To ask for another week of furlough?

[Fasttrack321]

I was furloughed at the start of lockdown and have not been working since end of March. I have been looking after my 2 young children full time as my DP has been working full time. Luckily DP's job is secure and their employer is flexible with WFH.

My furlough pay is capped at the limit of £2,500 and has not been topped up so my income has been about half of my normal pay. I am very grateful to have been furloughed rather than lose my job.

My employer wrote to me on Friday and informed me my furlough was ending and I was expected back to work on Monday. I discussed this with my DP (who is classed as a key worker, not front line) as the kids are only in part time childcare. DS is 5 and in Reception, DD is 3 and in nursery 3 days per week.

My DP is working full time 9-5 and cannot change working hours this week at such short notice. So cannot do drop off and pick up for the children (nursery and school are about 15 minutes drive apart). DP also cannot WFH and look after DD who is 3 and needs constant supervision.

This week will be impossible to juggle, but from the following week we can manage with flexible working hours and the help of a grandparent.

AIBU in asking my employer to extend my furlough by one more week? I checked the government guidance and there is a specific provision for this which allows furlough for those with caring responsibilities. I would only want this for 1 additional week.

I am incredibly grateful my employer has asked me to return and I do want to return. I have been there years and have a good reputation for being one of their top employers and managers.

My only other option would be to use a weeks annual leave, but then I'd have none left for the rest of the year and summer holidays when I would need to take leave to cover childcare again.

Most of the company were furloughed and now being brought back bit by bit.

YABU - get back to work immediately.
YANBU - take an extra week furlough to sort your childcare out.

[ADayAlwaysHasToEnd]

If they have already done the process for Un-furloughing you, I dont think they can just change it

[laurenlodge]

My vote is neither and is for taking a week of annual leave, unfortunately.

There's no harm in asking on the surface but I'd be worried about the impression it gives. Only you know whether your boss/company will think less of you for asking.

[MaverickDanger]

Annual leave - either yours or DPs.

One of you covers next week, the other has cover for summer.

[UnmentionedElephantDildo]

Agree with PPs - Book it as leave

[Sosounhappy]

Annual leave

[Gazelda]

Can you explain the difficulties and ask to work 2.5days flexible next week while you work out a more permanent solution.
2.5days AL to cover when youngest is not at nursery and after school.
The school hols are going to be an absolute nightmare for a lot of working parents while holiday clubs aren't operating.

[Justajot]

Annual leave or ask for unpaid parental leave. If there is work to be done, it isn't reasonable to expect to be paid something for not working.

[CottonSock]

Work what you can, the rest annual leave. Some of us have had to carry on working with kids that age, government employee so no furlough

[gamerchick]

Sounds like your bloke needs to use his annual leave or you do.

[Blankiefan]

Ask for annual leave but apply for Parental Leave for other holiday requirements later in the year.

[JustMarriedBecca]

I was furloughed, similar job to you and similar childcare responsibilities. I negotiated a week's notice before returning.

Given nursery and preschool are open, I can't see why you can't do 9.30-2.30 each day allowing for you to do drop off and catch up with hours after work. If I was you, I would explain to work the difficulty and give them the option of a shorter working day with time made up on an evening or request further furlough. Then it's up to them.

Side note but I think your husband should be more flexible. He could work 7-7pm for the first few days and take Thursday / Friday off to cover having done the hours already this week. There is a risk that you are saying you consider your husband's job to be more important than your own which, if you were on £5k a month, I doubt would go down well.

[BollyHobs]

Take holiday.

You have completely lost sight of what the furlough scheme was for.

[SandyY2K]

There's no harm in asking....it's only for a week.

[Insideout99]

YABVU to ask for more furlough. This surely can't be a surprise as lockdown lifts have been happening for weeks? Your employer will think you're taking the piss. You or your partner need to use annual leave.

[Immigrantsong]

OP it would be a reasonable request to make, so I would say ask. Worst they can say is no. Then ask if you can return flexibly, so that you work from the premises whilst kids are looked after but then do some home working. This can be your negotiation for the week coming and of course you have the annual leave options for both you or your partner or unpaid leave too. I hope they show empathy and understanding.

[NailsNeedDoing]

Honestly I think it would be a bit cheeky to ask for more furlough, especially if you think you’re going to take annual leave so soon after coming back for the school holidays.

Maybe if you start looking into holiday childcare and you can get that sorted so that you could work through summer it wouldn’t seem as cheeky.

[Fasttrack321]

I'm hearing most responses saying to take annual leave which I take on board.

The government advice is clear:

“Employees who are unable to work because they have caring responsibilities resulting from Coronavirus (covid-19) can be furloughed. For example, employees that need to look after children can be furloughed”.

Why do so many people not want to use this? I *think my employer might accept this but I wanted to gauge other views.

[Fasttrack321]

I'm hearing most responses saying to take annual leave which I take on board.

The government advice is clear:

“Employees who are unable to work because they have caring responsibilities resulting from Coronavirus (covid-19) can be furloughed. For example, employees that need to look after children can be furloughed”.

Why do so many people not want to use this? I *think my employer might accept this but I wanted to gauge other views.

[PinkiOcelot]

Take annual leave.

@BollyHobs I think a lot of people have actually. Sickens me.

[Shehz21]

Very cheeky to be asking for extra week of furlough. Take annual leave or ask your partner to.

[ceeveebee]

Sorry but many people have worked full time throughout this period with kids to look after. Your DH can wfh so should be able to manage like many others have had to, or take annual leave
(Assuming your job can’t be done from home as you didn’t say)

[laurenlodge]

But your children are in childcare 9-2.30 three days a week? So surely that's at least 15 hours you can manage, plus more when the kids are in bed like so many others can do? Requesting furlough when you're at home on your own the majority of the week seems cheeky.

[NellyBarney]

I would ask DP to take 1 week off, he had been working through, so employer should look more positive on him than on you asking for leave streight away.

[gamerchick]

Put it on your bloke. Tell him that it's his job to sort out childcare for a few weeks. Why is it just on you?

[snackarella]

You can do part working and part furlough now so ask to do that next week and just work the hours you are able to and you can be paid furlough for the rest