Not fairly furloughed

Jeremy535897

If a business needs some of its employees to work, and others are not needed, then the situation your husband is in will inevitably arise. It would only be unfair if there were say ten people doing the same job, and five were furloughed on full pay for 3 months and the others worked for the same money for 3 months. In these circumstances, it would be fairer for the employer to rotate the furlough. Employers are obliged to follow normal employment law (equality and discrimination) when selecting employees for furlough, but that doesn't cover many situations.

If your husband's job is unique so nobody else could do it in his place, be grateful. If the employer wants him to work a job other employees could do but are furloughed, he is less likely to be made redundant in the long run.

gary83

There was no entitlement to being furloughed on full pay, the company have done the decent thing, yet you apparently resent that.

just to reiterate over 45,000 brits have died. many have received no support, others have had to continue to work whilst living with vulnerable people in their households, many people fear losing their homes. Quite frankly if your biggest problem is your husband being told to use 5 days leave in August and resenting other employees who were furloughed for 3 weeks then I have very little sympathy for you, I’ll save that for those more deserving of the sympathy. Don’t let that bitterness eat away at you.

sharpe106

Surely the ones that were furloughed have had to use the holiday to so they won't be having it at Christmas either. 

Grumpy_chap

Why does 1 week holiday in August mean nothing at Christmas?  What about the other weeks allowed in the year?

gettingtheresometime

Please stop seeing this as the furloughed staff having a three week paid holiday in addition to their contracted holidays.

If you start seeing it as your husband being in a role that's needed even when the !!!!!! is hitting the fans, then perhaps you'll start seeing it as a positive thing.

HollyTrees

Deleted_User said:

There's always concern over furloughed jobs, whatever your husband has been told or believes.

When cuts need to be made, where do you think they start? The ones they wanted to keep the business running? Or the ones they were able to live without?

He should simply tell his bosses that he would prefer not to work for the money they give him. They should be able to sort something out for him.

Well the ones furloughed approached the boss about their concerns even before they started their furlough term, asking will they be first to be made redundant, and the reply was basically dont worry, its just the company taking advantage of what the government is contributing to. Basically the company were saving money, so they didnt lose anything by furloughing staff. 
But my husband was perplexed about the ones they choose to furlough as those sections of the company we're busy really. One guy that was furloughed was an on site fore man, so it was puzzling why he was furloughed.
Especially when they could have furloughed other areas easier. This is what hubby just told me to say here. 

HollyTrees

sharpe106 said:

Surely the ones that were furloughed have had to use the holiday to so they won't be having it at Christmas either. 

No thats the whole point. They haven't had to touch their annual leave. They basically been given 3 weeks off for free on full pay. 80% paid by the government, so the company were saving money and taking full advantage of it. 

[Deleted User]

Your husband seems to have such a poor grip on how business and employment works, he's probably not best placed to judge what the company should or shouldn't have done.

Do you believe the company would have answered the concerns with "yep, if we furlough you, you'll be the first out the door'?

I'm honestly amazed your husband is able to cling onto his job with this attitude.

HollyTrees

Grumpy_chap said:

Why does 1 week holiday in August mean nothing at Christmas?  What about the other weeks allowed in the year?

Because some of their holidays have been consumed even before and during lockdown. By taking time off in August will have meant some has lost their holidays at Christmas which was already booked probably months ago. 

Grumpy_chap

HollyTrees said:

Well the ones furloughed approached the boss about their concerns even before they started their furlough term, asking will they be first to be made redundant, and the reply was basically dont worry

What else do you think any Manager would have said?  "Yep, all the useless ones are being furloughed, hopefully they'll leave and not cost us anything?"