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demmiblue

(36,841 posts)
Thu Jul 2, 2020, 01:06 PM Jul 2020

Florida State just barred many employees from caring for kids while working remotely. Moms ask:

Florida State just barred many employees from caring for kids while working remotely. Moms ask: ‘What am I supposed to do?’

Jenny Root is used to receiving emails about the coronavirus from Florida State University: They come every few days, updating employees on the latest travel advice and estimates for when campus might reopen.

When the Friday afternoon email arrived, Root, who has a 7-month-old daughter, was pumping. Phone in one hand, she scrolled until an unfamiliar subhead caught her attention: “Remote Work Update.”

“In March 2020, the University communicated a temporary exception to policy which allowed employees to care for children at home while on the Temporary Remote Work agreement,” the email read. “Effective, August 7, 2020, the University will return to normal policy and will no longer allow employees to care for children while working remotely.”

Root, an assistant professor of special education, struggled to parse the “bizarre” message she was reading. It just didn’t make sense, she said: Throughout coronavirus, her boss had been extremely supportive, encouraging Root as she juggled her usual workload with child care for her baby and 4-year-old son, all while applying for tenure. Now the school seemed to be saying that employees couldn’t juggle anymore: Do your work, or watch your children. You cannot do both.

https://www.thelily.com/florida-state-just-barred-many-employees-from-caring-for-kids-while-working-remotely-moms-ask-what-am-i-supposed-to-do/




14 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Florida State just barred many employees from caring for kids while working remotely. Moms ask: (Original Post) demmiblue Jul 2020 OP
How can they possibly enforce this? pnwest Jul 2020 #1
As someone working remotely, supervising remotely, and directing remotely... Pacifist Patriot Jul 2020 #3
By making you be available on video during the work day SoCalNative Jul 2020 #10
Even without video, any computer work time is (or can easily be) clocked. If you stop to think... Hekate Jul 2020 #14
WTF? fleur-de-lisa Jul 2020 #2
This soothsayer Jul 2020 #4
I had a zoom meeting last week with a group of academics from various institutions. redstatebluegirl Jul 2020 #5
That's completely normal these days. FU, FSU! lagomorph777 Jul 2020 #6
Their Faux pas Jul 2020 #7
Florid-DUH State University hatrack Jul 2020 #8
have to kinda' wonder is someone in FSU HR stopdiggin Jul 2020 #9
That's just fucked up. Nevilledog Jul 2020 #11
Funny thing even with a caretaker in the house exboyfil Jul 2020 #12
Make no mistake: this will derail the careers of women much more than men. Jenny Root ... Hekate Jul 2020 #13

SoCalNative

(4,613 posts)
10. By making you be available on video during the work day
Thu Jul 2, 2020, 02:15 PM
Jul 2020

at all times, and clocking the time that you are away.

Hekate

(90,644 posts)
14. Even without video, any computer work time is (or can easily be) clocked. If you stop to think...
Thu Jul 2, 2020, 05:46 PM
Jul 2020

...or to get a cup of coffee, or stop to pee. The Great God Technology has you on an invisible chain, and it can be yanked.

This observation of mine goes back decades, to when laptop computer manufacturers were running ads showing happy adults taking happy kids fishing or to the beach. Look! You can multitask! Your kid gets precious time with you while at the same time you productively work on your laptop computer. Riiight.

Jobs like my husband’s are really rare. He and his team work remotely and are paid for the finished product or ongoing process, and time is pretty fluid. Thank God this arrangement was grandfathered in.

The latest new boss wants to see people right in front of their supervisor, being physically monitored — or he did until India (where most of the workers who code now are) slammed everything shut because of COVID 19. Now they’re at home for the duration, but I bet he checks their computer logs to make sure they are giving full value as to time.

redstatebluegirl

(12,265 posts)
5. I had a zoom meeting last week with a group of academics from various institutions.
Thu Jul 2, 2020, 01:28 PM
Jul 2020

At one point a professor was making a presentation when her daughter came in and said "mommy I need to go potty". Everyone laughed and the moderator, a man by the way, told her to go ahead and help her we would come back to her. A few minutes later she returned and we started again, no issues. What are these assholes thinking?

stopdiggin

(11,296 posts)
9. have to kinda' wonder is someone in FSU HR
Thu Jul 2, 2020, 01:55 PM
Jul 2020

(or several someones?) isn't looking at a very bumpy ride for the next couple weeks.

CYA will be raised to exponential levels, but someone is going to be exposed as the fu**wit that they are. Superiors really don't like it when your name becomes a theme for late night comedy.

exboyfil

(17,862 posts)
12. Funny thing even with a caretaker in the house
Thu Jul 2, 2020, 02:21 PM
Jul 2020

The kids sneak into your office/room. My kids were 4 and 6 the last time I worked at home (17+ years ago). Occasionally they would appear in spite of my wife watching them.

Seems like my work is worried now and requiring us to sign Flexible Employment paperwork that I think includes a clause about children.

Hekate

(90,644 posts)
13. Make no mistake: this will derail the careers of women much more than men. Jenny Root ...
Thu Jul 2, 2020, 02:29 PM
Jul 2020

...is currently on tenure track. After August, she won’t be.

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