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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:
KeepWashingThoseHands · 09/04/2020 19:12

I don't think anyone is having this easy tbh.

People have lost jobs and it will be hard to get another
People are furloughed and may have had to take a reduction in pay and/or be at risk of redundancy (not saying in all cases)
People are continuing to work and have added workload and/or with reduced pay
People are working from home whilst trying to home tutor their child
People who are key and essential workers are putting themselves at risk

Where I work, a few people have refused to be furloughed not realising the consequence of that decision not just for themselves but others in the company.

I find it hard to be sympathetic to those people.

FelicisNox · 09/04/2020 19:23

YANBU but I'm a keyworker and I'm worried about infecting my family 99% of the time so be thankful for small mercies.

EmbarrassedUser · 09/04/2020 19:30

Honestly @RollercoasterRita I feel exactly the same. However, whenever I feel miffed I think ‘oh well at least I will definitely have a job at the end of this’ (I’m MOD) I wouldn’t want to be furloughed and worried that the company I’m with wouldn’t even exist in a few weeks/months.

Sorry if I sound goady or smug to any other posters.

genius1308 · 09/04/2020 19:37

Really wish my husband had been furloughed. I'm a SAHM and husband works away from home. He's been with the same company for over 20 years but works on different jobs as he has to move a4ound the country. They've laid all the lads off and don't furlough them even though they're expecting them all to go back after this is over and finish the job they were in the middle of (he works on power plants). They won't furlough them as they said they've spoken to their legal department and they're not obliged to! BIG company. I hope they are not expecting these blokes to go back when this is all over because I can categorically say they're going to get a shock. He's not classed as an employee or self employed, he's classed as a contractor so we're not entitled to anything. It's going to be a very difficult few months.

Tigerlilly17 · 09/04/2020 19:38

I’m slightly jealous as I’m a frontline nhs worker and it’s scary at the minute. But, I love my job and I’m proud to be doing my part even though I worry about the risk to my family at home . Xx

Rebelwithallthecause · 09/04/2020 19:39

My DH is furloughed on 80%

Just that 20% drop in salary is enough to be a concern financially for us.

It’s lovely having him home and able to help out but it’s still a worry

csigeek · 09/04/2020 19:41

I feel the same.
Everyone is on full pay at the moment so I’m getting paid the same and doing double the work.
I’m tired. I have to look after a toddler while doing some really complicated work (HR and Payroll, nothing is easy right now). DH works at the hospital so he’s obviously still working.
It’s crap but like pp’s have said I hope I’m bottom of the list of redundancies when this is over.

caringcarer · 09/04/2020 19:56

Where my son works as delivery driver they have some good and some non food deliveried. All over 60 and if underlying health condition furloughed. The rest have to work reduced hours so less pay. They wanted volunteers for furlough this so he volunteered as member of his family sheltering.

iMoan7 · 09/04/2020 20:12

I’m jealous. We are flat out busy. Half our staff have been furloughed and expressly told that it won’t count against them in any future redundancy process

TheGoogleMum · 09/04/2020 20:45

I'm a key worker. I'm a little jealous of those furloughed too to be honest.

Foxes157 · 09/04/2020 20:48

I'm jealous. A family member posted today they've been furloughed and are sitting in the garden relaxing and being paid.

I'd just done a full shift without a break to even pee as a keyworker. It got my goat what am I putting myself through all the worry and stress when everyone else is having a jolly holiday for however many weeks and I have nothing to look forward to this year.

TrixieMixie · 09/04/2020 21:09

Well I have been working from 6 am to 9pm and just slapped with a 17 per cent pay cut as a reward. I don’t know, though. Not jealous of anyone, think we’re all suffering and lots worse off than me. If I come out alive, my family and friends alive, it’ll be a result. If I have a job and my pay put back it’ll be a big bonus.

cabinfever2 · 09/04/2020 21:17

Imagine not being a key worker but your work can't be done from home and your employer will not fulough you despite providing evidence you have an asthmatic child at home because his asthma doesn't seem to them as serious enough

Lightline · 09/04/2020 21:23

I feel exactly the same OP. I’m struggling with increased demand at work, no support staff to help and home schooling my DD. I’m feeling pretty fed up tbh. Especially when all my friends message me this wonderful art, craft or diy projects they’ve had time to do

Fishfingersandwichplease · 09/04/2020 21:24

Key worker here. (Only food shop so not saving lives)....not been in for 3 weeks as got nobody to have DD. Boss said DD should be at school so l can work but doesn't seem to understand it isn't as easy as that - school not open the same hours plus they REALLY don't want kids in unless absolutely necessary/last resort etc. Except my colleague who has had her hours cut offered to cover me for as long as needed so l did have the option to not send her to school. Boss absolutely refusing to furlough me for childcare issues. If l had sent DD into school, she would have been the only child there! Not as easy as people seem to think.

Foxes157 · 09/04/2020 21:25

I have an asthmatic child who's been hospitalised and is on steroids. We have been told we can't furlough and we won't get ssp so we have to work. So yes I have sympathy but seriously? You have to wotk so do I in the same situation.

Tubs11 · 09/04/2020 21:46

Be grateful that you have a job, this is a very long road we're on. Lockdown may be stressful having to juggle work and family, but the economic fallout from this will be massive and those furloughed are at far greater risk of redundancy and unemployment is going to shoot up. This will set the economy back 10 years min

mangoandraspberries · 09/04/2020 21:50

Don't be - those first to be furloughed will be those first to be let go if/when redundancies come. Be thankful your company thinks it needs you to work, it means your position is much more secure.

Attitude84 · 09/04/2020 21:50

I’m currently working 13 hour shifts in a ward dedicated to Covid-19 positive patients only. I’m also extremely jealous of all those furloughed and signed of workers. My husband has been told to stay at home for 12 weeks... fully paid.

christmasathome · 09/04/2020 21:55

I understand op. I work in a key worker profession but thankfully can fully work from home which I am doing and doing my full hours. However many of my colleagues or certainly people we employ only need to go in once a fortnight but still paid full pay.

Thankfully so far my Facebook isn’t full of people I work with enjoying their kids (plenty of others are posting this though) but mine are getting ignored mainly while dh and I work 7.5 hours or more.

In your place remember that the governments advise on how to decide who to furlough is who would be made redundant first. So your job is safer than theirs in these uncertain times.

decisionsdecision · 09/04/2020 21:57

YABU - my mums been furloughed but all of the company has. She's now facing less pay which she never thought about so is not in trouble with bills etc.
The rest of the company still working are complaining it's hard work, they are keeping it going etc but those furloughed had no choice and may now be in financial difficulty.

decisionsdecision · 09/04/2020 21:58

*but not all of the company has

Verily1 · 09/04/2020 22:13

I know how you feel, it would be nice to have some actual time off but I’m glad I don’t need to worry about redundancy

randomchatter · 10/04/2020 01:10

You're an essential/key worker, it would be great if key workers (those who save lives and keep the country running during a national/global crisis) received a bursary of some kind for their work - This virus is not going to be the last crisis we humans have to deal with.

Don't be jealous and, don't gloat when your non essential colleagues join the global dole queue!

MumofBreck · 10/04/2020 09:58

We have it very tricky as we tried to ‘fairly’ cut everyone’s hours due to loss of business and income but seems some people still feel hard done by as their family incomes will be suffering. Just want the best for everyone. Hats off to NHS and keyworkers, possibly with low pay And being put in the line of fire.