To let you know that you can be furloughed for childcare reasons?

[drspouse]

Just came across this
I gather the rules were changed over the weekend but no announcements were made.

I am wondering about asking myself for this but my job is very much of the "work will still be there when I come back to it" nature so I have no idea if it would help at all; I'd just come back to 6 months of work come September when the schools go back properly.

You can't ask to be furloughed. It is another reason employers can use to furlough you if they need to.

My employer has said they will enter into "discussions" with employees who cannot work due to not being able to work at home or due to childcare responsibilities - I do know that ultimately it's up to the employer but some people with primary school aged children at home will be able to fully WFH while others will not and that's probably only something the employee can say, not the employer.

Of course you can ask to be furloughed. It's entirely up to your employer whether they say yes though.

But is there a guarantee of return from furlough?

But is there a guarantee of return from furlough?

You can be made redundant from furlough, yes.

What the employee guidance says is that, if you are unable to do your job due to caring responsibilities, you can ask your employer if they are participating in the furlough scheme.
It doesn't say that you can insist on being furloughed. Your employer can simply say "no" - or, presumably, "yes but not you". It has to be done by agreement.
I think it has been introduced so that employers who are furloughing staff can factor caring responsibilities (whether for childcare or vulnerable people) into their decision of who to furlough without worrying about discrimination claims as it seems likely that a disproportionate number of those asking for this will be female.

You can be made redundant from furlough, yes.

So women could be disproportionately screwed by this too ie if 'caring responsibilities' is the reason given for supposedly temporary furloughing?

I think furloughing for any reason gives more weight to making someone redundant long term.

@Tonyaster I think you're very astute!