A question about furloughing at any other time

[tectonicplates]

Like many people, I'd never heard the word furlough until a couple of months ago, and had no idea that employers could make staff temporarily redundant.

The government are paying for 80% of it at the moment, but they wouldn't usually. So my question is, in the future, now that a lot more people know it's an option, are we going to see an increase in employers doing this to save money for a few months, leaving their staff with no money? Or is that now how it works? Genuine question as I'd never ever heard of it until very recently.

It's not temporary redundancy though is it? People are being paid not to work, their jobs being kept open for them, they cannot do paid work elsewhere and the expectation they will go back to work in a few months.

It won't be in the contracts of many of those affected - it's emergency legislation enabling it.

It's not temporary redundancy though is it? People are being paid not to work

That is the case now but it isn't the case usually.

It won't be in the contracts of many of those affected - it's emergency legislation enabling it.

But several people in this thread have said that such clauses are indeed in their contracts of employment.

The only thing that will change, IMO, is that employers who haven't previously had short time working / lay off clauses in their contracts will now ensure that they are written in.

If someone is furloughed (or laid off) for 12 weeks then they can claim redundancy anyway, so it won't be an option to enable employers to get rid of problem employees.

There remains a mutuality of obligation between employer and employee which this temporary situation doesn't diminish.

Sorry to be clear - if someone is furloughed (American meaning) or laid off they can claim redundancy after 12 weeks. I'm not suggesting that this is in any way an option for employees currently furloughed on the CJRS.

I would really like to think that once this all over, we will (collectively) look back at the wreckage of job losses, collapsed businesses, redundancies, repossessions and rent arrears and learn lots of lessons about how important job security and a decent welfare state are

I really wish I could be as optimistic as you, but I have worked with some very ruthless people in the past.

@Springersrock has correctly identified the terms for claiming redundancy. Sorry for confusion.

Oh I’m not actually optimistic about it, but if something like the post-WW2 consensus did happen again it would be wonderful. It’s more of a dream really.

For those unfamiliar:-

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-war_consensus