I have been furloughed, asked to come into work tonight (nights)

loader140

Basically I was furloughed in April '20
And was of the assumption that I was to be given 3 days notice if they wanted me back (I think we discussed it in my furlough meeting but cant be 100%)
Keep in mind I work nights.
Today 08:40 I got a phone call asking if I could come in tonight - I said I would have to have a think and get back to them.
08:45 I called them and said I forgot that I had a hospital appointment tomorrow so would not be able to do tonight but would be able to make tomorrow or friday. My manager said she had the directors there could she call me back. 
I then messaged her 3 hours later asking if she could let me know as my van had broken down and I would need to sort alternate travel.
Then 4 hours later I got a reply saying that they NEEDED someone tonight and they will be in touch.
To that I asked if I am still furloughed? Because they asked me to come in then back tracked.
To which i was told I was.
On the 22/5 we were emailed saying that redundancies were going to be made in the job, so for the whole week I have been thinking my jobs on the line, then I got this phone call and thought I was back in work and everything was sorted, now being told i'm still furloughed and at risk of redundancy.

IS THIS RIGHT? I don't know where I stand right now as I feel that is pretty unfair

sharpe106

So I would guess you work as part of a team, they have furloughed some staff. Sounds like somebody that has not been furloughed has gone of sick, so they wanted you back which is fair enough. Sounds like they got somebody else to come back to work to cover the person so they don't need you back and you are still furloughed. So nothing has changed since the 22nd. 

Thrugelmir

loader140 said:

IS THIS RIGHT? I don't know where I stand right now as I feel that is pretty unfair

Running a business isn't easy at the best of times. With many difficult and tough decisions to be made. When push comes to shove. Individuals that show willing will undoubtably earn brownie points. Survival of the company isn't just going to happen. Will all be down to hard work. 

Grumpy_chap

If you are furloughed, it is quite reasonable that your employer expects you to remain available to return to work at no notice.  As soon as they get work to do (which is a good thing), they expect the staff to get the work done.  Indeed, it is not permitted to furlough staff if there is work to be done for those staff.

I would also expect that any staff unable to return to work when asked (whatever the excuses) will be the first to receive a P45 if the future size of the business does not require the same number of people.

EDIT:  I just read that you ended by saying some redundancies would be happening.  Maybe this whole thing was not that they needed people back but they were testing who would jump at the chance to be back and who would make excuses.

How do you normally manage hospital appointments if you have worked nights?  Just go tired?

Spotnpaul

To ask someone at 8.40am to come back to work a night shift that same night is sounds OK, but it's also reasonable for the worker asked to turn it down. There should be at least a few days notice. It's not the business owners fault that this virus hit, but It's also not the workers fault if management can't plan a few days in advance. 

loader140

Grumpy_chap said:

How do you normally manage hospital appointments if you have worked nights?  Just go tired?

Thank you for the reply - I would normally handle it by booking the night off for a required appointment (either morning before or night after), which I have been unable to do because of the scheme - If I had been notified of work I could have rearranged the appointment or better yet slept properly the day before to get into the night routine again  - my managers haven't exactly been keeping us up to date with what's been happening behind closed doors either. 

It has just stressed me out by making me think my jobs has been saved then because I am unable to make 1 night it isn't.

sharpe106

Do you work as part of a team? have some been furloughed and some not?

loader140

Yes it's a team company, where they have kept a 1/3 of staff on

sharpe106

I doubt it would have made any difference somebody probably went of sick and they just wanted them replacing. 

Grumpy_chap

loader140 said:

Grumpy_chap said:

How do you normally manage hospital appointments if you have worked nights?  Just go tired?

I would normally handle it by booking the night off for a required appointment (either morning before or night after), which I have been unable to do because of the scheme 

When on furlough, it is a reasonable requirement that the employer expects you to be available for work with normal working hours, even if at short notice.

When on furlough, you are still allowed to book and take annual leave.  The proper thing to have done in this instance, to support the hospital appointment, would have been to book the holiday the night before or after, just as per usual like when you are at work.  I have no doubt, you thought this was a 'win' not needing to take annual leave for the hospital appointment as you assumed you would be on furlough and not working in any case.

Can I urge, if your employer calls to ask you back to work, you immediately say "yes" without any hesitation and then manage whatever else around that commitment?

It may not matter, though, as you have not been working.  They have kept 1/3 of the staff on (the most valued / 'best' employees, no doubt) and you were in the other 2/3 on furlough.  When they asked you back, you found excuses.  From an employer's point of view, those that were not available when asked would be bottom of the pile going forwards and first in line for the P45 if the business needs correct-sizing after the lock down. I hate to put it so bluntly, but that is the reality of life.

Best to polish the CV and start looking.

loader140

Grumpy_chap said:

loader140 said:

Grumpy_chap said:

How do you normally manage hospital appointments if you have worked nights?  Just go tired?

I would normally handle it by booking the night off for a required appointment (either morning before or night after), which I have been unable to do because of the scheme 

When on furlough, it is a reasonable requirement that the employer expects you to be available for work with normal working hours, even if at short notice.

When on furlough, you are still allowed to book and take annual leave.  The proper thing to have done in this instance, to support the hospital appointment, would have been to book the holiday the night before or after, just as per usual like when you are at work.  I have no doubt, you thought this was a 'win' not needing to take annual leave for the hospital appointment as you assumed you would be on furlough and not working in any case.

Can I urge, if your employer calls to ask you back to work, you immediately say "yes" without any hesitation and then manage whatever else around that commitment?

It may not matter, though, as you have not been working.  They have kept 1/3 of the staff on (the most valued / 'best' employees, no doubt) and you were in the other 2/3 on furlough.  When they asked you back, you found excuses.  From an employer's point of view, those that were not available when asked would be bottom of the pile going forwards and first in line for the P45 if the business needs correct-sizing after the lock down. I hate to put it so bluntly, but that is the reality of life.

Best to polish the CV and start looking.

They asked me to volunteer to do leaflet hand outs for advertising, which I jumped at about 2 weeks ago (to which they said it would be illegal) so I dont feel that I made 'excuses' to not go back to work 

EDIT - I didn't end up leafleting because they said it wasn't allowed