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.

The OP quite clearly states that she knows she is being U. It’s completely normal to have irrational jealousy.

And some of us are spending our days lying in the garden sunbathing whilst on full pay. Life isn’t fair.

@awaywiththecircus oh, so it doesn’t matter that we are losing about £500 a month because my husband is furloughed, so I’ve now got to budget for that, and that we’ve so far had a mini weekend break cancelled, a concert cancelled, a visit from family cancelled, a once-in-a-lifetime meet up of four friends cancelled, competitions cancelled, and I’m still working in a key worker environment with NO masks and NO extra PPE, hoping that I don’t get furloughed because I really don’t fancy spending a day on the phone talking to the mortgage company! I constantly worry about my key worker daughter who I haven’t been able to hug in weeks, conversations are by FaceTime or from the end of the drive, and my neighbours are constantly having a steady stream of visitors everyday.

So no, not all furloughed people are living it up in the back yard with gin fizz and chocolates and not a care in the ducking world.

This thread is interesting. OP is getting a rough ride. Of course some people are really struggling. Whilst others really are ok financially and are able to clean and sunbathe.

Of course we can understand that some people are jealous.

You may have to work a lot. Not just essential workers, NHS etc, are still working.

People who do payroll and the corona portal still have to work!
Even if the business is closed and therefore no income!

My sister is the only one at her work who has not been furloughed, she is also the only one with an autoimmune disorder, and the only one that doesn't have a car so she's having to get the bus in. I suspect they're doing it because she is paid the least and still undertaking her qualification for the role, all she is doing is sitting in the office and cleaning, but the bus issue is a concern. It also means she is having to live in a house share with 5 other young people who are ignoring the lockdown. Worried she's going to get unwell but the threat of losing her job and by extension being unable to complete the qualification she's paid for is hanging over her head.

I'm WFH and doing so with a small child and I cry about 10 times a day but at least I don't have to risk my health as I also can't drive so need public transport to get around

I had heard that if employers make people redundant soon after furlough has ended then the government will start recouping the furlough money.

Furlough is there to protect jobs not so businesses can cut costs at the end of it. Some additional support from government after lockdown may be needed. I know that doesn’t take away the uncertainty but they will be watching.

I’m more pissed off at my pregnant friend on benefits who is complaining about being bored at home. Oh dear.

I am on furlough as I work in marketing and had only just started a new job after being on maternity leave for a year and leaving my job beforehand. I had only just started to do something for me and use my brain, but now I’m back to looking after my daughter 7 days a week. Not good for the mental health as I was really enjoying working again. This could ruin my career as I will have had a long gap out of employment and things are not going to return to normal for a long time. No one will be recruiting for months, even less so in marketing. So yes, I think YABU. We can’t help what sector we work in and I know how much I have to give, but that’s been taken away from me

I'm jealous of people furloughed I'm not embarrassed to say so. I work full time from home, have two disabled children who cannot go to school as there are health concerns, my 70+ dad has moved in as he has early signs of dementia and I couldn't keep him safe otherwise.

I have no cleaner which I normally have. My anxiety and depression are mounting and I would love to be able to spend time with my children.

BUT my job is essential to the coronavirus issue and so is my husband's. We are fortunate that we can work from home.

It is OK to wish my circumstances were different and envy others. It's not a competition and we are all impacted

OP, I know I’m being unreasonable but sometimes I am too. Because I’m bloody knackered and struggling

I'm furloughed here.

For my DHs company.

He's still working. Only one doing so.

Chances are if the business survives this (probably won't) then all the other staff (also furloughed) will lose their jobs as soon as furlough is over. And we 100% won't be able to afford our current premises anymore.

Will have months of no income but rent and bills to pay.

So I may be furloughed but it'd be a hell of a lot less stressful knowing we won't have huge debts and still have work after it ends.

I'm furloughed, worried whether my job will still be there once this is over and stuck at home with a husband I'm currently divorcing so it's aweful. Not all sunshine and roses 😞

I am self employed and cannot work atm. Just before lockdown my son lost his PIP and I lost my carers allowance as a result. So now I have lost my other income and waiting to hear about Universal Credit. This means that the local council have stopped paying me HB. I have absolutely no income apart from the ESA my son gets.

Many of the people who are furloughed are in lower paying jobs. My daughter works for a charity, has been furloughed and doesn’t expect to have a job to go back to. If you are in full employment just be grateful

We wish my husband hadn’t been furloughed. We’re now panicking whether he will have a job after this! He works for a small company, they’ve just kept the ‘heads of departments’ in to keep things ticking along. They’ve asked him to go back for a week to cover the main guys holiday and then they are furloughing him again for 3 weeks. I was made redundant before going on maternity leave and my stat mat pay ends next month. We’re now wondering if he will be redundant next. Instead of enjoying time in the sun and our kids, we’re wondering if we’ll even be able to pay our mortgage and bills in the coming months 😟 it might look like the life of Riley, but at least you must have job security if they’ve kept you in.

I haven't voted because I totally get what you're saying but also feel guilty for thinking it! People in my company have been furloughed on full pay whilst I am still having to work and juggle kids, home etc. which feels unfair to be honest. But we are thankful that we are both working on full pay and are both likely to still have jobs at the end of this.

There are two sides to being furloughed. Yes I’m able to focus on my kids HE instead of trying to juggle that and working, which was my reality for the first two weeks. It does make my life easier. But I work for a family business and I’m worried for my boss/parent who is trying to keep the business together and I can’t help. My days are filled with drudgery and although I have found the time to complete a crochet project, that was completed in the evenings and weekends. I do understand the jealousy, but it’s misplaced jealousy and I think it’s good that’s you’ve recognised this. Stay safe all.

Of course YANBU! You acknowledge it is irrational; you know the score & all the reasons why etc. BUT the reality is that whilst some people are working completely uninterrupted & much busier in some cases with no extra reward, others are enjoying the sunny weather & getting loads of stuff done at home. I’m hoping that keeping the ship afloat will stand me in good stead when it comes to the inevitable redundancies.
I completely get that homeschooling your own children is no picnic so adapt, make it a happy time. We are masters of our own destiny in our attitude to this. Is it fair? Hell no - when was life ever fair?! Feel that resentment OP but then cherish your health & put it all into perspective.

Well, I lost my job just before the lockdown, and I'm envious of anybody with a job at all. A mortgage holiday won't help me, so I'm considering my options when the banks come for our home. Understandable that you are feeling a bit peeved, but frankly, there are more important things to be upset about.

I've been furloughed. If I hadn't been, I'd have had my contract terminated. I'm deeply grateful that I don't have to claim benefits that I won't get because DH is a teacher. I'm glad to have time with my toddler but I'm also exhausted with the drudgery while worried that I won't have work to go back to. There are underlying health issues in the house so I can't volunteer anywhere.
Not sure why people can't see the value in furloughing as a macro economic measure; it's pretty much individualism that is driving the jealousy. If every business went under we'd be well and truly up a creek, paddleless, when we come out the other end.

Truthfully I'm really glad that as a keyworker I haven't been furloughed.
I was made redundant 10 years ago and it took me months to get back into work and years to get back to the paygrade I was before redundancy, so YABU really.

However my furloughed neighbours are in their various gardens enjoying the sun while I'm WFH, so yes, a tiniest bit envious atm.

OP i tend to agree. The truth is that many companies are using this as a convenient time to park their employees and let the taxpayer pick up the bill. This very week i have undertaken specialist work for a company because the company they normally use has parked its employees and yet here i am ready and willing to complete that work which i did. So if i can do it,why have the other company parked their workers?

We will also have companies who conveniently go bankrupt,kiss good bye to all their debts and then restart when its all over with a minor name change.

Added to this we have had the poor handling by the Government.

The rest of Europe and maybe the world is gearing up the brand UK a pariah state,,the poor man of europe,with deaths piling up and no end in sight.

Even Spain is saying Brits may not be welcome due to the poor handling of the crisis in this country.

People need to manage this situation and get back to work.

@Arnoldthecat it's up to the companies to "get people back to work though." As an employee, I don't make the decision whether the company I work for closes or not. Hardly the fault of the employees.

@Arnoldthecat

* OP i tend to agree. The truth is that many companies are using this as a convenient time to park their employees and let the taxpayer pick up the bill. This very week i have undertaken specialist work for a company because the company they normally use has parked its employees and yet here i am ready and willing to complete that work which i did. So if i can do it,why have the other company parked their workers?*

Are you seriously asking that question? You have squat all knowledge re the finances of that company.

Mumsnet bingo in here. My word. Doomsdayers of death and someone had to stop their cleaner coming (ironic biscuit).

OP you said you knew you were being unreasonable and yes, I agree you are.

At least it’s not a pandemic that turned people into zombies. We’d be really fucked then.

Yes cause there's pros and cons to both. I'm lucky I already work from home so it's just the extra work of home education to worry about and although I have young children I've gotten them used to doing little chores like dishes, dusting etc so it all evens itself out time wise. It is a little bit harder but in some ways no harder than during the holidays. At least I know I will have some work available for me after all this. So luckier than some.