What happens if you refuse to go back after furlough?

[Daffodil101]

Just idle Sunday morning musing, really.

Doesn’t apply to me, but two friends in two days have said that their employer wants them back and they aren’t going.

One is an estate agent - manager asked her to start back this week, she’s said no. The other works in a nail salon, meeting with manager suggests he is looking to open early July. She wants to wait until October.

Both furloughed on 80% though I think the nail bar owner is actually making up the other 20%. Where would you stand if you said no to going back? Could they ask you to pay back your furlough or would they keep you on at 80% until October?

You’d be foolish to refuse to go back
There’s going to be loads of unemployed people only too willing to take your job

Better to hang on to a job I think. although nothing wrong with a sensible conversation with the employer about safety going forward

Unpaid leave from the time they refuse to go back or termination.

Do they have children? For me this means you are unable to go back to work for now at least

Can't see many employers agreeing to that long term
Not because they are (all) bastards but because they need to get their business up and running again to save everyone's jobs
Public sector different of course

MrsArchchancellorRidcully so only the childless can go back?

@flamingofolie well what do you suggest people do with their children if they can't go to school and childcare is still not open?

I'd imagine you would be sacked.

There are plenty of people continuing to work and making things work between them and their employer. A blanket "you have kids so you cant work just now" is simply ridiculous.

Your friends don't seem to have common sense.

Where is the risk in valuing a house? It will be done empty, she can wear gloves, a mask, not touch anything but door handle, she's not being asked to enter an ITU with no PPE.

As someone posted above nail bars could open tomorrow with plastic screens, hand sanitizing and distance between the employees, the supermarkets have led the way on that. Don't they wear masks anyway?

They both need to have a word with themselves.

A blanket "you have kids so you cant work just now" is simply ridiculous

If you don't have childcare and you can't wfh what are you supposed to do exactly?

To give you a sense of scale, furlough is currently costing the UK more per month than the whole of the NHS. It’s unsustainable long term. The Chancellor has said that furlough will continue to the end of October, but with employers to pick up more of the bill (what that means is still not defined). So it’s clear that employers will need employees to be working in one form or another sooner rather than later.

Conte, the PM of Italy, has accepted that they’re taking a calculated risk in easing their lockdown because they simply can’t afford to lock down until there’s a vaccine - which might be never.

The reality is the poverty and economic inequality and mental health problems cost lives too. In Australia it’s been estimated that more people have died from suicide triggered by lock down than by COVID.

If you don't have childcare and you can't wfh what are you supposed to do exactly?

It's not your employers problem though, is it?

Hopefully get sacked and someone who actually wants to work and isn’t a lazy bastard can get their job.

It's not your employers problem though, is it?

Well I wouldn't like to work for you.

Considering your employer can furlough you for childcare issues then yes it is their problem and they can solve it.

It's alright saying it's not their problem but what do you suggest sacking every woman with children?

Furlough will only be paid by the government to companies who don’t need to the staff to work

If you are asked back at work and refuse and so the employer has to hire someone else your furlough can’t be paid by the government

There are some very thick people around who think as Boris said furlough is available until Oct that means them and they can pick and choose to stay on 80% plus and do nothing

The dates people want to go back strangely coincides with when they think furlough ends. Ends sept? Ok I’ll come back in Oct. ends June? Ok I’ll come back July. They think it’s like benefits and they are entitled.

That’s how you tell the true fear from the greedy lazy ones. True fear is I’m not benefitting and I am resigning and will go back to work when this is gone, greedy lazy is, ill come back when furlough ends.

You need to find childcare or ask for unpaid leave till you have made arrangements. It really isn't up to employers to say fine take paid leave till you are sorted. They can't.

If they can’t or won’t do their job, their employers would be acting reasonably to dismiss them.

You need to find childcare

Which until June at the very earliest does not exist unless you're privileged enough to afford a nanny.

It’s people like this who are going to increase the unemployment figures unnecessarily

Considering your employer can furlough you for childcare issues then yes it is their problem and they can solve it.

It's not a long term solution, or a cost free solution to the employer.

It's a solution until such childcare exists. And no it's not but it's preferable to sacking someone due to issues behind their control. Unless of course you're an arsehole who doesn't really care about their staff.

And would they survive on 60% which it is dropping to from the 80% after end June ????

That's not what's happening?

Pretty sure they can then be sacked.

Also after July there is the expectation that the 80% is reduced and employers will have to pick up more of the cost - they are taking the piss out of the taxpayer quite frankly - nail technicians I'm sure can easily wear face masks and wash hands between clients. Estate agents I would hope don't touch anything in houses they view and could wear masks and gloves and wash hands between viewings

They are being bone idle and taking the piss - if the weather was bad pretty sure there would be leas objections about returning to work.....