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.

Very worried about if I will have a job to go back to. Worrying times. DH going down to 80% salary too.

Looking at the staff (20 out of 160) we have furloughed, it’s likely that if we can ‘manage without them now’ we can probably do the same in the future.

I would be feeling pretty anxious on furlough.

YANBU
And that is why the lockdown is already ending -where I live people are gradually easing back into normality and not feeling thy r need to ask 'permission' to do normal things

It's not just the furloughed who have concerns about job security

Right but surely you're able to understand that the fact you're working right now means you're in a far securer position than people on furlough?

And those who were furloughed will be the ones that will be let go as non essential when economy fully operational again -look at Aesop's fable of the ant and the grasshopper!!

I wish I was furloughed - another one here failing at both work and parenting. The 1/3 of staff in my company who have been furloughed are in no more danger of losing their jobs than I am - either the company will go under (very unlikely) or everyone will come back and carry on once this is over. I’m the only parent not furloughed because I’m the only person who can do my job but I’d love nothing more than to be able to actually parent effectively or home school properly right now, let alone sit in the garden!

I get it OP & that doesn’t mean I don’t have every sympathy with those in more challenging or precarious employment situations or a shit ton of respect for key workers, but in my own little world it’s pretty shitty and guilt inducing & not much fun.

Ah you have some friends similar to mine then... earn lots (as I do) but save nothing and now stuffed and bemoaning their financial state to all and sundry after just over a month on lower money!

in reply to:
"BeijingBikini Thu 23-Apr-20 18:27:30
Now I know I will get flamed because some people have no spare cash but surely.... there are lots of ways people can save slowly for an emergency fund....

Nah I know the sorts of people you mean, like my mates in London who get salaries way more than mine but spend it on expensive gyms, dinner/drinks 4+ times a week, £200 nights out, theatre tickets, etc. Don't really feel sympathy if they have no savings - it's just irresponsible to not have them if you are able to."

I’m not annoyed at them, how is it their fault? I am jealous. I’m working at home busier than ever and see pictures of people enjoying their gardens and all the time in the world to bake etc, and moaning they are bored. I would love to be bored. I feel stressed with so much pressure at work, your office is your home, your homes your office, it can feel overwhelming

YABU DH is furloughed and doesn't know if he will have a job to go back to, I am on a zero hour contract and have zero hours... Meanwhile we are having, like much of the country, to try and teach our kids and referee the constant arguments. Work is sounding pretty good right about now...

I suspect no one is having it easy right now, or at least very few, honestly times are hard and no matter your situation if this hasn't made your life harder I'd be amazed! I feel sorry for all of us.

What grates on me is the way people talk about furloughed "doing nothing for their salary" as if it's something we chose. You do realise we are in the middle of a pandemic, none of us had a choice in the matter?

No point being annoyed... but I get you.

Sounds pretty cushy to me

I'm not furloughed and I am very grateful I have work to occupy my days, not at risk of losing my job, and not having to cut my pay by 20% (or more if I were a high earner). Jealously's not healthy, appreciate what you've got

The staff who are furloughed in the organisation I work for are on 100% pay and are guaranteed to keep their jobs.

Meanwhile I'm doing two people's work and feeling completely burned out.

Oh, and all our promised pay rises have been cancelled.

I'm really sorry for anyone who is facing redundancy, I've been there myself before, but I do understand the resentment OP.

My partner's company furloughed everyone apart from him and another in the office. He can't claim overtime but now he's 3 office staff down he has way more work to do. So he's working more than ever. His three colleagues are at home. All child free and are showing off about netflix binges etc. Meanwhile I am struggling to get my DD to do her school work around her noisy two year old brother! It's not fair. But it's better to be healthy than have Corona I guess!

I do think lot of people are taking the piss with this scheme.

I know a few people who really ought to be staying open but are having lovely paid holiday and hiding behind the whole #protectthenhs rhetoric.

Its perhaps the worst example of the Tragedy of the Commons I've seen in a very long time.

What grates on me is the way people talk about furloughed "doing nothing for their salary" as if it's something we chose. You do realise we are in the middle of a pandemic, none of us had a choice in the matter?

There's loads of stuff people don't choose that puts them out of work - like having a breakdown. I saved money for being out of work for any reason (had a few breakdowns and quit jobs in my time, lived off savings), I do feel guilty getting paid for doing nothing.

The people who have colleagues that have been furloughed and you're having to pick up the slack - surely it's your boss you should be annoyed at and not your colleagues?

"bringincrazyback Thu 23-Apr-20 18:25:23
You just answered this yourself. Some people have no spare cash. That means it's all going on bills, and there might not be enough to cover everything. Never mind iPhones or getting nails done (in which circumstances I agree, it'd be wiser to put a little by then spend on those things). People who are barely scraping by don't have anything to put aside, not even a little."

Actually as I mentioned there are 'some people' who really do have little left when they cover their bills. However, there are many who waste money. I worked in debt management years ago and helped people with planning their incomings/ougoings and sadly almost everyone, including people on low wages had money that was wasted every week....
Takeaway coffee.... nails/lashes/eyebrows/ too many clothes (we all need clothes but some have 'millions' of clothes in their wardrobes...etc etc etc... come on be HONEST most people have things they really didn't need to buy in cupboards/wardrobes etc and silly unnecessary waste which is brilliant if you have an emergency pot but if you don't and still waste then who's fault is it really?

At anytime a disaster could fall .... having a bit to one side for this type of thing makes sense and lots of people could but for whatever reason don't.... quite a lot of excuses though... but really look at everything you have spent in say 5 years and be honest

I’m jealous too. I’m not working but self employed so no furlough and not eligible for uc.
Believe me I’d rather be working and earning than in my current situation.

The economy is already f*ed and one of the reasons is people jealously watching what everyone else does and doesn’t do, accepting the conditions of a low-pay gig economy, keeping those at the bottom beneath them.

I’m still working, partly from home and partly from the office and I’m glad of it. My husband has been laid off. Good luck to everyone who has been furloughed and I hope as many as possible still have a job once this is all over. In the meantime I hope they enjoy paid time at home which is something we don’t often get the chance to just embrace. You’re being unreasonable but you know that so it is what it is.

Whilst the OP is being unreasonable those who are furloughed need to understand that it’s hard for many who are still working at home and trying to home educate children or take care of babies or toddlers. I don’t think it’s a competition, being worried about your job is no fun either but neither is trying to spin a million plates at once. So you can probably understand why some are jealous when they see all the amazing crafts / baking their furloughed friends have done whilst they’ve been trying to keep a toddler quiet whilst on the 5th conference call of the day. I’m sure no-one is in a good position here.

@BeijingBikini good for you. You're lucky that you've been able to do that but many people on very low wages can't. If you feel guilty then donate your wage to charity.

Kath Kidson had furloughed all their staff ......

Also money spent living is not money ‘wasted’.

Oh yes OP, losing 20% off my salary as a single parent is great fun. We’re having a blast here.