Furloughed Workers

[jansman]

Employers are still responsible for paying furloughed workers, the only difference is that they can then claim that money back, my company will be paying me, or they'll be going to a tribunal, their choice.

I'm looking around anyway, just seen a rather nice role with the police force, and I'll get a guaranteed interview as I'm disabled, (not massively, but enough that I need a couple of minor workstation adjustments, and they can tick a diversity box.)

Employers can only pay if they have the money. The furlough is a cash ‘grant’ as I read it for employers to distribute as 80% wages to affected workers.I have been ‘put on hold’ rather than dismissed. Anyone who works for large employers, or public servants tend not to realise how ‘near’ cash flow is for small to medium enterprises ( SME’s).My wife gets paid regardless being in education, and she still doesn’t’get’ that my boss is on his knees economically, bless her! The flashy Range Rover, Portuguese villa and big house is all on the promise of what we take on a week to week basis. Like so many others.

[Jamesey1981]

This is true, but they'll have to find the money, an insolvent business in my industry means that the business won't be coming back as the directors won't get FCA permissions again.

My solicitor has advised me that they either pay or we take it to a tribunal, any other business can just declare themselves insolvent to get out of it, but my employer won't if they can avoid it in any way possible.

They're sorting out business interruption finance so I think I'll get paid, and they also own property through the business, there's money there and paying me will be cheaper than the alternative.

[itsybitsy]

Well, I'm on furlough now.

Honestly, what an idiot, I hate being put in a position like this, but to be honest I'm an employer's nightmare, I know employment law better than most HR departments and I am bloody minded enough to fight, I just wish people would actually think about these things when they are dealing with their employees so I don't have to fight it as really I as an employee shouldn't have to, none of us should, employers should just stick to the damn rules.


Horrible bit of luck you had there Itsy, couldn't have gone more wrong, glad you have managed to find something to keep you busy though.

Thank you. I'll just keep doing what I need to do to get through this and, if my new job has gone at the end of it, reassess. I've got my little knitting business, but that's seasonal and obviously dependent on us getting back to normal sometime before Christmas.

Me too - I caused no end of problems for my previous employer, when it turned out they weren't going to pay accrued holiday pay for the three-month LIEU payment I received as part of my settlement, and were trying to weedle out of it on a technicality I did my research then kicked up so much of a fuss with UCU (it's a legal argument) the employer ended up having to pay the accrued holiday pay to everyone who took voluntary redundancy! They also faffed about so much with the paperwork that I (and my two colleagues) were in danger of losing the pension payments too, because if we hadn't have gotten our settlement on our last day of actually being employed (30 Sept) then we wouldn't have gotten them as they cannot be backdated. So I had to fight for that to be sorted too. It's worth mentioning, however, that although we got everything that we were due, despite my previous organisation trying their hardest to not give it to us, it did take a toll on my mental well being.

[Arzosah]

itsy, sorry to hear about these employment issues affecting you.

As for everyone describing themselves as an employer's nightmare - fighting for employees' rights (especially ones that have already been granted!) is a great gift to the rest of us. Historical notes deleted, you'll be glad to hear

[PreppingPingu]

Hubby has just been furloughed as of 23rd March. He's a car salesman so his wage is made up of a basic and the rest is commission. Guess what the 80% is based on - yup, you guessed it - his basic. That is NOT what he earns a month. Thankfully his company is relatively cash rich so should weather this storm. He and the others who are on commission have worded an email to the boss of the 3 garages in the group saying "oi!" The admin, the mechanics, etc will get 80% but as they aren't commission, they won't be loosing nearly as much income as those sales staff. Waiting to hear what will happen. Even if its just a good will gesture of paying all sales staff X amount to bring the incomes up to a liveable amount. We shall wait n see. He gets paid 2 months in arears so we know he'll be ok this month and hopefully next so we are fortunate.

Good luck to all of you fighting for employment rights, counting the pennies and generally surviving. Glad we have some food preps in the garage more than ever now.

[diamond lil]

Godsake PP, I never thought of that one. That's unfair. They should be on 80% of what they normally get!

[Jamesey1981]

There's actually a petition going for commission based workers.

Quite lot of jobs rely on commission, including mine, although I am fortunate in that I have a decent basic.

It's here if anyone wants to have a look. https://www.change.org/p/uk-parliament- ... en-gb%3Av2

[jansman]

Well. Today I went for a job in order to keep cash coming in, rather than wait for my employer to kick government cash back to me. It was pace- line pork butchery. I did the tour, did a knife test, and was watching the speed of the ( much) younger fellas in there. Too much for a man of my age, and I said so. The money it would have paid , would be the same as my 80%!

So you know what? For the first time in my life, ever, I have adopted the attitude of, ‘I might as well sit on my ar£e to earn the same amount!’

Mrs J runs a tight ship where our finances are concerned, by using an old fashioned ledger. At a glance we know what we have. She has drawn up an austerity budget, and along with the preps we can last for 5 to 6 months with zero income from me. Of course, I hope that the 80% will kick in well before then, and work will resume.

[Jamesey1981]

Much the same plan as me Jansman, no one in my industry is recruiting, and if I go back to one of my former industries I'll be earning the same or considerably less, and have the risk of having to go to work.

I'm staying in.

[diamond lil]

Good thinking jansman I would do the same. And there might be opportunities for you if anybody around you wanted some nice organic fresh meat and you happened to be out a walk with the gun...