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%?

It is unfair and I feel for you OP. I hope you get some other sort of work/income and good luck with your pregnancy. Just because other people have shitty times too, doesn't make your own troubles easier to deal with, and its perfectly reasonable to think there should be government support for your situation. Good luck.

AQA are dreadful. I've given up with them after marking for them for years. Move to another board op.

That does seem unfair if you are PAYE and could obtain 80% of the same month last year's pay through the retention scheme.

I know that accruing holidays is an issue, but if the exam board isn't a publicly funded body I am not sure what other barriers they have to furloughing you.

That does seem unfair. I have no advice but wish you all the best.

@LuluJakey1 don't be such a shitty person, to say unkind things to someone going through a hard time is completely uncalled for. Especially as you have no idea why he or she had to leave their last post. I know a lot of good slt luckily but they suffer under that stereotype of being cold, uncaring and quite frankly bullies. Obviously there is some truth in the stereotype cos here you are.

But supply teachers aren’t getting paid.

Some are, I guess it depends on the agency. I think Martin Lewis did some work on this (amongst many other things, he's been tireless!)

That does seem unfair if you are PAYE and could obtain 80% of the same month last year's pay through the retention scheme.

It's employers who claim through the retention scheme not employees. Employees get paid as normal by their employer and then the employer claims the compensation from the government. So if they get it wrong, it's the employer who loses the money, not the employee. And I've no idea why you think anyone is getting furloughed on the basis of what they were paid 12 months ago. Self-employed people can claim compensation of the basis of the previous year's earnings, but that's a different scheme which has no relevance for employees.

CIE have furloughed their examiners or given them a payment. They have been really good at keeping us informed. I mark KS3 papers rather then GCSE so will receive my first payment based on what I marked last year in a couple of days.

I've no idea why you think anyone is getting furloughed on the basis of what they were paid 12 months ago

This is exactly how OCR is furloughing their examiners. It may not be usual for other employers, but it is how one exam board is doing it and I can understand OP's frustration when another exam board says it's not possible.

After you finished your contract was a P45 issued or were you kept on the books?

Was any payment made after the February training?

CIE offered an ex-gratia payment of £250 (before tax) towards the end of April. I didn't accept, as they wouldn't give me a straight answer as to why they thought the furlough scheme didn't apply to examiners. Was regretting that, but received an email a few days ago saying that the extension of the furlough scheme in July meant that examiners were now eligible .

I have no qualms about taking the money; I've worked for them for over a decade and the rate hasn't gone up much in that time. I had signed a contract, they have ample records of how much I would be expecting to earn, and they'll be saving lots of T&S money. I think they've done the decent thing and I'll be happy to work for them again in future. No wonder AQA examiners are fed up if they're getting nothing at all.

AQA really are dreadful. No rise for the last 4 years, no payment for training or standardisation. No payment for seeds (check papers that are used to verify standards) which can be 1 in 6 papers you mark. It's not worth the hassle.

I do appreciate that for a small number of examiners- marking is their main source of income.

The vast majority, however care already working and being paid their full wage as teachers. I do think we should ask whether the furlough scheme was designed for and whether it is moral or appropriate for people who are still receiving a full wage from their main job to be furloughed from work they have not done and are not going to.

Hakefish
For me it my main source of income - it has built up over the years to the point where I earn more from this than everything else combined. As a single parent with a mortgage I am profoundly grateful to my exam board for furloughing me.

To clarify the thing about why someone would be based on what they earned the same time last year, when employers complete the furlough info, for someone on a variable wage (I.e.hourly paid where the hours might vary, or in this case in,y 2 months of the year) we have to submit figures based on the higher of either 1) 80% of an average of the past 12 months pay or 2) the pay received for the same month last year.
So in this case, I would understand it that if OCR aren't furloughing you it's because you are on a new temporary contract each year and not on the books so to speak permanently. I think it's unfortunate if that's the case but not unfair, otherwise all and sundry could claim for work they might have been able to do. The idea of the scheme was job retention - to encourage employers to keep people on the books until this is all over. If you aren't on the payroll you cannot be retained.....

There would be huge potential for fraud if 'seasonal' workers could be furloughed. Companies could furlough family and friends who may, might or could have been planning to undertake work for them at some point in the future.

Absolute- crikey my 14 year old would be on the books being furloughed right now if that was the case (disclaimer - I'm joking!)

Oh and I missed the -ly on Absolutely

There was no p45.
The contracts are temporary, but if like me you do that same job year after year and provide a skilled role that required a lot of training, i would argue that it should not be classed the same as other "casual" work.

Those of us for whom it is their main income could just drop it and go do something else. There are people who maybe think you're just ticking and flicking but I'm a modern languages examiner, so without people like me and the studies and training I did to get into my role, who's left able to read the students' foreign language essays?
Then again, languages are not exactly viewed at the most important of subjects these days

And i wouldn't say there was a maybe or a could be about the position. I have a track record of seven years' work and a signed contract for this year. Yup this years' contract is now useless but it proves I was contracted to do the work.

@bridgetreilly
The employer Jobs Retention Scheme instructions for those who don't earn a fixed salary each month is to calculate based on the higher of same month last year or average earnings over the last tax year.

Have you had a look at the vacancies for fruit pickers etc, maybe you can get a job doing that to give you some income?

I think @PowerStruggle makes an excellent point regarding fruit picking. The examiners are in an unfortunate position, but I think we're all having to adapt to these entirely new circumstances and look for alternative sources of income.

Farms are crying out of for pickers and I'm sure examiners would be made very welcome should they wish to apply for a position.

@LuluJakey1 how awful to say that about a fellow teacher. Surely as teachers we teach childen not to judge others? Yet here you are making out OP is a bad teacher over one post?

And to all those suggesting she fruit picks, Have you seen the conditiobs of fruit picking? Living in a caravan for months and some of your pay goes out towards rent?
Unless farmers change these conditions then no, OP should not go fruit picking (unless she wants to live in a caravan for a few months whilst pregnant)