Can my employers use my left unbooked holidays to pay me during my furlough?

kezzygirl

My husband has been informed that he should take 5 days annual leave this month, to top up his pay to 100%- I did query if five days is necessary considering he has 2 days leave due to bank holidays this month also,making the total annual leave for this month as 7 days. They replied stating it is in the furlough letter, but surely a concession should be made so that 7 days leave isnt taken? He is furloughed as he is shielding.

General_Grant

kezzygirl said:

My husband has been informed that he should take 5 days annual leave this month, to top up his pay to 100%- I did query if five days is necessary considering he has 2 days leave due to bank holidays this month also,making the total annual leave for this month as 7 days. They replied stating it is in the furlough letter, but surely a concession should be made so that 7 days leave isnt taken? He is furloughed as he is shielding.

You will know that the employer can say exactly when holiday is taken so if they want to say that all the holiday is taken this month (whether that be 5, 7 or 14 days or whatever) they can.  There is no need to make any kind of concession.

[Bank Holidays would be annual leave but it appears you and the company may be looking at them differently.]

Thrugelmir

surreysaver said:

Sounds to me like your employer will be claiming the furlough money from the Government, and it is going in their own coffers rather than to pay its employees, by not needing to pay to cover its employees' annual leave later in the year.

The scheme is to aid job retention. Employers have other fixed costs to cover as well. Not just employee salaries. 

prowla

So, the employer wants to take you off furlough, force you to use holiday, and then return you to furlough?

They cannot pay you holiday and claim it as furlough.

prowla

Or are they saying that you get 80% of your pay on furlough, but you can contribute part days holiday to take it up to the 100%?