged along now due to covid and all the crap that goes with it.

We have the same thing, the kids cannot go to their normal child care which we would happily pay for so i have had to say to work, 9 am and 3:30 i am out for 30mins each to take the kids too and from school. It is what it is though due to covid so what can we do