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Pandemic Employment: Are You Essential

darwinstheorydarwinstheory LaPorte, IN Posts: 6,729
in All Encompassing Trip
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? 
"A smart monkey doesn't monkey around with another monkey's monkey" - Darwin's Theory

Pandemic Employment: Are You Essential 45 votes

Out of work - voluntarily or otherwise
22%
xavier mcdanielHoroskenshuntDewieCoxBLACK35eeriepadavebrianluxrgambs23scidoodeadendp 10 votes
Still working - considered essential
48%
CantKeepmedownPureandEasyjeffbrdarwinstheorylastexit78Nitrojosevolutionfifeg under pmickeyratPJFAN13pearljammr78RS151862rw160510F Me In The BrainEarlWelshtempo_n_groovejhager791ThoughtKnownRunIntoTheRain 22 votes
Still working - WFH
28%
mca47mcgruff10MayDay10stuckinlinemarkymark550mfc2006SVRDhand13jwhjr17angry_skullseanwonGlorified KCPurple Fairy Treecraigraether 13 votes
Pandemic? What pandemic? I live in one of the 8 states (down from 10 yesterday) that currently does not have any stay at home orders.
0%
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Comments

  • darwinstheorydarwinstheory LaPorte, IN Posts: 6,729
    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. 
    "A smart monkey doesn't monkey around with another monkey's monkey" - Darwin's Theory
  • hauntingfamiliarhauntingfamiliar Wilmington, NC Posts: 10,217
    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. :rofl:

    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. 
  • darwinstheorydarwinstheory LaPorte, IN Posts: 6,729
    Still working - considered essential
    ^beer - the only pandemic purchase I have made so far.  B)
    "A smart monkey doesn't monkey around with another monkey's monkey" - Darwin's Theory
  • F Me In The BrainF Me In The Brain this knows everybody from other commets Posts: 31,600
    edited April 2020
    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)
    Post edited by F Me In The Brain on
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  • mickeyratmickeyrat Posts: 42,017
    Still working - considered essential
    Truck Driver. Less Than Truckload.


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  • eeriepadaveeeriepadave West Chester, PA Posts: 42,459
    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.
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    Tres Mts.- 3/23/11- Philly. PA
    Eddie Vedder- 6/25/11- Philly, PA
    RNDM- 3/9/16- Philly, PA
  • MayDay10MayDay10 Posts: 11,786
    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.
  • stuckinlinestuckinline Posts: 3,384
    Still working - WFH
    Working from home for the next week or so to finish up reports, then I will be out of work.
  • 23scidoo23scidoo Thessaloniki,Greece Posts: 19,510
    Out of work - voluntarily or otherwise
    Last day of work was 13th of March..
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  • deadendpdeadendp Northeast Ohio Posts: 10,434
    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. 
    2014: Cincinnati
    2016: Lexington and Wrigley 1
  • rw160510rw160510 Posts: 1,010
    Still working - considered essential
    Trying to cram 5 days of lab work into 3 days and working from home the other 2 days.
  • brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 42,777
    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. 
    "Don't give in to the lies.  Don't give in to the fear. Hold on to the truth.  And to hope."
    -Jim Acosta











  • g under pg under p Surfing The far side of THE Sombrero Galaxy Posts: 18,209
    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.

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  • RunIntoTheRainRunIntoTheRain Texas Posts: 1,029
    Still working - considered essential
    I work at Costco
  • 1ThoughtKnown1ThoughtKnown Posts: 6,155
    edited April 2020
    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. 
    Post edited by 1ThoughtKnown on
  • 1ThoughtKnown1ThoughtKnown Posts: 6,155
    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 mcdanielxavier mcdaniel Somewhere in NYC Posts: 9,339
    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. 
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  • markymark550markymark550 Columbia, SC Posts: 5,179
    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.
  • brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 42,777
    Out of work - voluntarily or otherwise
    I'm essentially out of a job right now.  Does that count?
    "Don't give in to the lies.  Don't give in to the fear. Hold on to the truth.  And to hope."
    -Jim Acosta











  • rgambsrgambs Posts: 13,576
    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. 
    Monkey Driven, Call this Living?
  • tempo_n_groovetempo_n_groove Posts: 40,576
    Still working - considered essential
    rgambs said:
    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. 
    I read stories like this every day Gambs.  The whole payment world needs to be put on pause just like the real world is now.
  • tempo_n_groovetempo_n_groove Posts: 40,576
    Still working - considered essential
    I have a few infrastructure jobs open so I am still working.
  • deadendpdeadendp Northeast Ohio Posts: 10,434
    Out of work - voluntarily or otherwise
    My husband is a park naturalist.  He is not considered an essential employee (he isn't law enforcement or maintenance) so he is working from home.  He works T-Saturday.  He got a text this morning from his boss wanting everyone to have a 10:30 AM group phone meeting.  

    He's pissed off so he is working out and has decided to attend the meeting as he lifts.  (I don't see him actually doing this, but he is mad, so I just let him make believe for a few.) 

    So the question is now that so many are working from home . . . are your employers expecting more hours of productivity from you than what you are contractually obligated to provide?  It certainly seems it for Mark.  He said that he doesn't want to break up his schedule and work 6 or 7 days of part here and part there.  He is scheduled for a bird hike on Saturday with his coworker.  (Social distancing observed and I had a Star Wars mask made for him.)  He already has plans for his T-Sat.  

    Thoughts? 
    2014: Cincinnati
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  • Glorified KCGlorified KC KCMO Native Posts: 2,760
    Still working - WFH
    I've been working from home for a little over 2 weeks now.  My company was deemed essential and I oversee parts of the supply chain, a lot in planning and process development.  Luckily, that's something I can do from home.
    I wish I was a sacrifice, but somehow still lived on.
  • PoncierPoncier Posts: 17,403
    deadendp said:
    My husband is a park naturalist.  He is not considered an essential employee (he isn't law enforcement or maintenance) so he is working from home.  He works T-Saturday.  He got a text this morning from his boss wanting everyone to have a 10:30 AM group phone meeting.  

    He's pissed off so he is working out and has decided to attend the meeting as he lifts.  (I don't see him actually doing this, but he is mad, so I just let him make believe for a few.) 

    So the question is now that so many are working from home . . . are your employers expecting more hours of productivity from you than what you are contractually obligated to provide?  It certainly seems it for Mark.  He said that he doesn't want to break up his schedule and work 6 or 7 days of part here and part there.  He is scheduled for a bird hike on Saturday with his coworker.  (Social distancing observed and I had a Star Wars mask made for him.)  He already has plans for his T-Sat.  

    Thoughts? 
    I mean, how long is the meeting going to last?
    Considering the current world, a meeting may have crucial info and taking 30 minutes or even an hour out of a normal day off is a small sacrifice. Just do an hour less on a regular work day.
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  • deadendpdeadendp Northeast Ohio Posts: 10,434
    Out of work - voluntarily or otherwise
    It was an hour and a half. She told them park districts are laying off staff and that they are fortunate to work from home. He changed his tune and learned appreciation. I told him just chop that time off of Wednesday. 
    2014: Cincinnati
    2016: Lexington and Wrigley 1
  • markymark550markymark550 Columbia, SC Posts: 5,179
    Still working - WFH
    deadendp said:
    My husband is a park naturalist.  He is not considered an essential employee (he isn't law enforcement or maintenance) so he is working from home.  He works T-Saturday.  He got a text this morning from his boss wanting everyone to have a 10:30 AM group phone meeting.  

    He's pissed off so he is working out and has decided to attend the meeting as he lifts.  (I don't see him actually doing this, but he is mad, so I just let him make believe for a few.) 

    So the question is now that so many are working from home . . . are your employers expecting more hours of productivity from you than what you are contractually obligated to provide?  It certainly seems it for Mark.  He said that he doesn't want to break up his schedule and work 6 or 7 days of part here and part there.  He is scheduled for a bird hike on Saturday with his coworker.  (Social distancing observed and I had a Star Wars mask made for him.)  He already has plans for his T-Sat.  

    Thoughts? 
    I talked with my boss the day after we started working from home. For us, there's no big expectation that a lot will be accomplished. His words were "do what you can and I'll see you after the apocalypse if we both survive."
  • fifefife Posts: 3,327
    Still working - considered essential
    have been working from my office the whole time.  I work in a non-profit who provides supportive housing for people live in with HIV.  Been really crazy and dealing with my clients who are scared to leave their room on one hand and other clients who are bring in so many people into their unit on the other hand. 
  • F Me In The BrainF Me In The Brain this knows everybody from other commets Posts: 31,600
    Still working - considered essential
    deadendp said:
    It was an hour and a half. She told them park districts are laying off staff and that they are fortunate to work from home. He changed his tune and learned appreciation. I told him just chop that time off of Wednesday. 
    Glad he still has his spot

    We discussed but have not reduced pay for employees.  We also discussed, as an executive team, the potential to take no pay at all.

    Desperate times call for desperate measures....which is why I have no problem calling someone to ask how we can help them with their issues right now or in preparation of what will be on the other side of this.
    I had one dipshit tell me "this isn't the time to sell" - and I told them that the alternative would be to fire everyone.  Where do people think money comes from?  
    What the frig is wrong with people?
    Solve problems.  Help people.  Don't sit at your desk and do nothing.  (Or, sit in your couch and watch Oprah in your pajamas )

    We are all scared/worried/upset in some way right now.

    Crazy times out there and a little perspective goes a long way 


    The love he receives is the love that is saved
  • Indifference71Indifference71 Chicago Posts: 14,876
    I work in health insurance so fall under essential.  I already work from home regularly so that part hasn't changed for me....the part that has changed is that my wife and 2 kids are now here with me.  It has been rough.
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