Shielding and furlough advice needed

Becles

I have been refused furlough as I'm shielding but the company still has work available. I'm left claiming benefits and have faced a severe drop in income which will cause financial difficulties. I think the wording on the guidance is too ambiguous and it should be mandatory that shielding people are placed on furlough or given other government help to get through this. 

Imhotep1989

I agree with that fully, I do appreciate that it's a difficult period but there does need to be some legal guidance issued. People who need to shield for the current 12 weeks should very much be placed in furlough or receive the equally same financial help in another format from the government as employers cannot be trusted to act in good faith. Those who need to shield are not necessarily elderly with a pension, I am 31 and i have been notified I can't leave my house which is of course to prevent overwhelming the NHS with our risk of severe illness. At the moment it feels like some of us are at ransom to work as it's well known nobody can live off SSP for that amount of time, so we have to work despite being at severe risk. For now I am personally documenting everything including requests and refusals for extra measures and furlough. 

Cunobelin

My wife suffers from M.E., diabetes and asthma and as a result is classed as high risk. My company has said it will apply for the furlough scheme for all of its employees, but only if forced to close by the government. Until then, it is not offering any payment other than SSP for any workers that are taking time off, due to Coronavirus

The company is not prepared to allow any of its workforce to work from home and my job often includes working with colleagues closely, making social distancing difficult. I am not leaving the house for any reason other than to exercise on my own. As a result, the only risk of the virus entering my home, is from me going to work, which I now consider this risk to be too great.

The only related advice I can find, is for people who are looking after children or those who are shielding because of their own health issues. I can find nothing for people shielding on behalf of another 'at risk' adult.

If anyone has a clue what I can do, I would be very grateful to hear from them.

sharpe106

Theseconddeebo said:

Right but the other side of the coin is, they can furlough staff for that reason alone. That can be 1 person or the entire workforce. 

Which bit are you looking at, as all it says is they should ask if the employer are planning on placing staff on furlough not that it is a criteria for it. 

Imhotep1989

It's because the guidance has changed yet again in the last 24 hours, it's gone from "furloughing those who are shielding" to "furloughing those who are shielding, and would otherwise have to be made redundant." If you have a look on Anthony Collins solicitors website at the coronavirus post on the 7th april it explains it better. It's certainly not a fair situation to say the least, some people are getting help and others aren't.

calcotti

Imhotep1989 said:

It's because the guidance has changed yet again in the last 24 hours, 

It was changed on 4th April.

unholyangel

calcotti said:

Imhotep1989 said:

It's because the guidance has changed yet again in the last 24 hours, 

It was changed on 4th April.

I think perhaps the confusion lies in the employee guidance just saying if you are shielding and unable to work from home. While the employers guidance states unable to work from home and would otherwise be made redundant. 

But the employee guidance also states that you should ask your employer if they plan on furloughing staff. Which could read as being at their discretion but given they're implementing this as an alternative to redundancy, its not a leap for them to be unconsciously alternating the terms in guidance. 

Imhotep1989

Yeah just mistaken myself it was on Saturday the change happened and the post was written yesterday 7th.

wheresthesun

I know a lady with MS, diabetes and recent pneumonia, her mother has dementia and wanders off , so because the woman with MS is shielding her mother has moved in with her and her husband to be loved after as the careers arn’t coming round during this crisis 
the husband who has COPD has told work he has to stay home and care for wife and mother but work have told him he will be paid an equivalent to ssp which is a big drop in pay surely if parents staying home to care for children can be furloughed, a man staying home to provide essential care for his wife and her parent with dementia when no other careers can come round , 
It is very confusing everyone is interpreting it differently. Can anyone tell me if this man could be furloughed?

wweb1701

Choose to go to work and risk dying if he catches it or stay home and see his kids grow up, which one would you choose? He doesn't choose to be at home under lock and key at 48 but he does choose to stay alive and not cost the NHS money. Working in retail makes it impossible to stay away from people so he has no choice not to go to work.
I really do think the government needs to make things more clearer.