Exam invigilation and the furlough scheme.

Vox_AC30

Hi, I work part time for Universities and schools and various other places doing exam invigilation. All are temp/as required/zero hr contract through PAYE. One is via an agency.
Obviously, all summer exams have now been cancelled and so all my work from the above has gone, probably £2,000/£3,000 worth over the summer months to Sept. Exams were due to start in one month. However, as far as I can see from .gov websites I should be entitled to the furloughed scheme at my various employers due to the work being removed. Pertinent sections /quotes -
"Furloughed employees must have been on your PAYE payroll on 28 February 2020, and can be on any type of contract, including: full-time employee, part-time employees, employees on agency contracts, employees on flexible or zero-hour contracts".
"This scheme is only for employees on agency contracts who are not working." (which I won't be because the exams are cancelled).
I'm going to write to my employers this week and see what response I get. Things are changing/being updated all the time, and there still seems to be a lot of confusion around this whole area. I was just wondering if anyone has any advice in terms of what to put in the emails/how to word them, anything I might have missed that I need to quote, since even though there is an entitlement if eligible, there is no obligation on behalf of employers to put you on these schemes.

Thanks, Vox

Vox_AC30

"You can only submit one claim at least every 3 weeks, which is the minimum length an employee can be furloughed for. Claims can be backdated until the 1 March if applicable."

Also

"Once HMRC have received your claim and you are eligible for the grant, they will pay it via BACS payment to a UK bank account. You should make your claim in accordance with actual payroll amounts at the point at which you run your payroll or in advance of an imminent payroll. You must pay the employee all the grant you receive for their gross pay, no fees can be charged from the money that is granted. You can choose to top up the employee’s salary, but you do not have to."

Both these quotes suggest that there is some flexibilty in the system and that they can be backdated as needed, so I think it makes sense to suggest in my emails that I'm willing to wait until the scheme is up and running* in terms of payment, and back date it to the beginning of May, which is when the exams were due to start.

*I doubt the end of April will see the scheme come live, these things always take longer than originally planned.

jemc

I am in the same situation, I am an exam invigilator, normally working full time hours for 6+ weeks during exam season. I am on payroll and have two years history to draw on. I have emailed my employer but have been advised the following - “At this time, anybody who is employed/on a casual contract in the public sector cannot be furloughed”.  I really hope this isn’t the case and some official guidance is given to clarify and change this situation. 

wood833

Hi. I am in the same situation. I've been a school invigilator for 15 years, earning, mainly, but not solely, during the summer term.  It's basically on a zero-hours basis.  Although I am on the payroll, I am not on PAYE (I have to do a self assessment form, where taxman considers that I am an employee), but I have no other employee benefits, except (only in the last couple of years) I now receive holiday pay.
I recently approached the Academy Trust's Human Resources about furlough to be told: 
'The current legal guidance for the furlough that you have referred to is restricted to roles that are funded from external sources. Unfortunately, the role of invigilator does not fall into this category and therefore it does not apply.'
I then queried 'funded from external sources' and was told:
'There are a very small number of roles within schools that may possibly be funded by external sources, and not by the DfE e.g. specialist roles. It is this role type that could potentially be covered by furlough.'
They then went onto say that they are watching in case things change!
Hope this helps.

SexyRexy

I am an invigilator at a large senior school, I asked if they could furlough me but they have told me as a casual worker I am not entitled. I have worked for the school for a number of years and had hoped that I could be eligible to 80% of earnings for the same months last year. Prior to the school closing I was emailed and offered approximately 124 hours from the 30th March till 16th June.  I agreed to this in writing. More work is also always offered. I am on the payroll and pay PAYE tax. I do not have to complete a self assessment form. Most other types of employment are mentioned but not casual. Any advise would be useful as there are a number of us that work almost full time during this period and this also means we are making NI contributions towards our state pensions so I do not have to pay the whole annual amount for missing years.  The Academy Trust HR told me  as I am not on a zero hour contract I cannot be furloughed.   

Azzurri

 I am also an invigilator at a local School / Academy, I have had exams cancelled in March and was booked-in to invigilate virtually every day from April until the end of June. This would have been the period where 90% of my annual income would have come from this year. I have asked the school / Academy where I stand on being furloughed, I have yet to receive a response. Incidentally, I am paid via PAYE with payslips sent to me from the school. In Martin Lewis' programme the other night he mentions zero hour contracts would receive payment based on what they earned in March 2019 or an average of what they earned throughout the year 2019/2020, if I understood him correctly. However this seems a little unfair for Invigilators, as most of their work / earning is condensed in to the months of April to June. Is this something that can be looked into.

Browntoa

I'm an invigilator on 2 schools

It was always explained to me that there is no promises of any work (but there normally is ) .

I wouldn't hold out much hope of getting furlough

Alter_ego

Another invigilator here, nothing mentioned to or by my school. It's amazing that schools are so resistant considering it will not cost them anything beyond  a bit of admin.

stanleythesnail

The guidelines states that public bodies where they are publicly funded by the government would not be expected to apply. Schools / academies fall into this category. However, there is a some hope if you invigilate at colleges  as the Treasury have confirmed that they can furlough staff - see FE week website.

CharlieCharlie42

Hi, I also invigilate in schools & a 6th Form College. I have not heard or contacted my employers yet. The government guidelines says zero hours contracts can definitely benefit from the furlough scheme and it seems that the government would not “expect” most public sector employers to use the scheme as most of their employees will be essential workers and will be still be in work / being paid....obviously not the case for invigilators.....so it would seem that just by being public sector should not exclude us from the furlough scheme......

CharlieCharlie42

Has anyone had any progress on this ? The 6th Form College I work for are looking into this. I also work for an agency ( school supply but also sometimes invigilation ) and they are using the furlough scheme..