Shielding - sick pay or furlough

sharpe106

The furlough scheme originally was meant to protect jobs which is why a lot of the rules are very grey, it has since changed, but a lot of the grey areas have not been removed.

There is also the argument that if a staff member is furloughed they can be called back at a moment notice somebody that is shielding can now. But granted not sure why they don't furlough them as would be easier for them.

Jonesy1977

No one is "entitled" to Furlough, I hope people understand this, it is important.  Companies will furlough staff in order to (hopefully) allow then to return to work, this is not guaranteed and very significant redundancies are looming.  I understand (and empathise) with the original OP point but you are "entitled" to SSP, you are not "entitled" to furlough.  Please speak to your employer and explain the circumstances, they may be unaware of how this has impacted you, ask if Furlough might be an option moving forward and how you could support them perhaps working from home? ........or when a return to work may be possible. 

SingleSue

I'm shielding but my employer has furloughed me (it helped that I was furloughed prior to receiving the shielding letter). Financially it doesn't make one iota of difference to me as there is only a tiny difference between the amounts (around £6)...but it gives a glimmer of hope that we will still have jobs at the end of all this.

There is no chance any of us will be called in before July (unless things miraculously clear up), we're not allowed to open before then but when the time comes and if I am still being advised to shield, I will make a decision then with input from my employer as to whether to remain shielded or to go back to work.

Jeremy535897

The revised Treasury Direction published today seems clearer in that it allows employer and employee to agree to stop SSP and move to furlough:
"6.3 Where Statutory Sick Pay is in payment or due to be paid in respect of an employee at the time when the instruction in paragraph 6.1(a) is given [furlough], the period described in paragraph 6.1(b) [furlough period] in respect of the employee does not begin until immediately after the end of the period of incapacity for work for which the Statutory Sick Pay is in payment or due to be paid (provided that the time of the end of that period of incapacity for work is determined by an agreement between the employer and employee)."

sharpe106

It has always allowed it , at the beginning it was unclear if that was a criteria by itself. Although why they updated ssp so that you can claim for shielding I  have no idea 

rosie161

So I am off work due too Sickness and I’m really confused I have been working for 3 years in this employment 
In the 1st lock down I was placed on Ferlough, but unfortunately became ill during lockdown (June time) I was kept on Ferlough until Agust where I was told I would have to come off Ferlough and onto SSP due to my employer not being entitled to it anymore because the pub reopened and all staff were back!  I was then asked to produce a sick note for august to get SSP which I did I’m payed monthly I was asked in the last week before my pay date I provided a sick note dated 21/08/2020 for 3 months. I was payed SSP for the whole of Agust,Sep,October,November! I still have not been well enough to return to work and have since had to provide another 3 month Sick note what I am really questioning is if my employer can just put me back on Ferlough or am I only now entitled to ssp?? My illness is not COVID related and I am not classed as extreme vulnerable! Help it’s driving me crazy trying to find the right answers to this obviously SSP is great it’s something but I can’t say it’s not a struggle and if my employer has to pay My SSP why not move me back to Ferlough? 

Jeremy535897

Your employer can only put you on furlough as opposed to paying SSP if you would have been furloughed anyway due to coronavirus. However, if your employer is currently furloughing others because coronavirus is affecting the business, then you should ask if you could be furloughed.

mattyprice4004

You can ask to be furloughed, but no one is entitled to it - so they can say no. 

DisablednProud

It's even worse if your newly self employed and in this position, have basically been living frugally these past months. Really struggling to be honest.

Too many people are falling through the gaps of help, whilst others are getting paid 30K+ a year to do nothing this year.

Don't know how I can ever forgive or trust this government ever again to be honest after this.

Jeremy535897

mattyprice4004 said:

You can ask to be furloughed, but no one is entitled to it - so they can say no. 

It's worth asking though, because furlough may actually cost them less, and SSP doesn't last forever.