To feel that it's unfair that keyworkers cant be furloughed

[glitterwobbles]

Just want to rant mainly at the government. My husband and I are both keyworkers. I have currently moved out of home as have been exposed to covid 19 and didn't fancy taking it home to my family.
Because of this my husband has not been able to work and is on a zero hours contract so no work no pay.
Apparently key workers can not have furlough pay. All we are asking for is 3 weeks pay as I hope to go home at the weekend.
I know its pathetic but I feel let down by the rules. I have continued to work while many around me have gone off with stress. I have not had a day off sick since 2012. My husband is on a zero hours contract as the flexibility has allowed us to manage childcare needs.
I dont want a medal and realise life is hard for lots of us right now but feel financially punished for being keyworkers.

I have been furloughed - I work in a services role for the third sector. It is horrible. I worry constantly about my job security and my depression and anxiety is awful from not working. Be careful what you wish for.

My husband is a key worker and has been furloughed so it can happen

Keyworkers can be furloughed as can your husband. For zero hour contracts furlough is worked out on the average pay. I would suggest you both speak to your employers and ask if they can furlough you both for the 3 weeks

Key workers can be furloughed. I’ve been furloughed since the end of March, even though the business I work in is classed as key for transport links (Car hire) the business has been reduced enormously so only the larger city offices have been open and covering larger areas, smaller ones have closed temporarily. I am also a zero hours worker. My furlough pay is just worked out on my average for the past year. I can’t see a reason as to why he can’t be furloughed unless he is able to work from home but is choosing not to. I think he should speak to his work again, it may just be that they aren’t aware that they can furlough zero hour staff.

ReincarnatedDodo. Apologies. I was wrong in what I said, you’ve said it more accurately.

I would absolutely love to be furloughed right now but as it is I have to keep going to work with Covid positive patients wearing my plastic pinny, gloves, surgical face mask and donated visor with no option but to do my best to keep myself and my family safe. I know I’m not alone in this but when OP has made the choice of her own free will to move out, I get slightly annoyed when they then complain that they are still working.

Aah I’ve just realised why you want to be furloughed. Sorry, read to fast! Unfortunately having to self isolate is different and not reason to furlough. I get that it’s frustrating, I’ve been worried that my husband would need to at some point as he’s the main earner and it would cause us major problems.
It’s not that you’re key workers that’s the issue though.

I would love to be able to work, but am a zero hours contractor so I get nothing. I have to teach my children, while their teacher gets furloughed on 80%.

Unless they are at an independent school the teachers are not furloughed and even then it is unlikely

There is lots of confusion between key workers and government funded bodies (schools, NHS etc). As a general rule government funded bodies should not be furloughing as they are continuing to receive funding- by furloughing the government would be paying twice.

If you have got corona virus then go off sick. If you haven't got it then why can't you work. I genuinely don't understand. As keywords you are entitled to be tested.

Keyworkers

Hi, key workers can be furloughed! I work in social care and some of my colleagues have been furloughed. It's the choice of your employer. Some of our clients have been staying with family so not using my organisation's support and our money from social services has been cut!

It depends upon the circumstances of your employer.

Out of the thousands that have died, there are what less than 400 who are NHS workers and so even less who would have been front line NHS workers, you've over reacted by moving away from your family and are now realising that it is not financially viable. The government shouldn't cough up 3 weeks pay because you made a decision which wasn't necessary which has impacted your financially.

The furlough scheme doesn’t allow a public body to furlough and then claim money off the state as it would be circular. If you are a ‘key worker’ whose doesn’t work for the state you could be furloughed.

Why haven't you been tested? Turn around is usually 7 days in my hospital but you could push for an urgent test. Results in 48hrs as you must know. Lots of keyworkers are exposed in the NHS and are being tested. I'm genuinely confused!!

I would double check. I'm a key worker and some of my colleagues have been furloughed for health and family reasons xx

My husband is a key worker and I have no problem with others being furloughed... my husbands job is safe and secure, he is in good health and has little human contact so risks are minimal and when this is all over we are safe in the knowledge that his job isn't going anywhere.

What does annoy me however is, we pretty much live paycheck to paycheck as many people do - If my husband or any of us have any symptoms, he has to isolate at home for between 1-3 weeks (depending on who/when symptoms start) which has him off work with a measly £90 a week which we cannot afford to live on, when he has been working his backside off the whole way through this. Surely there should be something in place to pay keyworkers at least the furlough rate if they have to isolate.

My mum is also a key worker in retail, with people coughing over her on a day to day basis and being dicks about social distancing in general (and she has no ppe or protective screens etc), working for minimum wage and also living paycheck to paycheck. Shes at higher risk of being exposed to the virus and therefore developing symptoms and having to self isolate, but she simply couldn't afford to take time off on sick pay.

I completely agree with the furlough system. It has done a great job and will hopefully save a lot of jobs and livelihoods, but I do also think that key workers get shafted a bit and that they should be paid at least furlough rate for self isolating. Otherwise there will be people taking risks in going to work because they cant afford to be off, and further spreading the virus amongst the community.

You are BU really because you're a key worker - the clue is in the 'key'.
It seems that your husband can't get furloughed because he's on 0 hrs contract - not because he's a key worker. An obviously you can't because your in a key job and can still work, and are needed to work.
It's for people who can't work

I think it's very unfair that some people are working through out and others can sit in gardens with their furlough pay. Those in receipt of this should have to pay it back when they return to work like a student loan. Why should they get money for doing nothing??? Or they could do street cleaning and other essential jobs to earn their furlough money. SO UNFAIR. Or those working get double pay for the duration. Teachers, nurses etc.......delivery men, bin men , postman and so on. Many of these jobs are low pay and £2.5 grand a month would be wonderful. Which brings me to another point. If there has to be furlough money it should be a flat rate to everyone, like in Ireland and other places, £350 a week for all. Regardless if key worker or not working.

sunflowerseedsforever

Teachers not furloughed , still working.

Surely you should be able to claim some form of universal credit? I understand that it must be frustrating that some people appear to be getting paid for doing nothing but I am sure that’s not true in some ways you should be grateful you have a job and not at risk of redundancy.

sunflowerseeds,

SORRY NOT you... so whoever you copied and pasted. How can they possible think teachers are furloughed, do they not listen to the news??

The Furlough scheme is a 'waiting room' for unemployment for many people as - when it ends - their employers will NOT magically have the same volume of work that they had before this economic collapse. 9,000 jobs going at Rolls Royce today is the tip of a very large iceberg.

Key workers may not qualify for Furlough but they are in many cases in the fortunate position that the Government will just print money out of thin air to keep paying them and funding their pensions.

So - free money for now and the prospect of unemployment down the line,
or
No free money but longer term job security?

As PP have said, key workers can be furloughed. You've chosen not to stay at home, your husband has chosen not to work and you've chosen not to send your children to school. Why should your husband get 80% of his wages when he's choosing to do 0% of his job?

Furlough is literally a scheme for when there is no work for you but they don't want to make you redundant. The effects are less severe than almost every business in the country collapsing and 25% of the workforce becoming immediately unemployed.

I am sorry that some people's jobs have been unaffected by this crisis, but knowing you're a hair's breadth from redundancy isn't easy either.

i don' t understand why you felt the need stay away from your house. You have had coronavirus and I would think it is very unlikely you would bring it home. The Government can't help everybody in the country.