Not able to work due to childcare - Can I get furloughed?

littlegreenview

I have a 1 year old and 4 year old. With the schools being closed and our computers not yet set up for working from home I was advised by my manager that I would be able to take unpaid leave until they managed to get my computer set up for WFH. I have since found out that most of my office is working from home but for some reason my computer still isn't allowing it. 
So, as of Monday this week I have been on unpaid leave due to not having any childcare. My dad told me that last night on MLMS Martin advised someone called Graham had called in with a similar issue and Martin talked about the furlough scheme that employers can offer to employees that are off because of childcare.

I emailed my manager and asked if it would be possible to furlough me for the reasons I mentioned and she said that she has checked with HR and that the company are not adopting that scheme and I will be on unpaid leave or holiday (except from 2 days full pay for arranging childcare). 

Do you think I should take this further or just accept that I won't get paid for reasons beyond my control? 

gary83

you’d be entitled to furlough if due to a lack of work your company would otherwise make you redundant, childcare issues are irrelevant to the entitlement.

littlegreenview

gary83 said:

you’d be entitled to furlough if due to a lack of work your company would otherwise make you redundant, childcare issues are irrelevant to the entitlement.

Not according to the TV programme last night. 

gary83

Would you be made redundant because of the effects of the Coronavirus? has the work dried up? Is anyone else being made redundant?

as an aside companies choose to apply to the furlough money, they don’t have to do it.

robbiez

littlegreenview said:

gary83 said:

you’d be entitled to furlough if due to a lack of work your company would otherwise make you redundant, childcare issues are irrelevant to the entitlement.

Not according to the TV programme last night. 

Martin is currently providing the wrong information, and shouldn't be.
An employer can only furlough an employee if the business is suffering financially due to covid-19.
If the business is not suffering and doesn't want to make staff redundant, they cannot just use the job retention scheme so you can look after your children. You would need to use your holiday entitlement or unpaid leave.

gary83

That was the point I was trying to make, the furlough scheme doesn’t exist to allow those of us that are still working (counting myself fortunate to be in there) to decide to choose to take a 20% pay cut to stay at home & not work instead.

robbiez

Exactly, and Martin Lewis is making people think they are entitled to the scheme and can just opt in.
He is causing lots of problems between employees and employers.
My company hasn't suffered too much, and I still need my staff to work(perfectly safe environment). I do not want or need to furlough anyone, and the government shouldn't allow me too as I still have work for everyone.

littlegreenview

It seems to me that Martin is trying to raise awareness of use of the scheme that enables parents of young children who would otherwise be at school to afford to survive. 

Darwin9098

gary83 said:

That was the point I was trying to make, the furlough scheme doesn’t exist to allow those of us that are still working (counting myself fortunate to be in there) to decide to choose to take a 20% pay cut to stay at home & not work instead.

I'm glad you are making your point with evidence to back it up. I believe that Martin was saying last night that employers should consider offering furlough to employees who have to take time off with children because
1. It is the right thing to do 
2. The salary is paid from the government, not from the employers own pocket.
I'm glad that you are fortunate to not have to take this time off work Gary, but does that mean that you should campaign against those who have no choice in the matter? (unless you can provide comprehensive instruction on how to work and look after a 1 year old and 4 year old at the same time)??

gary83

What? I’m not campaigning against anything, ive answered the question as it was asked, other posters have agreed with me. 

 I know many people feeling unsure at the moment would love to still be getting paid. I know some staff, supermarket, NHS medical staff, hospital cleaners etc feeling anxious and scared would probably like to take a 20% pay cut to stay at home but they can’t choose to make themselves furloughed either.

The job retention scheme is not there to pay people to provide childcare for their children, it’s the government’s hasty attempt to protect businesses. The government attempted to provide childcare by keeping schools open for people that need it.

Darwin9098

gary83 said:

What? I’m not campaigning against anything, ive answered the question as it was asked, other posters have agreed with me. 

 I know many people feeling unsure at the moment would love to still be getting paid. I know some staff, supermarket, NHS medical staff, hospital cleaners etc feeling anxious and scared would probably like to take a 20% pay cut to stay at home but they can’t choose to make themselves furloughed either.

The job retention scheme is not there to pay people to provide childcare for their children, it’s the government’s hasty attempt to protect businesses. The government attempted to provide childcare by keeping schools open for people that need it.

All the workers you have mentioned above are covered as "key workers" therefore there children are cared for. The question here seems to relate to people who aren't deemed as key workers yet have children whose schools have shut and they need caring for. If not via the furlough scheme, please suggest another method of income to allow this family to go on??