How has Covid-19 effected your job?

Hope we can work from home soon, and off work for this week at least.

I'm sorry to hear how everyone is struggling with this.

I'm a dog walker, working for myself, and people aren't allowed out except for food/medical things. I have also done online transcription, but now there is such a flood of people trying to earn online that it is really hard to get any work, or the stuff that is available is so terrible you want to tear your ears off. Before lockdown I was applying for a lot of other jobs, and I still am, but I don't even know when or whether those jobs will actually exist again. I managed to buy enough non-perishable food for a few weeks but have no money left. As far as I can see, registering for unemployment where I live requires that you have been working and have been let go from your job. I basically employ myself (and it's not a proper business at all) so can't claim unemployment.

With not working I'm doing a looooooooot of art. We're locked down for three weeks and I'm nervous that after this I'm going to find it even more difficult to leave my place than usual (anxiety, depression etc).

Yes, I am really concerned about people's food situations. I notice that in many stores, the inexpensive items are what is out of stock--the stores that I go to have stopped offering rainchecks, etc. I hear our food banks are running out plus the church groups that a lot of charity are on lockdown as well. Can you ask a family member to send you an Amazon or Walmart shipment. Also, on the radio here, I heard one county sheriff tell the community to call if they are unable to get food. There is a portion of our city which is a food desert so this puts the residents without vehicles in a bind. Please don't be afraid to ask for help.

I have noticed that my online work has slowed down a bit. What helps is that I have some regular students but I am not getting any new students lately. I am thinking that I have to find another niche. Many people are going to be changing what they do because of this. I bet a lot of small restaurants never open back up but new businesses will be born too. Would it be an interesting topic to teach how you do your art online? Sometimes if you teach an art class on Youtube well, you can get endorsements from places that sell you your art supplies. I was looking at Outschool (https://outschool.com/teach#abk8e4et7l) the other day thinking--I should create some type of course as a learning experiment (to see what I am capable of learning/doing).

Hang in there and reach out. Maybe Covid-19 will bring some of us together.

Yeah I think aside from the obvious losses of life there will be a massive fall out across all society. I try not to think about it because it's like looking down a sheer drop off a cliff edge.

Focusing on the here and now I can say things have changed again at work. Divine's description of her town's situation a couple of weeks ago is pretty much ours now. It's slowing, the numbers instore are managed and we are one way, constant tannoy announcements about the social distancing. Customers are very grateful I had a couple personally thank me today.

I would give anything to have our old life back.

I have no job, and that has been exacerbated by the fact that I have less chance of getting a job now.

I hope that made sense. I read it over like ten times.

That made perfect sense.

I don't know where you are and what you are prepared to do but in the UK the supermarkets are hiring a lot of temps, either in store or warehouse/distribution.

This isn't about me, but about my husband. He continues to work with the public, and because of the recent news stating everyone should now be wearing masks, he had to buy masks and could only find one of the last available packages of TEN for $158 on eBay. Other packages were over $200 and up to $300 on eBay! Unbelievable that people will increase the cost for a profit right now for a much needed public item!!! We looked everywhere online, and every single store had none in stock. It was scary.... so his masks will arrive Monday, but not soon enough. He has to work today and Friday with the public and I am worried sick!

Here is the thing that is driving me nuts. I thought I would have time to do things for me working at home. But so far, not at all. Everything takes triple the time, and thus, so far... I am unable to get much done outside the work period. I am also frustrated beyond belief with my boss. I can't tell if he is trying to aggravated me or just doesn't understand... but he is constantly e-mailing me and I truly think it is because he thinks I am not working. You wouldn't mind but he isn't producing anything.

I work for a nonprofit that provides counseling to at risk kids. We normally see the kids at school. With schools on distance learning in our state that's a no go. I initially the agency suggested we do home visits. I freaked. I am one of those people at high risk if they get this dam virus. The powers that be quickly decided home visits were not a good idea. I suspect someone pointed out the liability risk if we did them. For all the happy talk about everyone in the agency being family, the reality is they don't give a rat's teeny tiny backside about us.

Anyway.... we are now all working from home. I've never really like phone counseling, but it's the only way to provide services right now. Oh yeah, the powers that be at the agency suggested we use Skype, Facetime, Zoom, etc for sessions. I made myself unpopular when I pointed out those apps are open to hacking and not HIPAA compliant. I was told HHA will not fine anyone for using a non-HIPAA compliant app right now. I pointed out that just because the Feds might not fine us, it's still not ethical.

Sorry, I got on a roll.

Zoom gets routinely hacked and isn’t safe at all. Most school districts only use it as a meeting time for adults and not on confidential topics. Not talking to children. I am surprised they want to use that for counseling. I’d say phone conversation is the safest.

When I told my husband that Outschool suggests we use Zoom for our classes, he suggested going another route such as Moodle (Moodle: Online Learning with the World's Most Popular LMS) because using Zoom can reveal the address (he said it in a more technical way than this, he is an IT expert) of your home's entire computer network. Using Zoom can risk more that just the meetings being hacked.

After all of this plays out, I think more families may continue to homeschool (I think of taking public school classes online as a form of homeschooling because the parent plays a much larger role in creating the proper environment for learning). Some of the teachers who have been forced to begin teaching online may stay online. Education is one of the many areas in our society that will be changed because of Covid-19.

We are nearly all working with the public without masks here. Even doctors and nurses do not always have masks of the right grade!

At first we were told masks made no difference as it is not airborne, rather transmitted in droplets. Now it seems we should all have them if we work with the public.

People are still coming into our store and coughing without covering their mouths with tissues or elbow. We are in close proximity as store workers!!

I'm working from home for at least another month. I know I'm lucky to still have a job and get paid, but it is lonely.

In the US, in many places, testing is being priorited to symptomatic health care workers, first responders and those who are high risk (elderly, etc.); however, I am hoping that we can also begin testing more people who work with the public and provide them with masks when needed. Whenever I go to the store, I tell everyone I see, "Thank you for coming to work." Please take care of yourself, I think if we stay positive and take care of ourselves in every way--it boosts our immunity. I do understand all your concerns though and that you are trying to shield your family including your husband who is at higher risk.

We have a family member who works in retail, take a shower the moment they get home. Though I know if they contract it, the showers won't help. I pray everyday for those who have the virus and their families. I keep in mind that many who contract it recover. Before the virus hit, I began focussing on my relationship with the creator and accept whatever happens to me and my family though it is important to be responsible by taking measures not to spread the virus. You are in my prayers, Discombobulated.

Check on nextdoor app or website for your area and see if anyone is sewing and donating or selling masks in your area.

The only reason my husband and the rest of nursing staff now has masks is because my coworker’s mother sewed and donated a 100. She is sending 30 more today because not everyone got one. And now hospital patients are freaking out and many want to wear masks too but hospital doesn’t have them

Hospitals don’t even give them to staff. They don’t have them.

Oh i wanted to send her some fabric for masks and couldn’t find any. Stores are closed here and there is nothing online. I found some on amazon that will be available in two weeks. So you cant even make masks if you wanted to!

I'm so sorry.. that must be most stressful for you. I can only imagine.

And that is SO rude of people to continue doing in a time like this! WHY on earth are they NOT covering their mouths? Don't they have any sense of decency?????

My mother is actually making masks at her home and offered them to us. My father works in nursing homes and offered to get us a couple from there, though I said ONLY IF they can spare 1-2. I definitely don't want to take away from anyone in a facility working or living there who really needs it, you know?

We bought a package of 10. He thinks he can use one for an entire week before it must be retired, though I have no idea how long they truly last.

It's a scramble now for everyone to find masks. First they said we don't need them, then they said we do. Go figure.

When I go into stores, I see the cashiers wearing masks now.

I'm sticking to phone contact. I the lack of nonverbal info, but am not willing to risk a possible breach of confidentiality.

Google hangouts and google meets supposed to be safe. But old fashioned phone works just fine

I had a bit of a meltdown this morning. The area where "my" kids (clients) is so poor every kid in the county qualifies for free breakfast and lunch. The school district made pick up of both available to families. Show up at the school during a certain widow of time and they give the kid lunch for that day and breakfast. For some of my kids the meals at school are all they get to eat. I was told this morning that one really poor sibling set I work with was not picking up food. I was so upset, mad at the adults in the house that I just started to bawl. Happily, I found out later that they are picking up meals at a different school. Yeah, my babies are eating!👍

I got angry at my boss yesterday, I hope he noticed. I am not that upset about the corona virus but I am upset to discover that none of my co workers are at work. Last week I was made to go into work for "emergency" but this week, the "emergency person" wasn't there when I went in. I discovered they are doing it from home. My boss never mentioned that and acted like we were all going in once per week. There is no need for that.

Then he has two employees who haven't been in since this started. One of them posted her HR paperwork on the shared drive and turns out..she makes more than me. Six figures. Six figures to sit at home.

Not only are they sitting at home they aren't producing anything.

Then my boss has totally lost it. Unable to remember anything. It is clear to me now that he is babied. We all are right beside him all week long and we remind him of things. Without us there to remind him of things he can't remind himself.

If he makes me go in one more day I am going to let him have it and then he won't want that anymore.

Excellent news. We are providing breakfasts and lunches every day too. It warms my heart that schools keep doing it.

I think it’s very wise for people to stay home and not go into work whenever possible. No need to be a martyr especially if everyone else stays home and works from home. When option is given, wise option is to stay home

I took unpaid leave today - I have to say my manager and deputy have been very supportive and understanding. I have 1 mildly vulnerable person and 1 moderately vulnerable person in my household - I was stressed out that I may inadvertently infect them. Some customers were not careful around others so this was a possibility.
I am lucky I am able to live without pay for a while.

Virtual hugs to those who are still going out there and providing essential service. Thank you and stay safe.

the bosses had a meeting with us to discuss the covid situation and asked for our feedback. at the time i didn't understand why we even had to go in to the office as our office would be closed, so i told them i would rather just work alternate days. but my coworker said that would not work for her and that she would rather work every day. so i thought that was that. but the next day i was getting ready to go to work and all the stuff i had seen online about covid and that we should stay home just hit me so i emailed the bosses and said i had decided to not work every day, if i could, since my other coworker would be there anyways, but that i could work on alternate days. omg, in hindsight, i wish i had never sent the email. the way i worded it was all wrong. i did email them again the next day to apologize but i think the genie is out of the bottle. i think the way i worded the first email has tainted things and i just feel terrible. i apologized in person to the big boss and she said she understood but i don't think they will ever forget..