Self employed teacher confused about pay

dummydaydream

Hi. I’m a part time primary French teacher working in 3 different schools during the week. One school I’m employed by an agency to fulfil their contract so I’m hoping to still be paid something while I’m not working there as they will claim on the government scheme. In another school I fulfil a contract on behalf of a franchisee so I declare that as self employment. I’m presuming I’ll get nothing as the school will just say the contract cannot be fulfilled. In my third school where I do the most hours I’m paid directly by the school PAYE on IR35 terms.  I have a letter stating a fixed term part time contract for every Monday term time up to 17 July 2020.

As all these schools are staying open for some pupils I am not sure where I stand. Could the IR35 school claim the government grant for 80% of my pay through PAYE? Does their probable refusal to give me work constitute laying me off as they will claim my French classes can’t go ahead at the moment or should they give me enough hours work in the school to enable me to earn my usual pay? If I have no rights I’ll have to hope the school will do the decent thing and pay me as they will all their other staff. The money for French teaching is in their budget. When things get back to normal they’ll expect me back in school but if I’m just abandoned for the time being I’ll feel very bitter. My sister in law is in exactly the same boat as we do the same job.

Any advice greatly appreciated. Thanks

Jeremy535897

The rules on payments to furloughed employees are as follows:

"To qualify for this scheme, you should not undertake work for them while you are furloughed. This will allow your employer to claim a grant of up to 80% of your wage for all employment costs, up to a cap of £2,500 per month.

You will remain employed while furloughed. Your employer could choose to fund the differences between this payment and your salary, but does not have to."

You need an employer (so no help here for self employment). You cannot do any work at all, but still be employed, by the agency for one job and by the school for the other. The worry is that as you are not a full time member of staff for the school, they may simply cancel the contract (there may be redundancy depending on service). I do not know what attitude agencies will take, but I cannot see how they can lay you off when they are supposed to be finding you work. You will have to talk to both parties as soon as possible to see where you stand.