Furloughed but being asked to work

[Tentativesteps133]

Not an AIBU but a WWYD. I have been furloughed with the majority of the office. They have set up a WhatsApp group with our home numbers which is fairly active with general chat and updates on the business and we are having weekly training calls. However, a lot of the 'training' they are asking people to do is actually business improvement work - improving processes etc. I've now been messaged by my boss asking me to look over and comment on a piece of work he's doing.

Obviously it's in my interest that the business does well/continues to exist post May 31st so I want to help but it all feels a bit...off... Bottom line is they are defrauding the taxpayer surely?

What do you think?

If it doesn’t take up too much time, do it. Anything that ensures the business has the best possible chance of continuing afterwards.

I think they are wrong to do this. Could you speak to HR?

My understanding is that even training meetings are off as the company are not paying you at all.

How much time are you spending on this training?

I think it depends on how much work you are being asked to do.

I@m not sure 'keeping your hand in' or 'reading the odd document' or 'doing a bit of e-learning' is "defrauding the taxpayer".

These are very strange times.

People need to use a little bit of common sense - it isn't a bad deal at all to be at home on 80% of your pay, whilst not working. I don't think I'd be cross at being asked to do a bit now and then / couple of hours here and there rather than 40 hours across a week.

Dh was told they cannot do anything that benefits the business while on furlough

There was a thread about this the other day where OP said she was working her normal hours doing "training" from home whilst furloughed with her young DC. She got shot down in flames for some stupid reason, posters telling her she shouldn't expect to just be off work and be paid for it. Which is all well saying, but would any of you be happy with a 20%pay cut and expected to work the same hours with no childcare?

@m0mmyneedswine

Yep my DH was told exactly the same thing.

You can do training while furloughed, but no work (for the employer that furloughed you, you can work for someone else as long as your employer allows it!)

Training, keeping up with CPD etc is allowed. Working is not allowed. Eg our furloughed staff can join daily team huddles because they're a complete waste of time just everyone checking in and talking random shite, they can't join official team meetings, reply to any business emails or have any involvement in the day to day work if the business.

From the gov.uk website:

You cannot ask your employee to do any work that:

makes money for your organisation or any organisation linked or associated with your organisation
provides services for your organisation or any organisation linked or associated with your organsation
They can take part in volunteer work or training

It's absolutely clear in the furlough rules, you must not work, it certainly could impact the business if there's an investigation and the employer doesn't get any of their money back because they cheated the system.

To protect yourself I'd ask HR or your boss if there isn't an HR person to confirm in writing that you are expected to work while on furlough.

This is going to cost the country enough without employers stealing from the taxpayers.

Do you want a job to go back to? It’ll cost the tax payer far less in the long run if people do their utmost to keep themselves employed and companies afloat.

Training is fine

If the employees is doing work to keep the business going the employer should pay for that not the tax payer, that's the way to a total pass takers charter. How on earth would a system like that work?

A do not work instruction is clear to both sides and protects employees.

I imagine HMRC wont have the time or money to investigate someone reading the odd document or giving advice to staff still working. The rules I imagine are more concerned with companies claiming furlough when staff are continuing their job in a largely usual manner.

I wouldn't worry too much. People are going to have to work differently when they go back to work, if the business doesn't train you for this there may be no business to go back to.

If there is work to be done then the employer should be paying their staff, but as it's open to abuse its not hard to see why many would rather the government pay. Technically they are being fraudulent but they know that there aren't the resources to investigate every business.

There's no issue with the training @Disfordarkchocolate, that's specifically allowed for all furloughed employees.

Hmmmm husband is on furlough and has been asked to go in a couple of days next week to stock take with his manager.

That shouldn't be happening

Training is allowed for staff on furlough. Plus reading the odd document and giving a bit of feedback to a colleague who is still working is fairly reasonable.

I would look at it that your colleagues are probably picking up extra work at the moment to make sure the business survives so that you all have a jobs after lock down.

@DressesWithPocketsRockMyWorld
This is not allowed and can be reported to HMRC.

@Doughnutsandducks did you follow the updates on that thread? The employer did a U turn as they were actually taking the piss

Training is fine and absolutely allowed. I’m not even allowed to log in at all though to our online portal. Training has to be done via links to our personal email addresses.