Furlough and work elsewhere?

Bucki

Hello all

I have been put on furlough since march and sadly it has been extended until September but with 80%.

I am already struggling with the financial situations and thinking to seek work elsewhere in meantime as a top up. Is this allowed?

Surely the HR would say NO to this but just thinking if I could go ahead and work without my employers consent. Will HMRC then stop the furlough, will they spot it somehow? Is there a way they (my employer) can find it out as soon as I start working elsewhere...?

Please advise?

sharpe106

HMRC will not care. If HR say no and they find out they can dismiss you for breach of contract. Unless you work in a key area of the business very few companies care if you work for somebody else or not. Explain the situation to them and see what they say.

Bucki

sharpe106 said:

HMRC will not care. If HR say no and they find out they can dismiss you for breach of contract. Unless you work in a key area of the business very few companies care if you work for somebody else or not. Explain the situation to them and see what they say.

Just worrying that HMRC will then stop the 80% ...

also concerned if my company (HR) may find out via HMRC or any taxes or any sort of things.... i doubt they will dig into detective and see who is working. If I ask them and they say NO then it will bring it as a suspicion to them - so is better not to ask I think.  

Silly of me, should have worked from march instead of laying about and getting fat  

sharpe106

HMRC will not stop it as they won't care, has nothing to do with them.

If it was me I would have a talk with HR I doubt they would care if they don't want you back to September. What kind of job do you do? For not being needed for 6 months does not look good for the future, especially if they are not bringing you back flexibly .

Bucki

sharpe106 said:

HMRC will not stop it as they won't care, has nothing to do with them.

If it was me I would have a talk with HR I doubt they would care if they don't want you back to September. What kind of job do you do? For not being needed for 6 months does not look good for the future, especially if they are not bringing you back flexibly .

Well I work in the IT department and the company will be shutting down by end of 2021 - this was decided long before the pandemic. 

Anyway... they said they may call me back in from July either from home or back in office.

Grumpy_chap

Is this a situation similar to Honda Swindon?

Andy_L

Bucki said:

Hello all

I have been put on furlough since march and sadly it has been extended until September but with 80%.

I am already struggling with the financial situations and thinking to seek work elsewhere in meantime as a top up. Is this allowed?

Surely the HR would say NO to this but just thinking if I could go ahead and work without my employers consent. Will HMRC then stop the furlough, will they spot it somehow? Is there a way they (my employer) can find it out as soon as I start working elsewhere...?

Please advise?

Unless your contract specifically states you cannot have a second job  or that you have to ask first, they cannot stop you.

[Deleted User]

Bucki said:

I am already struggling with the financial situations and thinking to seek work elsewhere in meantime as a top up. Is this allowed?

One has to ask, you are still receiving 80%, but with no commuting or social costs, most people end up being net better off in that situation?

Bucki said:

Surely the HR would say NO to this but just thinking if I could go ahead and work without my employers consent. Will HMRC then stop the furlough, will they spot it somehow? Is there a way they (my employer) can find it out as soon as I start working elsewhere...?

Your employer/HR department may or may not say not, most have approved provided it was not working for a competitor, supplier, customer or in some way caused a conflict of interest. Your current employer will know within one month of you taking another job, it affects your tax coding and they would get a new coding notice after your first payroll at the new company. Your current employer may treat that as breach of contract, which can be gross misconduct and subject to immediate dismissal, your new employer may not look kindly on someone who happily breaches their employment contract either. 

Dottydoolay

There is nothing to worry about it’s just like having a second job under normal contractual rights, good luck I hope you find something.

To the comment above(sorry useless at quoting) 80% percent isn’t always that in real terms. My main job is very much seasonal furlough payments were based on winter not current summer furlough for me personally is less than half my wage realistically(not that I’m getting paid properly anyway but that’s another matter) 

Bucki

Just read the comment that when starting a new job the tax code will change and my current employer being notified.

on that basis, I would rather not risk it. I may be able to get some money in but may end up jobless for long term.

Then I shall remain bored 😑 as I was since March. 

Gonna-be-debt-free

Bucki said:

Just read the comment that when starting a new job the tax code will change and my current employer being notified.

on that basis, I would rather not risk it. I may be able to get some money in but may end up jobless for long term.

Then I shall remain bored 😑 as I was since March. 

Why don't you just ask your employer?  The worst that could happen is that they say no, in which case you are no worse off then if you don't ask them.