furlough and holiday

Azareef

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post.

I have been receiving furlough pay from my employer.

This week's payslip has been paid as holiday pay and not furlough pay I haven't booked any holiday for last week so am unsure why it's been paid as a week's holiday are employer's now using holiday pay instead of the furlough?

Thrugelmir

Why not ask your employer? 

Azareef

I've spoken to my employer and they have told me they are using our holiday pay because they can't afford furlough

I don't know much about furlough but I didn't know companies had to pay for the scheme

Jeremy535897

This sounds wrong. Your employer should agree to furlough employees with them. Part of that agreement may involve your pay being reduced to 80% of what it was. They claim furlough and pay it to you. It costs nothing but administration if they have reduced your pay to 80%.

They cannot make you take holiday without notice. For each week's holiday they have to give 2 weeks notice. They also have to pay you at 100% of your pay, not 80%, even if you are on holiday during furlough.

Azareef

They are saying that by using our holiday pay it's better for us as it's 100% not 80%

To be fair to them for 4 weeks pay they topped up the furlough to give us full pay for April

But they are now saying they cannot afford to do that which is acceptable but instead of giving us 80% furlough they are paying us out of holiday pay

Jeremy535897

It sounds like they just don't understand that they can amend your contract to reduce your pay to 80% (with your agreement). Show them the guidance:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme

theoretica

A lot of employers are telling staff that some of their time during furlough is counted as holiday and this can be done legally - but as pointed out above they need to tell you before hand not just do it.

Thrugelmir

Azareef said:

I've spoken to my employer and they have told me they are using our holiday pay because they can't afford furlough

Sounds as if bigger plans are a foot. If redundancies are being planned then holiday pay would form part of any settlement. By furloughing staff the liability for holiday pay and other entitlements simply grows larger. Payment now is reducing your employer's exposure.