Employees at a Jaguar Land Rover plant have been told childcare leave will be unpaid despite this week's school closures, leading to fears they may need foodbanks and will struggle with mortgage payments.
Staff working at JLR Halewood and those on the DHL contract claim they have been left stranded after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the third national lockdown on Monday.
Unlike in March, the Merseyside factory will remain open despite the Government's strict 'stay at home' order.
In a joint statement, DHL and JLR said as "critical workers" during this latest lockdown, employees are able to ask schools for childcare.
The firms both said they will not offer furlough to parents who do not have childcare provision, adding that individuals can take unpaid 'parents emergency dependent's leave' - or holiday.
But two parents working at the plant say schools are refusing to look after their and others employees' children.
A concerned worker told BusinessLive: "Surely this cannot be right. This will force employees to use food banks, struggle with rent and bills and possibly lose their homes.
"I was actually disgusted when I heard [childcare leave would be unpaid] - I thought JLR would be doing more to try and support its employees at this difficult time.
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"It’s caused me a lot of stress on top of everything that’s already going on - wondering how I would be able to pay my bills and feed my daughter.
"I will not be taking the unpaid leave as I just wouldn’t be able to live and care for my daughter or pay my bills with no money - this would end up putting me in debt and possibly losing my home and my car, and force me to use food banks to survive."
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During the last lockdown, some JLR staff , but this time they are classed as "critical workers" - despite car showrooms being closed.
The employee added: "The schools are refusing to take our children so what do we do?"
Another employee said: "We've got people genuinely not knowing what they are going to do with their children. Who's going to look after them? Being off without pay - how are they going to pay their mortgages?
"I don't understand the issue because furlough is there, we got furloughed during the last lockdown and they even topped our salaries up - they didn't have to do that.
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"They could just offer us 80% and I think most would accept that.
"I know the company is in a difficult, changing situation, so I can see both sides - but I can also see the worry and the fear of people here."
A spokeswoman for DHL Supply Chain told BusinessLive: “The 海角视频 government has defined those companies which 'keep the air, road and freight transport modes operating during the coronavirus response and EU transition' as 'critical workers' whose work is vital to the coronavirus and EU transition response.
"Under this definition, colleagues are able to ask schools for childcare.
"The primary aim of the furlough scheme is to support colleagues who have no work, whereas we have work to offer.
"However, we recognise that the sudden closure of schools has left many families with no childcare provision and for this reason we are offering parents emergency dependent’s leave to organise cover.
"They will then have the option to take holiday or unpaid leave if required, until the schools reopen.”
A JLR spokeswoman confirmed that leave would be unpaid - as per the usual policy - but that employees would be given more flexibility with the policy extended.
A statement said: “During the global pandemic, JLR has extended its parental leave policy to allow for more flexible working, including temporary part-time options and longer periods of parental leave.
"We continue to monitor the situation.”