Temporary teaching post ended, employer won’t furlough as public sector

sdpreston

My son is a newly qualified teacher, he started a 12 month maternity cover in September 2019. The post holder decided to return to work early, following the Easter holidays, so he started looking for a new job back in February, and also signed up to a supply agency. Since the lockdown, there is no call for supply teachers and schools are not advertising or interviewing for posts. He asked if he could be kept on the payroll and furloughed, however they said as they are a public sector employer, they can’t furlough staff. The gov.uk website says public sector can’t furlough as the government are providing funds to pay them, but it doesn’t cover people leaving temporary posts. 

Another family member, who worked for a private employer, handed her notice in prior to the lockdown and left her job at the end of March. Her employer has kept her on furlough even though she left voluntarily. 

Has anyone had a similar experience?

cupid07

Looks like this is a case of discretion. Some seem to be keeping them on the books for the three month period and others not so much. I believe they have to pay it upfront and then claim it back so if the post is back to the original teacher, they don't have much of an incentive to pay it up front to furlough him. 

KatrinaWaves

As there is technically no job to furlough him from (as the teacher came back) I’m not sure they can... 

sharpe106

As you said the public sector are not expected to use the furlough scheme. The government is recommending that staff go back to previous employers but yet are not doing it themselves. Unfair on the public sector staff but those are the rules. 

Brynsam

Was his contract for the full 12 months? What notice period was the school required to give him? Clutching at straws here, but just in case...

sdpreston

12months or the earlier return of the post holder. Under normal conditions the school have done everything correctly, it just feels unfair that he doesn’t get the protections that others in the private sector do. Thanks though.

General_Grant

sdpreston said:

12months or the earlier return of the post holder. Under normal conditions the school have done everything correctly, it just feels unfair that he doesn’t get the protections that others in the private sector do. Thanks though.

The protection that "others in the private sector do" is only as much as the employer is willing to do.  The employer is not forced to furlough.

jackieblack

sdpreston said:

Since the lockdown, there is no call for supply teachers and schools are not advertising or interviewing for posts. 

Not true.
The school I work in is advertising for a teacher.  In fact, when I looked at the website yesterday, there were more schools advertising for teachers than I’ve seen for a long time.

My brother, who is a DHT in a school in the next county, was taking part in interviews yesterday (via Zoom) for teachers.

zagubov

I think it's more the case that schools will be interviewing for jobs that start at the end of the summer vacation.  Has he clarified with his union rep?