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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think there is a divide forming between furloughed and non furloughed workers

387 replies

FuckingFu · 27/04/2020 14:37

I've heard so many people talking about how they are jealous of their furloughed colleagues. I've a friend who is furious because her company is making up the 20% and so her colleagues are 'sat at home doing nothing' and getting full pay whilst she's still working.

Whilst I do understand the jealousy and even frustration, I really am starting to hate the way it's being spoken about.

There seems to be a lot of talk about 'they'. They are sitting at home doing nothing, we'll be paying higher tax to cover their wages as if furloughed employees are some form sort of seperate, less superior group and a burden on the rest of us.

Personally, whilst I understand those feelings, I have had to say to myself well what would I prefer? I don't want my colleagues, friends and family being made redundant if that can be avoided. And if my company can afford to top up wages to 100% then good, I don't want people suffering financial hardship when it's unnecessary just so I don't have to feel jealous about it.

I want to say to my friend does she not realise that it could have been (and still could be) her being furloughed and not the person at the next desk over. This is something completely out of people's control, no one wants this (perhaps a minority are okay with being furloughed) but certainly no one chose it.

It's as if people think furloughed staff are all lazy bums who want to sit about and have everyone else fork out higher tax to cover them.

I don't want to pay higher tax either but if the alternative is thousands of unnecessary redundancies then what choice do we have.

Just seems to be a very them and us situation going on.

OP posts:

Bowbeller · 27/04/2020 14:39

Have to say I am kind of jealous that colleagues are off on full pay while I’m still working. But I guess they probably feel less secure in their long term prospects.
Agree it is very divisive

Original poster

FuckingFu · 27/04/2020 14:41

Yep I totally get the feeling, really I do.

I just hate the way some people seem to be quite angry and annoyed at furloughed employees and the way they talk about them as if they had any sort of say in the matter.

OP posts:

angelopal · 27/04/2020 14:46

Its hard as I keep hearing about learning new skills etc with all this free time everyone has or that everyone who is not a key workers is watching Netflix every day.

We are both still working, home schooling one child and also have a toddler to look after. Don't get me wrong we are grateful we have jobs but it's hard going and constantly juggling everything.

Boulshired · 27/04/2020 14:47

I think it depends on the system used to furlough. At DPs work the most reliable and quickest have been kept on, but they know that if any redundancies will be based on cost and not performance. This has caused resentment.

SimonJT · 27/04/2020 14:47

I’m furloughed, I’m hugely jealous of my colleagues who are still working. The furlough amount barely covers my mortgage and service charge.

I’m however hugely annoyed at my employer, colleagues who are still working are incredibly busy. Our company have furloughed staff based on wages so they can save money by just keeping the lower paid ones in work. Our industry is booming, there’s no excuse, it’s pure greed.

hullabaloo68 · 27/04/2020 14:47

I don't think being furloughed has been a choice for most people and all of us including the furloughed will be paying higher tax surely

ViciousJackdaw · 27/04/2020 14:49

I've noticed this too. A friend is still working outside the home, FT and often complains about a colleague who is on furlough, at 80%. They perform different jobs. Friend is livid about her colleague, apparently she shouldn't be at home as 'she doesn't have kids'.

1moreRep · 27/04/2020 14:51

I think i would feel grateful to still have a job and be able to work.

my worry if i was furloughed would be the company when deciding who to make redundant may look at what their current workers are doing.

those still working are of more value hence less likely to be made redundant.

AWryGiraffe · 27/04/2020 14:53

I just feel lucky to have my job and that my partner and I can work from home. My friend who is furloughed has lost 20% of her part time income, her husband can't work now and isn't qualifying for self employed support so they've had to apply for UC and a mortgage holiday. They've got a small baby. I don't feel jealous of others like them. It must be really worrying. They are trying to make the best of a bad situation.

Original poster

FuckingFu · 27/04/2020 14:53

I just really dislike that the anger / annoyance seems to be directed at the individual employees who had no say in the matter (not by all but by some).

I can see it breeding real resentment between colleagues/friends.

OP posts:

okiedokieme · 27/04/2020 14:54

I'm working, all my colleagues are furloughed on full pay. Employer had to cheek to ask me to cut my hours meaning I would only receive half my pay, I refused saying it was completely unfair. Yes there's resentment, justifiably in my opinion

m0therofdragons · 27/04/2020 14:57

I feel privileged to be able to maintain some sense of normality by going to work. This is having an impact on everyone and jealousy is pointless. If I was furloughed I’d be putting pressure on myself to be a superb home schooling mum, and be going nuts. Right now I accept that I’m working full time (off today) NHS and dh is working full time at home as a key worker but also trying to support 3 dc. It’s bloody hard but knowing dh and I don’t have financial instability is a plus I’ll take. Instead of money worries we are saving on after school activities and childcare. Swings and roundabouts. There will always be someone better off and worse off than you so don’t compare with others.

MidnightCircus · 27/04/2020 14:57

I've noticed it yes. I understand the thoughts behind it, but I think it's just human nature to be jealous of what they don't have! Frankly furlough is not a holiday. I'm bored, I can't see my friends, I can't go anywhere and I'm not earning my full pay so I'm trying to not be frivolous with money, with no end in sight. I'd much rather be working!

Original poster

FuckingFu · 27/04/2020 14:58

Yes there's resentment, justifiably in my opinion

Not toward your colleagues surely though? They don't get a say in what your boss decides to do.

Be mad at your employer for sure but not your furloughed colleagues.

OP posts:

nowaitaminute · 27/04/2020 14:59

My dh has been furloughed on full pay, there are very few in his company working and those that are working are only working because they live nearest to the job. My dh lives in one country and works In another so he PHYSICALLY cannot get to his job so he has to be furloughed.

MrsTerryPratchett · 27/04/2020 14:59

Everyone is seeing the shit for them and the great for others. If you think about it though:

WFH, lucky people get to keep their job AND spend time with their families.
Furloughed, lucky people get to be paid full wages AND sit on their arse.
Working at work, lucky people get full wages AND get to see other people and get out of the house.

Comparison is the thief of joy. We're all better off than those in ICU.

olivehater · 27/04/2020 15:00

I get why you would be annoyed about the 20% top up. If I were an employer and could afford to top up to 20% I would be tempted to top up by 10% only and give an equivalent 10% bonus top up to those still working.

Hobbesmanc · 27/04/2020 15:01

I think a lot of companies have taken the piss out of the furlough scheme by getting huge swathes of their payroll bankrolled by the state and heaping more work on those they've kept on. Thats what causes resentment

imsooverthisdrama · 27/04/2020 15:02

I agree especially the company's that are topping the wage up to full pay so if there is any resentment it shouldn't be with their colleagues it should be with the company. I can see why employers have topped the pay up it's a nice thing to do but they must realise it would cause resentment.
My wage is 80% and I'm grateful for that saying that the day I'm told they want me to go back to work I'll be overjoyed.
It's not as if furloughed staff can do / go anywhere except sit at home I'd rather be working .

Original poster

FuckingFu · 27/04/2020 15:03

But Olive, if it's the difference between my colleagues suffering financially and my employer can afford to top up to 100% then I want them to do it.

Furloughed employees had absolutely zero say in whether they were kept working or not and the majority are now down 20% of their wage. It could have been you, it could have been me. And I know if it were I'd have been very appreciative of my wage remaining at 100% because I still have bills and a house to pay for.

Perhaps a bonus for those continuing to work if possible when this is all over but I don't begrudge people having their wages topped up if an employer can afford to do so.

OP posts:

Original poster

FuckingFu · 27/04/2020 15:04

And no matter what the situation, any resentment should be directed toward employers/the people making these decisions. Not at our colleagues.

OP posts:

ListeningQuietly · 27/04/2020 15:06

Pensioners - guaranteed income, no need to work,, own their own homes / get subsidised housing inflation busting uplifts every year, free bus travel.

Students - no education, no proper results, no jobs on the horizon, crippling debts, no chance of owning a home

If we keep looking backwards we will fall off a cliff

Snowdown24 · 27/04/2020 15:08

My DP is on furlough and having a whale of a time. It’s holiday for us, so I could easily see why colleges would be annoyed if they was working whilst he is not but still getting paid. The 20% he isn’t getting paid he isn’t missing because petrol and lunch money would cost roughly that.

I’d be jealous if I wasn’t furloughed. Probably not a popular opinion though

Truthpact · 27/04/2020 15:08

I kind of expected a company to furlough its entire staff, not just a select few because they aren't as good as others or cost more to keep in the building. Maybe those who have been left behind should work to rule. I'd be doing that by now if the company did it obviously to save money. I bet my old company did that, they are a terrible company.

But it's the furlough staff who will be first to be made redundant. I wouldn't be jealous of anyone in that position. If they were bragging about it on FB or rubbing peoples noses in it, I'd think they were idiots. They could be out of a job altogether soon.

Notcontent · 27/04/2020 15:09

This current situation is very divisive in many ways. I am still working but very concerned about job security (private sector job in an industry that is being really hit by the economic slowdown). But for lots of people in other industries it’s just business as usual and so I feel like there is a deep division about the people for whom the current situation is just a short term inconvenience, while for others, like me, it’s incredibly stressful and may have have life changing consequences, like losing my job and home.

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