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.

Some people are in this position.

I felt envious earlier about my friend and her husband. She's on full pay hardly doing any work just cos her company's generous really and her husband's been furloughed. They're going in bike rides and walks and drinking beer in the sun etc. All the time in the world.

And I'm stressed. But then I did think I don't want to be furloughed (and I may well be furloughed in my job we have been told) because I would be worrying about my job.
My friend husband is in a trade and of course lives with his wife so is in a lot easier situation then me anyway.
But I would rather be working than furloughed when you think about the alternative, which may well still happen anyway

You can't choose to be furloughed.

Exactly. No one who is furloughed has made this decision any more than those now designated as key workers and to keep working made that decision.

Let's turn it the other way around. I'm jealous too those still working and having a reliable income after having no wages for 6 weeks. I'm jealous of those in secure jobs who are in industries that are essential to daily life, those that in all likelihood will still have a job this time next year when I won't.
Do I sound reasonable or should I maybe just be glad that I'll get something to live on and a chance that the business I work in may survive? Be grateful that I'm not having to risk my life to go to work every day? I choose the latter quite honestly!

I have noticed a definite “othering” of furloughed workers on here. It’s interesting how quickly it happens, already being referred to as lazy and facing inevitable redundancy. That people working now are single handily going to be left paying the tax bill for the scheme (because obviously furloughed staff will be unemployed forever). Surely without the scheme there would have been mass redundancies instead and more companies folding immediately, which would have been even more expensive in the long run, plus the companies that didn’t fold would eventually have to reopen those jobs and all the stressed out staff will be even more stressed training loads of new starters.

As for sitting in the garden, it’s lockdown, I’ve lost 20% of my salary, and it’s free so what’s the fucking problem with that? I should sit indoors and stare at 4 walls all day?

I think 80% is extremely generous and so did the chancellor when he announced it, 60% would of sufficed if people are just staying at home as long as take home did not go below minimum wage, those earning above 30k should have at least some savings put by to help out over a few months if not then they are most likely not living within their means.

My company furloughed 700 staff Insurance industry ( I actually volunteered to be furloughed as it was just tooo hard with 3 small children) my company are paying 100% so yes I’m at home being paid and I totally get why it would piss people off.

I wouldn't be jealous we can't put food on the table as we have both lost 20% . Is that something to aspire to now ?

I’m in the minority but I am enjoying being furloughed. It’s just like being on maternity leave for me, husband is still working. Not worked for 4 weeks now and just been furloughed for a further 3. I have also an unusual child who is very happy to stay at home and doesn’t seem to miss seeing anyone!

I doubt I will be made redundant but I’m not too concerned as I only work 2 days a week anyway. I would miss the place though; I’ve worked there nearly 17 years.

I work in non-essential retail. As my company were reviewing hours before lockdown I doubt I'll be going back to the 12 hour contract I managed to scrape this year. I feel guilty for being furloughed as my friend works in a supermarket and dp is nhs, there are people looking after my very elderly grandmother with dementia whom I wish were being paid more for their incredibly hard work.

I don't really feel that sorry for people who are working from home tbh. It's not a nice thing to admit but it's true.

Both my DP and I are self employed, and entitled to fuck all help.
So we can’t work, and nothing coming in at all. And we won’t have anything coming in for the foreseeable future.
So yes, I’m jealous of those on furlough.

Just because I am wfh does NOT mean my job is not at risk. I'm just one of the 'lucky' ones that has to do the work of two people, ensure everyone in my company is paid correctly, ensure the furlough claim is calculated correctly all while home schooling three kids!!

And my employer could still go under!! My job is just as much at risk!! Most people wfh are in the same boat - were just the mugs not getting a break

I clicked on this because I misread the title and thought it said annoyed AT being furloughed, which is exactly how I feel now.

It is horrible, hence laying awake at 4 in the morning worrying about it. My job still exists, there is plenty that I can do at home, but they are trying to save money by furloughing my entire team. I'm worried sick about some of the work that I know isn't being done, which will cause huge problems when I get back. We've had no contact from work, despite being promised weekly phone calls. I spent the first 3 weeks working from home and felt much happier. It should be nice being at home in the sunshine with the kids, but when that's arisen out of an awful situation and every moment is tinged with anxiety about the future, believe me, it's not a holiday. Im also going to have to take unpaid leave later in the year as we have to use our holiday while on furlough and I won't have enough for the holidays and Christmas as planned, so we're trying to save up enough out of my 80% salary to cover that.

I'm also worried if/when we do get back there's going to be a divide between those who had to stay at work and those of us furloughed. We'd all much rather be working.

@xenia

perhaps payment up front for NHS services for those over weight

You've said some vile things over the years, you really are the gift that keeps giving. I was 7.5 stone before my medical conditions gave me diabetes & a heart problem. I eat keto, I exercise, I'm still overweight - why exactly should I pay more to use the NHS than you and your tribe of kids?

You do realise that once upon a time owning an island doesn't give you any immunity from serious illness or an accident and that horror of horrors one of those might cause you to gain weight?!

My job still exists, there is plenty that I can do at home, but they are trying to save money by furloughing my entire team.

This isn't what furlough is for. Your company should still be trading and bringing in revenue if they can, not stopping to save themselves money 🙈

Horrible thread , jealous of people who through no choice of their own have been given a 20% pay cut ? Who will be worrying about whether they have a job to return to ? Extraordinary.

60% would of sufficed if people are just staying at home as long as take home did not go below minimum wage

My take home is under minimum wage at 80% none of the literature I've had from my company says it will be topped up to minimum wage- it won't be. But I'm not working so I don't think minimum wage applies.

@Notverybright mine too. I got my first furlough payment today and it's less than minimum wage.

@Waxonwaxoff0 and that is exactly why all these people jealous of those on furlough are wrong. If they had any idea what losing 20% of their income is like for some people . When you are already on minimum wage and now losing a fifth of my wage . Especially with supermarkets putting up prices. It literally means for some not eating and yet they want to believe we are all outside drinking wine and having a BBQ.

I too am "jealous" of those being paid not to work while me I run myself ragged trying to WFH full time (& a bit more) while simultaneously trying to occupy a 3 yr old who is struggling with the lack of routine and company.

BUT at the same time:

1. I am grateful my job is not at risk
2. I know I am lucky to still be financially secure
3. My family are all healthy
4. I am not having to work on the front line without PPE, I can stay safely at home
5. I am not having any struggles with my MH as a result of isolation/anxiety over job security/paying the bills

My point is, it is ok to feel upset about a situation while still appreciating what you do have. And at certain times of the day I can only focus on how difficult things are. You have already said you know you are BU. Don't be too hard on yourself OP. Some people just see things as black and white and think that because you say one thing you can't understand the bigger picture.

My advice is to stay away from SM, my feelings of jealousy get much worse when I see endless posts of people doing lovely things with their kids/reading in the sun/getting fit/decluttering etc.... because of course I would like to be doing that instead.

@Peppafrig yep. Supermarkets putting up prices, also I'm using more electricity being at home so the bill will probably go up this month. Council tax has increased as well. And it's not offset by travel costs to work for me as I walk to work.

I'm very glad I'm getting 80% as the alternative is Universal Credit but it's definitely not a picnic.

I suppose you'd also be glad if furloughed people caught the virus and died?

Eh?

Horrible thread , jealous of people who through no choice of their own have been given a 20% pay cut ? Who will be worrying about whether they have a job to return to ? Extraordinary.

A painfully honest thread by OP - and some other posters - who know they ABU and are ‘lucky’ to be in work but cannot help the all too human feeling of envy for the non working furlough population on 80% of salary.

You can't choose to be furloughed. actually in some instances you can,e.g. if your work can’t be done from home but you’re living with someone who is shielding. I know at least two people in this position.

However, this doesn’t mean that people who have been furlowed are living the jolly old time at home.

And really, how the fuck have we come to a point where everyone is resentful of anything anyone else has or does?it’s really not an attractive trait.

I could be jealous of the furlowed because at least they’re earning whereas I have 0 prospect of getting a job right now,(had one job lined up but this has fallen through, and another interview which has been cancelled,) I imagine it might be years before some employers start recruiting again.

But it could be worse. Last year I was told I was ineligible for a heart transplant, I’ve had a procedure now which has brought back some of my health and means I am now eligible but not sick enough yet to be on the list, but had I been eligible back then I would likely be waiting for a heart and stuck in hospital, and likely to die on the list. But as it is I am well enough to be at home shielding, able to do things, and while I don’t have a job at least I’m still here.

Everyone’s situation is different, and being constantly resentful of what others have is not going to make you live a good life..

Yeah your being unreasonable. It's not their fault. My husband is furloughed because his company primarily deals.with libs and clubs so no business at the moment. He's at home looking after our toddler so I can work from home upstairs so he's definitely not lounging about all day living the life of riley. Its very stressful and worrying windering if he'll eventually be made redundant and lose his job. Especially as I'm 3 months pregnant with our 2nd child and my wages alone won't be enough to pay all our bills should the worst happen and we eat through our savings! No one wants to be furloughed and we'd be in an even worse situation if companies just went bust.

@LaurieMarlow

"I absolutely cannot understand this view.

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

^you're wrong Laurie. We have furloughed all our receptionists, security staff, post, events team, recruitment team, catering staff.

We will 100% need them in the future - so although we don't need them know, they are no more likely to lose their jobs than excess marketing, secretaries etc that are still working now.

So don't generalise like you know every companies thought process.