Has anyone been furloughed as a public sector keyworker? Is it possible?

[Llamapolice]

I feel cheeky even asking but I'm at a loss.

I have DD 12mo and am due back from maternity leave in 2 weeks.

My dp is vulnerable and although he works out of the home he's being very careful with masks, distancing etc.

I had a nursery place lined up although I was dreading the prospect and the risks it would bring, I'd just accepted it. However I've anyway now been told by them there's not enough demand atm and they don't forsee opening any time soon.

So I contacted the council to find out about keyworker childcare, their nurseries are full so they gave me a list of childminders, I've rung all those within 30mins and none are taking a child of dds age currently.

Is furlough possible in these circumstances? I'm going round in circles here

[TheGinGenie]

I'm pretty sure you can't be furloughed if you're publicly funded, because it's "double use" of public money, so to speak. It may be that your organisation is happy for you to be "furloughed" in the sense of not working but it doesn't claim that money from anywhere. They may also let you take annual leave or special leave. Sorry, I know it's a really difficult circumstance

[TheGinGenie]

I would speak to your manager/HR and explain your circumstances and ask what they suggest. If you've been on maternity leave you'll have accrued a year's annual leave so you might be allowed to take that before going back - it would buy you an extra month or so

[TabbyMumz]

It shouldn't be possible as your job exists it's just you cant do it because of childcare, and on top of that public sector is not encouraged to furlough people.

[Concerned7777]

They can furlough for caring responsibilities but they don't have too especially in your sector. Its More likely you'll have to take unpaid leave until nursery opens. Unless you have a grand parent or family member who can help you short term.

[Theforest]

No because you are already being paid by the government unfortunately

[Llamapolice]

I've used most of my accrued annual leave already unfortunately, I went on mat leave quite early because I had a rough pregnancy... I think I might just have to explain to work that I'll have to wfh (which I can do in a limited way), but the problem is I can't see how I'd get much done with a 1 yr old. I suppose the advantage of being public sector is I can't see them going down the route of forcing me to take redundancy. Unpaid leave might be an option. Feels a bit unfair when everyone else gets 80% of their pay! But I guess that's just how the cards have fallen.

[TabbyMumz]

You will probably be getting 100 per cent of your pay and probably able to work from home and just do what you can.

[Llamapolice]

@tabbymumz you're probably right but I feel quite guilty about it and I suspect my manager will be quite pushy wanting me to get more done. But I can't see them taking any more serious action against me.

[lazysasha]

I've recently started working in the public sector (we went into lockdown as I changed jobs...) and I work in HR. Please speak to your manager and your HR team as they'll be able to help.

They should be flexible and accept that you can only do what you can do. It's hard enough coming back from mat leave without all this going on.

[Lazypuppy]

I presume you'll just need to wfh. And you've just got to work around kids. Everyone in my team has kids so we're all on at weird times and you can hear kids in the background but it is what it is atm