To think that as I am furloughed, my employer shouldn’t be expecting me to be spending my time doing training courses?

[Anquin]

I’ve been furloughed for 8 weeks and am likely to remain on furlough for another few weeks. My boss wants me to pick online courses to do which will benefit the Company if or when I return to work.
At the same time, the senior management are sending weekly updates that are increasingly negative about the future of the Company.
I find it extremely difficult to self-learn, and I’m becoming more worried about the future as I think I might be made redundant. My immediate boss keeps asking how the training is going (we have meetings weekly to catch up) and I’m getting really upset and anxious about it.
AIBU to think that if I’m on furlough I should be able to spend my day at home doing gardening etc. without worrying about training?

It seems reasonable to me that they ask you to do online training. If you can choose the course at all then it may be useful for your next job even.

Are they paying the 20% difference in your wage?

Well furlough isn't a holiday. They're entitled to ask you to do training. If you want time to do gardening etc. then take it as holiday

They can’t ask you to work while you’re furloughed: it’s fraud. You’re furloughed because there is no role for you to fulfil at present.

And training is one of the things the government specifically allows while employees are furloughed so there's no issue there.

Training seems like a good use of time, you’re still being paid?? Yes they should be reasonable and not overload with a crazy amount especially if you’re home with young kids, but why should they just pay you to stay home gardening when they have something productive for you to do??

Its a good way to get your name to top of the list of those first out of the door

You're allowed to training while furloughed as long as you're paid at least minimum wage.

Well, you're entitled to do what you want, but it's a shitty employment market out there, and it's going to get shittier. Furlough is a lot better than Universal Credit - and if your bosses are sounding pessimistic about the future of the company, I'd grab as much training as you can right now. It's your choice.

Is this a joke post that’s a thinly veiled dog at people on furlough?
If not of course you should be doing the courses. That allowed under the rules of furlough. If you do go back then your skill set at work has improved, if you don’t then your skill set for your next role has improved.
If you want to spend the time gardening take holiday.

That's not correct wonky Furloughed employees cannot be asked to work, but can be asked to complete training. We're doing that at my workplace.

I think you just need to structure your days a bit OP, so you so you online training in the mornings, and then so your gardening. Or take a holiday or unpaid leave if you'd rather just do gardening!

So unless they are paying you the National Living Wage, they should not be asking you to undertake any training. Furlough is a leave of absence so OP is perfectly entitled to want to do her garden or whatever else she chooses whilst furloughed from her role.

As scarflady says, training is specifically permitted under the furlough scheme. If you're finding it difficult you need to talk to your manager, but they are not being unreasonable in asking you to do some training, especially since it sounds like they are letting you choose what you want to do.

@itswonkylampshade

They can’t ask you to work while you’re furloughed: it’s fraud. You’re furloughed because there is no role for you to fulfil at present.

She’s not been asked to work. She’s been asked to do online training which is allowed under the rules of furlough

Do the training - it will be good for you, particularly if you are worried about being let go. Build these skills, work on your CV - do everything you can to ensure that if the worst happens, you are as prepared as possible. Take advantage of the fact they are paying for it all.

And could you even use the fact they are still paying you to do/find/pay for some online courses of your own?

You're being paid and not working. I don't think it's unreasonable for them to ask you to do training! It also shows commitment on your part when you potentially return. If they are looking at laying people off, you could be spared. Those that turn down the offer of extra training because they have a CBA, I'd rather be sunbathing attitude will be the first to go.

Seems very lazy not to do it

What is if you find difficult about self-learning? (Not trying to be mean- you said you find this difficult in your OP and am just wondering why- because you have kids/distractions at home, or hard to motivate yourself or you’re not really interested in the topic?) I really don’t think it’s an unreasonable request at all from your employer, but it would be useful to know why it’s making you so anxious? It’s rubbish if your employers are sending messages that are very negative about the company’s future, but as others have said, training can only be a good thing, whether it helps you in this role or in a future one.

Oh God

Is this another pisstake thread? Yes, op, you absolutely should be allowed to sit on your arse at home on full pay benefits, or pootle around doing some gardening. It's outrageous that you are expected to do anything on your six month taxpayer funded holiday.

I don't really understand why you wouldn't want to do something that will add to your CV and make you more valuable for the future?
I think you need to take a longer term view of it.

But...you're furloughed, not on leave, right? So you are still being paid, presumably. Employers are well within their rights to ask you to complete training as long as they have topped up your income to National Minimum Wage levels if receiving only the 80% the government has promised means that you fall below that.

If you are not receiving National Minimum Wage as a result of being on furlough and your employer is not making up the difference, you might have a case. Otherwise, I'd grab the training with both hands if redundancy was on the horizon.

If you want to garden, I'm sure you can arrange to take annual leave instead. But furlough isn't a holiday.

@itswonkylampshade

They can’t ask you to work while you’re furloughed: it’s fraud. You’re furloughed because there is no role for you to fulfil at present.

Yes they can - it's allowed as part of the furlough laws.

YABVVVU and short sighted. If you are worried about being made redundant then surely refusing to engage in training puts you at the top of the list! And no, furlough isn't a paid holiday.

So many people don't want to go back to work , scared to, won't send their kids to school bout us lie on funding beaches or crowd into parks.

I hope this is a joke.

Your company want you to undertake training, which is allowed; and instead of doing something that potentially makes you a better catch in the employment market, or the kind of employee they want to hang on to, you'd prefer to spend your time gardening because you might get made redundant? If that is true you need to get a grip.

Why is learning hard for you? Unless you have a condition that prevents you from learning without special assistance, you should take advantage of this opportunity.

You're missing a chance to improve your skills, and prove your value to both your current employer and any future potential employers. You're mad to let that pass in this economy.