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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Jealous of Furloughed Co-workers

251 replies

RollercoasterRita · 08/04/2020 16:36

70% of my company have been furloughed, on 95% pay ( 80% from the government and 15% from our company) I have been sitting at home, working all day for 3 weeks now, for 5% more pay. It's hard and I haven't been able to spend hardly any time with my children. Whenever I look on social media, all I can see are my furloughed co-workers having fun with their children, sunbathing in their gardens, catching up with chores. AIBU to feel so jealous, given that when this is all over, hopefully my job will be safe?

OP posts:
MarginalGain · 08/04/2020 17:52

My first thought upon hearing Sunak's plans was that it would naturally lead to a tension between those who work through this, and those who don't.

I don't blame you at all. I hate being at home, but I can see how it seems really appealing if you don't love your job.

MamaGee09 · 08/04/2020 17:52

@LisaSimpsonsbff. Agree.

The majority of the company I work for are furloughed as we work in hospitality so it’s only the big bosses that still are working and a reduced payroll. Everyone in dh’s Work have been furloughed as they work in building sites, so both places that have been told to close, no option of staying open. All are valued employees.

RubixCubix · 08/04/2020 17:52

My company has furloughed the people who were vunerable/shielding or needed to be off for childcare reasons etc. I'm not jealous of them at all and think that's fair enough.

However, before the 80% thing was announced and our work was drying up, my colleague (same job/grade) asked our boss to basically keep her on full-time and let me go! As apparently she was senior having worked here a whole month longer.
Boss refused and said it would be split 50/50; she was furious Wink Still managed to make up some tenuous reason get herself on the furlough list as soon as it was announced though, and is "lovin life, sunning myself in the garden and getting paid for it" [FB quote] while I'm actually working more hours now, risking mine/my family's health for only 20% more money Hmm

MrsDoylesTeaBags · 08/04/2020 17:52

I've been furloughed for the last week or so and am officially off for another 2 weeks, can't see much changing after that thought. Everyone in my office has a different role and as soon as lockdown was announced a lot of the companies we support and particularly those I'm involved with shut up shop, so I spent 2 weeks just helping out my colleagues.

Now all of my colleagues have been furloughed or asked to take an extended Easter break to try and keep the business running.

I'm not on FB so I don't know what BS people have been posting but its not nearly as much fun as it seems. We live in a small house, DH is WFH and DS is home working on a uni project so I'm mainly trying to not disturb them and making copious mugs of tea. No redecorating or renovating going on here.

Having been made redundant in 2008, I know what its like to be out of work when everyone else seems to be out of work, I'm scared I won't have a job to go to, I'm scared some of my colleagues won't have a job to go back to. I scared some of my colleagues will feel resentment towards a decision I didn't make and how that will affect if I do still get to to back to work.

Working from home is shit, going to work with the knowledge you could get or pass on a deadly infection is shit, losing your job is shit and being in the limbo of not knowing if you will have a job to go back to is shit. Its all shit but what can we do?

JemSynergy · 08/04/2020 17:53

My husband was in the middle of changing jobs, job retracted now no income what's so ever. We are living off some savings.

fivesecondrule · 08/04/2020 17:53

Surely if a company can afford to top up wages to those on furlough they can pay a bonus for those that have been keeping the business running through all this to keep morale up?

MrsDoylesTeaBags · 08/04/2020 17:55

Oh Jem that's awful, I have a friend in a similar position. She's an excellent worker too. I'm sorry you're going through that.

AnotherOne4 · 08/04/2020 17:55

I understand where you are coming from. I'm still working full time, and hate it. There's so much pressure and stress to get the jobs done. They want the same amount of work completed, with only a third of the work force. We are being run ragged.
I think everyone's - full time workers and furlough people - mental health is being tested right now.

Hang on in there. It will get better :)

KitKat1985 · 08/04/2020 17:56

Yeah I think I'd be pretty jealous in your position too. In reality your colleagues probably haven't made any loss at all financially when you factor in they no longer have travel costs etc, so you're no better off than they are on their 95% pay.

I think they need to offer the staff that are working a bonus for keeping the company going.

BetsyJameson · 08/04/2020 17:56

@IDSNeighbour-you think you are worse off working at home than key workers risking their lives and that of their family?

VivaLeBeaver · 08/04/2020 17:58

Dh is in the same post but for 80% of pay. He had to take a paycut. The furloughed staff are on the same money as him but not working. If it keeps the company going he’s ok with it. Says work will stop him being bored.

Xenia · 08/04/2020 17:59

yes it is really unfair and particualrly awful to hear Sunak (whom I do generally admire) suggest most of us will get something financially out of this when there are masses of unfairnesses. You could get furlough on £2k a month and then freelance for £10k a month whereas self employed honest enough as sole traders to declare over £50k earnings as I do get absolutely zero which is really saying evade and avoid tax and we give you free money but pay it all and we will not do anything for you int his.

Kurzgesagt · 08/04/2020 18:00

Funnily enough I was going to post something in a similar vein like ‘Aibu to think that some people are treating this like an extended holiday’ but didn’t have the guts ! I’m a key worker in critical care, no wage increase (although loads of lovely stuff donated to our unit by local firms, past patients etc) and working flat out a lot of the time with frequent responsibility for non icu trained staff occasionally. Also have mild asthma so at risk myself. Just riles me now and again to see jolly families enjoying the sun seemingly without a care in the world. I appreciate that financially and mentally some people are really struggling so don’t flame me !

dudsville · 08/04/2020 18:01

I'm also envious.

Quarantimespringclean · 08/04/2020 18:02

My DS has been furloughed. He is new in his job and is now scared he will be laid off once the three week furlough is over. He would love some job security.

ilovecakeandwine · 08/04/2020 18:04

*I've been furloughed and I'm looking after my son, but I'd honestly rather be working and have the security of not being furloughed.

The grass is not always greener on the other side*
This
I feel like there is a some annoyance from people working and those that are furloughed. Most of my colleagues are the same as me and I'm really conscientious to not put things on social media like what I'm up to . The truth is I really wish I was in work because I'm worried about my job . The industry I'm in it's not possible so I'm just waiting and seeing.
The 80% pay is only short term eventually a decision will be made for me to come back or let go permanently.

TheStarryNight · 08/04/2020 18:04

DH has just taken a 40% pay cut whilst working approx 12 hours a day just now.

He’s putting his heart and soul into it because his clients are amongst the few still paying his company and keeping the company afloat. He and his team are bringing in about 75-80% of their revenue just now, usually it’s just over 50%.

All staff who wouldn’t be getting less money by being furloughed are furloughed (and being topped up to 100%). The others are in a 40% pay cut (except the board who have stopped drawing a salary). A lot of them don’t have work to do.

DH is happy to do it- he’s the definition of a team player. He was in tears to me after having to tell some of his team about the pay cut. Not for himself, for his colleagues.

He lost one of his parents a few weeks ago, the other is vulnerable and isolating ( we are supporting with food shopping etc) and with this mad work schedule on top of all that I’m worried he’ll have a heart attack.

The upside is that his job is the most secure of anyone at his company. But part of me wishes he was furloughed or at least not rushed off his feet.

They’re going to have to give him a medal or a statue or something after this is over.

Binkybix · 08/04/2020 18:05

My sil is on full pay (topped up by company). Me and DH being run ragged and she keeps going on about it to us. It’s pretty annoying. Plus her job is safe, so no stress there!

Newschapter · 08/04/2020 18:06

Before furlough we signed a contract which stated that accepting furlough didn't leave us anymore liable for redundancy than non furloughed members of staff.

Out of a team of 40, they have kept four.

So whilst I am on furlough, don't be jealous, rest assured I'd rather be at work, keeping an eye on my own clients as I know the four skeleton staff won't be able to cover everything that 40 employees did before this.

@Lonecatwithkitten - what makes you think you can dictate to staff what they can or can't post on their own social media?

I don't use social media (unless for work ironically) so it make no difference to me, but I can see the uproar in my work place were my boss to "specifically ask" us to consider our colleagues... But then again, your furloughing was perhaps managed in a fairer and more organised way than ours was Hmm

fivesecondrule · 08/04/2020 18:07

There are definite winners and losers in all this. The winners have got to be those SE under £50k with a business premises that qualify for small business rate relief with a low monthly rent, who can claim 80% of their wage, still work and get paid and have just received £10k business grant, and those who are furloughed with a top up that have found an extra income source.

EveryDayIsADuvetDay · 08/04/2020 18:08

It would be nice if some companies rotated things a bit... some work, some don't and rotate... etc...
I don't think that would meet the govt criteria of laid off and not working for the employer to claim the 80% subsidy.

TheOriginalNutty · 08/04/2020 18:15

Yep I'm an nhs admin apprentice, working full time for £5.15 an hour and the workload is through the roof.

However, I spiked a temp at work on Monday, so I'm now off for 7/14 days.

What annoys me is that our job can be done from home if they give us laptops but they don't want to.

tentative3 · 08/04/2020 18:16

But YANBU to feel you have a raw deal. To me, working from home is the 3rd worst in a heirarchy of, from luckiest to worst off:
Key Workers
Furloughed
Working from Home
Unemployed

@IDSNeighbour this is tone deaf at best, given the headlines about deaths among key workers. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you're just being thoughtless.

Disressingtimes · 08/04/2020 18:17

I understand however I would see it as they see you as vital. When it comes to redundancies in a few months, hopefully you will be bottom of the list!

^thats how I see it too. They may be thinking it’s great being at home on 95% pay but, in 3/4/5 weeks, when this is dragging on they may find themselves redundant.

thistimeofyear · 08/04/2020 18:18

I understand your frustration and your co workers are being a bit insensitive posting pics of themselves and they may also be being a bit naive tbh. I have the opposite situation in that those who are still working in my company are boasting on fb about buying new TVs, laptops, phones and subscriptions to Disney Plus! I was furloughed and the uncertainty and worry about having a job at the end of this is really starting to get to me now tbh. My salary was already low I live on my own and now I will really struggle. And then probably be out of work and trying to find a job in a ruined economy. I agree with others the situation will be so dire for lots of companies they won’t be taking us all back - even if they wanted to. Be careful what you wish for

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