Exam board confirmed no pay

[RainbowBabyDreams]

I posted about this before... and have just had confirmation from AQA that as an examiner, despite having signed a contract to work this summer, as i have for maybe six or seven years, we are not going to be furloughed. It's not self employment so no help there either.

So that's it. Nothing. Aibu to think this is not fair when so many millions of others are being paid at 80%?

OCR have furloughed its examiners so it can be done. They have treated us very professionally and kept us informed at every step - I fail to see how AQA could not do the same and I hope that there is chance of an appeal based on other exam board's actions.

It's the same for many seasonal workers.

I'm with edexcel and tbh grateful for the 20%. There's been a shortage of enough, or indeed enough good markers for years so it's a good move by them I think to maintain some loyalty for next years exam season.

@EndoplasmicReticulum

Plenty of people will be available to mark papers. Including the majority of people that weren't furloughed. 🤷

Although I hasten to add I believe the system or rule should be the same for all exam boards

Coffee and winewolf, thanks very much! I appreciate your input xx

@RainbowBabyDreams

But what about the exams that are going to be sat in October?

"Edexcel are paying 20% of last year's earnings. OCR are furloughing or giving a goodwill payment. AQA sent an email saying that these other boards are only awarding small sums that won't make a difference anyway, so they are giving nothing. That's nice of them to think that we're so well off that a small sum wouldn't make a difference. Good luck to them finding anyone to mark exams in October."

Good point endo!

YANBU. Businesses like theatres even furloughed seasonal staff (not all but some). Could have been possible.

Won't be a full series in October. Some subjects may not be offered and there will be many fewer entries than there would have been in the summer.

001 i don't know - that's usually a much smaller cohort and as a result I haven't been asked to mark in October before.

Thank you trellis!

Have the schools paid exam entry fees to boards for the exams which were prepared but never sat?

@RainbowBabyDreams
I'm sorry about your personal circumstances, but are you genuinely saying that your entire household income for a year is derived from £1800 over a few weeks in the summer. That seems unlikely. But the facts here are simple. You had a contract for service -PAYE is a red herring, as many casual workers are on PAYE. You can't do that work, so there is no payment due - that is how contracts for service work. You have known for weeks and weeks that there would be no exams - why would you expect that people would be paying you for work you aren't doing? That isn't reasonable. And your position, having never started the work anyway, is much different from those on furlough whose entire livelihood is dependant on the wage coming in.

Spider yes they have. Some money will be refunded to schools. Will be watching AQA to make sure they give back more than the others who are actually paying their examiners.

It’s a temp job! Yabu.

There's many many many people who aren't getting paid right now. You haven't found a unique situation. Some of the really unfortunate ones are also still having to pay expenses out. Neither myself nor dh are eligible for anything either. Self employed in the last two years only plus self employed over £50k. Nothing for us either. They can't keep borrowing money though, it's getting silly.

Moondust I'm getting ESA temporarily but the exam money would have paid for things that ESA won't cover. I need new glasses for example. If this pregnancy is a success, I'll need another cot. Stuff like that. I was a teacher until a year ago when i was constructively dismissed after i had my first child, but thatis nothing to do with this thread.
You're being really judgy of my personal circumstances when all i came on here to say is that my income has been removed and aqa is claiming they cannot furlough, when others have confirmed that the other exam boards are fuloughing or paying 20%.

I'm don't mean to cause you such discomfort with this but having just received an email from them explaining all this, it's very uncomfortable for me.

Take them to small claims? You need to read over your contract very carefully though.

Same situation here; mark for OCR and AQA; Ocr have been brilliant and already issued details of first furlough payment for May (continuing until end of July) at 80
Percent of average earnings last year.
AQA-nothing. Not even an email to say they wouldn’t be making payments.
I know who I will be marking for again next year.
I know many retired teachers and supply/unemployed teachers for whom this payment is crucial and very much factored into their living day to day expenditure.

It is current work, because i would ordinarily be doing it now

It wasn't "current" at the cut off date. I get your frustration, but you just can't be furloughed

Omgtherearenoplanes and yet the poster right before you confirms that one of the other major exam boards is furloughing, so it must be possible.

Omgplanes, ps that post reads a bit snippy. Sorry, none of these are meant to be snippy. xx

Ocr and edexcel are paying.
I am currently a senior on 2 papers for AQA, very pissed off with their whole handling of this. I will be emailing them and HMRC on the advie of my senior there.

Would appreciate a pm from anyone who marks for either of the other boards with Details of the wording they used when paying please.