There have been some drastic changes in the world since the global pandemic started. In an order to protect some of the most vulnerable people to us, our children, some of the first things to close was schools and daycare centers. This was definitely a struggle for a lot of parents when it came to who would care for their children. A lot of parents received the option to work from home. This may have seemed like a solution to the problem, but it actually created another problem. Parents were at home, trying to watch their kids and homeschool, all while trying to complete work that they needed to do.
A lot of companies have been very helpful and have been patient with their employees during this troubling time. However, as the world tries to get back to some form of ‘normal’ there are companies out there who are pulling back on their leniency. According to People, Florida State University (FSU) is no longer letting employees who are working from home care for their children at the same time.
The university made a statement that this change will come into effect in early August. They stated that in March they created a temporary exception that allowed parents who had to work at home to care for their children at the same time.
When August 7 hits, this policy will no longer be in effect and parents who have to work from home can not simultaneously care for their children.
One of the professors for the university, who has a 4-year-old and 7-month-old at home sent out a Tweet regarding this change, and she was shocked. She does not know what she is supposed to do with her children now.
She also points out that no one is enjoying the current situation. She states that the university is acting like it was a great privilege to allow them to both work at home and take care of their children, when it has been a struggle.
According to Tallahasee, FSU did send out an updated e-mail Thursday morning to clear up some confusion surrounding this police change. They stated that this did not apply to professors, and only applied to other staff. While that calmed down a lot of the professors who work on campus, it still leaves some stuck in a hard situation.
Employees also pointed out that the daycares on campus are full, and they are unlikely to get a daycare spot for their children. This leaves a lot of parents at a loss as to what they are supposed to do with their children when they are not allowed to have them in the background while working from home. It may seem like the stress of the pandemic is coming to an end, but it may just be beginning.