Pandemic Employment: Are You Essential

darwinstheory

These are crazy and unprecedented times for sure. Most states have travel and business restrictions (including my state). However despite being on swing shift and on the roads at different times, there doesn't seem to be a large difference in cars on the road the last week or two. Noticable, yes, but not like I would expect. I am located in a rural area and suspect that plays a part in seeing nearly as many people commuting. 

What's your situation? 

darwinstheory

Still working - considered essential

Steel isn't going to make itself. 

Side note: a big thank you to the real essential people out there! Your work does not go unappreciated. 

hauntingfamiliar

I'm not going to vote in your pole because I'm out of work for school and would skew your results! But for the record I would be out of a job in my new field of work due to the pandemic. Massage therapy and human touch are a bit frowned upon these days.

My ex delivers beer to grocery stores. His job is still deemed essential in my state, NC. I guess they also distribute sparkling waters (about 8% of their sales) so maybe that's why? Either way, beer is essential for my sanity right now so I'm happy. 

darwinstheory

Still working - considered essential

^beer - the only pandemic purchase I have made so far. 

F Me In The Brain

Still working - considered essential

Wfh.  Company provides some essential support.  My job itself is nothing t essential

(Essential to the company, for sure, but not for others to live.  I think FAR too many jobs are labled as essential right now.  I always want people to be able to work but it is a fucking joke what is considered essential at this point.  It should be essential that we stop the spread of death)

mickeyrat

Still working - considered essential

Truck Driver. Less Than Truckload.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Less-than-truckload_shipping

eeriepadave

Out of work - voluntarily or otherwise

I work mainly in retail clothing store in the receiving area and we closed temporarily. Hope to be back next month.

MayDay10

Still working - WFH

Still working.  From home.  Company is essential.  Environmental cleanup.  Still powering through the worst of it on my projects in New Jersey and parts on New York so I am hopeful that I will be employed through this.  

I love working from home.

stuckinline

Still working - WFH

Working from home for the next week or so to finish up reports, then I will be out of work.

23scidoo

Out of work - voluntarily or otherwise

Last day of work was 13th of March..

deadendp

Out of work - voluntarily or otherwise

Gallery buyer and display staff. When people are hungry, art is not what they need to feed a family. 

Our seamstress is driving around and delivering masks to our houses. I asked her what I can pay her. She said that she just wants to see us all back to work when we are allowed to be. 

rw160510

Still working - considered essential

Trying to cram 5 days of lab work into 3 days and working from home the other 2 days.

brianlux

Out of work - voluntarily or otherwise

Out of work both voluntarily (my book and record business) and mandatory (working at my wife's bookstore).  To me, book and records are as essential as food, clothing and shelter, but in the world at large, they are considered non-essential.  But I understand the need to close retail stores and I also voluntarily put on hold my on-line book sales through Biblio to comply with the stay at home recommendation because I think that's the right thing to do.  We only go out for absolute necessities. 

g under p

Still working - considered essential

Here in Palm Beach County, I'm working at a Wholesale Club as a food specialist. I've deemed essential because I make the orders for merchandise then display the paper products, food etc in a way where members will buy.

However, if placed our merch on the roof people would STILL come and buy. We've had to bring in corporate security just to keep order. We had 3 different times that we open....7am first responders etc, 8am senior citizens and 9am the general public.

It's been the best time I've had at work in that our nights are very busy and I work mostly by myself. We can work as much as we want and the entire club is getting paid more except the managers.

Peace

RunIntoTheRain

Still working - considered essential

I work at Costco

1ThoughtKnown

Still working - considered essential

I work in electrical transmission. Although I am technically corporate services... I directly support the Field Operations group which supplies electricity to 85% of the province of Alberta.  Working from home and out in the field at substations and transmission line job locations while strictly adhering to physical distancing protocols.  Linemen and Substation Techs are specialized folks and we are doing everything we can to prevent a rash of COVID19 ravaging the crews. The P&C and Telecom guys are also important but not visiting them as the work is primarily indoor making physical distancing difficult/impossible.
Our pandemic planning began in February. We were ready. Everyone needs power. 

1ThoughtKnown

Still working - considered essential

brianlux said:

To me, book and records are as essential as food, clothing and shelter, but in the world at large, they are considered non-essential.  

I agree with this statement 100%.  I could really use a bunch of new records and books with all this extra time. Great for society as whole to expand minds and consider new concepts. 

xavier mcdaniel

Out of work - voluntarily or otherwise

I'm a full-time freelancer and some of my work revolves around games being played. One of my jobs is writing previews and game stories for a national wire service, so that's on hiatus. I also work in publishing doing proofreading and while it's easier to look at the layouts on-site in the office, it can be done remotely. I also have another freelance sportswriting job but that can be done remotely. I'm used to working remotely by now and while it stinks a pandemic our government dropped the ball on preparations for, I can wait for the adults in the room to give the all-clear for these games to resume, whether that's June 1 or later this year or whenever. It's much more important to get this cleared out than playing games. I have many things I can do from home (including posting on here) and when you consider the perspective of those in World War 2 in Europe, staying at home like this is nothing. 

markymark550

Still working - WFH

Working from home, although I am in a state with no stay at home order. Everything has pretty much shut down though, so it's basically like a stay at home order.

brianlux

Out of work - voluntarily or otherwise

I'm essentially out of a job right now.  Does that count?

rgambs

Out of work - voluntarily or otherwise

Optometry is considered essential, but opticianry is not... So my wife, the OD, is available for emergencies, but not performing routine eye exams.  One of us goes in for 4 hours every day to take phone calls and do what little administrative work is left (mostly it's been dealing with unemployment and trying to secure a piece of the small business relief.  The doors are locked and no money is coming in, but little is going out...the small business loan is supposed to cover payroll to any W-2 employee, so hopefully we can survive long enough to open the doors back up and resume business.