to be irrationally annoyed with the furloughed?

[awaywiththecircus]

I know I am but I'm jealous that they have all day to lie in the sun, home educate their dc, bake, sew, watch TV whilst I'm busier than ever trying to do it all whilst working from home.
I heard on the radio it's going to cost £50 billion over 3 months and I feel annoyed that the economy is totally f**d because we're paying everyone's salaries, and they're at home doing nothing.
I also know none of this is anyone's fault and IABU.

YABU massively so.
The economy would be a lot more fucked if the 3 million odd who have been furloughed were rendered unemployed overnight, and the long term cost of that is likely much higher.

I too am jealous, but it’s no ones fault. It’s just the way it is.

I’m just grateful I still have a job, even if I’m working, teaching and child entertaining makes me want to scream into a pillow.

Well, the furloughed are in much greater danger of losing their jobs than the non furloughed.

It’s not their fault that the economy has been utterly torpedoed.

Yes, as "one of the furloughed" who would much rather be at work. Because the fact that the company I work for has had to close due to lack of business means that they might not survive, and if they do then I might not have a job unless it gets back on its feet. It's not a holiday, it's incredibly stressful.

It's not their fault op.

Mind your own beeswax.

Hmm..... but at least you can wfh!

I'm in a disabled children's home with staff shortages, would love to be wfh or furloughed.

My dh is furloughed. He is absolutely terrified he won’t have a job to return to.

Would you rather we all lost our jobs?

I’m furloughed, and I hate it. Hate not doing anything, hate how insecure my job now is, and I’m struggling for money.
Be careful what you wish for.

If you're still at work be thankful that you have a job because those of us on furlough may well be looking at Jobseekers allowance in a couple of months if this lockdown carries on.

@BusyBB true!

YABVVVVVVVVVU

I also very much doubt people who only earned minimum wage and are stuck in crappy flats are having a whale of a time sewing, baking and home educating, whilst existing on 80% of their already meagre wage and wondering if they’ll have a job to go back to.

This is what I needed because I know I'm being very out of order.

I'm disgusted that33% think the op is reasonable.

Go hang your heads in shame

I do wish people would stop trotting out the “people who are furloughed are in much greater danger of losing their jobs” like it’s gospel truth. It might be applicable to some industries but definitely isn’t universal.

Anyway @awaywiththecircus YANBU unreasonable to feel jealous, most of us would bloody love to be paid 80% of our wage not to work!

It’s not there fault!! I’m sure most people would love to go back to normal tomorrow, just because people are making the best of it you. As my mum use to say the grass is always greener on the other side!!
Remember many people are really worried that they won’t have a job to go back to!!

I'm very jealous of them. One big long party round here while l still go to work for minimum wage. And sure as hell tax and national insurance will go up to pay for it and l won't have had a few months in the garden And l know I'm being unreasonable.

Will you be "jealous" when their employers permanently close down (tourism, leisure, hospitality etc won't be opening any time soon) and they're all unemployed and living on benefits instead?

The whole point is to try to help firms hit the ground running when they start trading again, i.e. staff, premises etc ready to go. Far quicker/cheaper to restart a moth-balled firm than to start new ones from scratch.

Be grateful you're still working because that suggests your job is essential and you'll still have a job in 3/6/9 months time!

You're not being unreasonable. Just because my DP and I are both furloughed, so have a 20% drop in income we can't afford, and may not have companies and jobs to go back to, must mean we're sat in the garden getting a tan, right? Neither of us can take additional employment while we're furloughed, and DP is at risk, so can't even leave the house for exercise.
We're not as badly off as some of our friends, so shouldn't complain.
But you're perfectly reasonable.

I understand why you feel this way because possibly if you were furloughed you would be living the lifestyle mentioned in your op. However as pp has suggested it's a very different situation for a lot of people that were already living paycheque to paycheque. It's OK to be jealous of the benefits of it without wanting the negatives of it that just isn't a reality that's all.

YANBU to be annoyed if the furloughing of colleagues has left you with an unmanageable workload, but that's something to take up with your employer. YABU to assume everyone is embracing it as a holiday - if your employer is in a position where that's necessary it's not an enviable situation. We're desperately hoping it doesn't come to it for our team because who knows what that means for long (or even medium term) prospects.

@BanjoStarz of course many are in danger of losing their jobs. If you're on furlough currently it means the government have forced your workplace to close or your workplace is still open but there's no work for you. And the economy is going to take years to get back to normal after this.

Yeah you're being unreasonable and I hope you know it.

A lot of people aren't laying about in the sun all day having a jolly good time because instead they are worried about losing their jobs, about paying their bills with 20% less of their income for God knows how long.

Be thankful you have a job that's secure enough to last this long.

My friend and her husband have both been furloughed, she suspects she will be made redundant in the near future. They are over £700 down a month with 3 kids to feed and a house to pay for. She's not sunning herself up stress free all day. I can tell you who's position she'd rather be in and it's not hers.

it might be applicable to some industries but definitely isn’t universal.

I absolutely cannot understand this view.

The furlough system means that employers have already made decisions about who’s expendable and who isn’t.

I'd much rather be working than doing all the things you've listed. Like many people my career defines me and gives me a sense of the "me" that hasn't been swallowed up by being a wife and mother (much as I love my family).

As PP have said, it's stressful as one assumes those not furloughed will be last in line for redundancies.

And I now have to snatch 10 minutes here and there doing things I'd normally not bother with in order to keep my brain active.

Swop?

I agree that furloughing should have been done under the condition that eligible employees supported essential or charitable sectors. However judging by the sheer numbers of people who volunteered to support NHS and Care services I think the majority of furloughed employees are doing some volunteering.