Furlough CFery

[Sarjest]

A member of my DH’S team has been on furlough for the past three months. They have just started conversations about returning to work and she has requested that she brings with her the three hours she had built up before lockdown. AIBU that she is a CF and with that attitude this country will never get back on its feet? Three months off on full pay and she wants another three hours? Ridiculous!
YABU - she should get more time off, she’s entitled to it
YANBU - she should expect those three hours to be included in the three months she’s had already

I've worked 12.5 hr shifts throughout in mask, gloves and apron. Often off late don't get time back. I'm used to it as it's the nature of the job. She needs to get a grip.

I have three weeks toil built up from overtime at the start of the year. In fact I had booked the next two weeks off using my tool ((time off was booked in February) then was furloughed from April until June. I'm obviously not now off (and quite rightly as other staff who have worked throughout are only now just getting some time off and are absolutely priority) but I fully expect to either use it later or take it as pay at some point in the future,

Just because I was furloughed doesn't mean I have to give up my toil. I would have gladly taken it instead of furlough, but work couldn't afford to pay me it then.

Making people redundant is far more straightforward than people think. Business is fucked, they don't need the headcount, nearly every industry will be cutting people and poor attendance generally (not this request) is a perfectly valid reason if applied equally to all who are selected. She is an idiot who will have a lot more than three hours on her hands.

Hmm, I'm a bit on the fence. Shes had all that time off but youve not been paying her. You say give and take but you're asking her to work those 3 hours for free. Some people would say you are the CF.

On the other hand I dont think I would have asked for it

I'm sorry but if she's entitled the the 3 hours she's entitled to it. That's half a day. Why should she forgo half a day's pay/TOIL. Are you expecting other employees to give up half a day's holiday? I guess not. This would be the same thing.

It's not as if you were paying her to be on furlough. The government were paying her. And only 80% of her wages.

I think those who have posted that they won't forget it, and she'll be first in line for redundancy are being massively unreasonable and unprofessional.

She is merely requesting her, presumably, contractual rights.

@FlameFartingDragon but your situation is completely different.

Pre-booked holidays should be considered especially if you can't change the dates and had already asked for it.

This is about the pettiness of asking for three hours.

I don't see why asking for the time off that she earned is petty. She was furloughed so has already (presumably) taken a pay cut. I personally wouldn't be bothered by it, but I also wouldn't be bothered by someone else wanting what they've earned.

I agree with you, OP.

I wonder if this is a case of someone being at home, and ending up fixating on the little things? Really easy to do- I certainly did it when on maternity leave- felt out of the loop and only had a few things to cling on to. We have someone on furlough at the moment, who has been complaining to others about how their manager hasn’t been in contact much (HR have, with updates- they just mean that the manager has only called for a chat once). I understand how isolated they must feel, but equally- the reason for lack of phone call is probably that the rest of us are working flat out to try and keep the company going- maybe the furloughed person isn’t fully aware of how sodding overwhelmed and exhausted the rest of us are, because though no fault of their own, they’re not here to see it.

Maybe ‘3 hour person’ has just fixated on that one tiny thing, because it’s all they have to hang on to? On the other hand- they could just be an arse.

If she owed her employer 3 hours workthen I'd be damn sure they would be asking her for it.
She's earned it, she is entitled to it, either pay or TOIL, I think its fair enough

She’s been getting paid for nothing for 3 months.

I wouldn’t pick now to quibble over 3 hours. There will be many redundancies over the coming months. They’ve already managed without her for 3 months, I would want to hit the ground running now and prove why I should be kept on if they do have redundancies.

But tbh you’ve said her attendance is poor generally, why has she been allowed to get away with it for so long? Piss-takers will always be piss-takers regardless of circumstances. But it’s poor management that allows them to keep doing it at the expense of their colleagues.

Unless she has a desperate, genuine reason to use 3 hours after being off work PAID for three months, I'd say she was a CF of the highest order.

OP I hope you can make her redundant or manage her out

@KitBumbleB

If she owed her employer 3 hours workthen I'd be damn sure they would be asking her for it. She's earned it, she is entitled to it, either pay or TOIL, I think its fair enough

This.

Everyone I know in my sector has been working intensively during this time because of the extra workload with Covid-19. Nobody is complaining, because we want to contribute and make a difference. But at the same time everyone is working long hours and taking regular annual leave because they are feeling burnt out

So people who are on furlough need to understand that their priority when they return to work should be taking the strain off colleagues

YANBU

To whine about 3 hours pay when you've been paid for 3 months work that you haven't had to do shows a really poor attitude. She would definitely go to the top of the redundancy list in any business that I work with.

very off work

@DingDongDenny

"So people who are on furlough need to understand that their priority when they return to work should be taking the strain off colleagues"

There are three people doing 40% of my workload (that's how hard I work usually). When I go back I will be catching up on four months of 60% of my workload, and doing my 100% day to day workload.

I won't have time to take pressure off my colleagues. I already have 8,000 emails in my inbox (kind of wish my friend who works in our IT department hadn't mentioned that to me).

YABU. She's entitled to take her TOIL. why not? If she's been on furlough the government will be paying her, bit the company.

if this is your DH work, why are you bothered, do you work there too? How will this affect you in any way? Presumably the company have a policy for TOIL which should continue to be followed.

Why should she work for free? Why should ANYONE work for free? I wish the (mostly female) british workforce would work their hours then go home. If everyone did that then employers would have to start paying for the labour they use. Its not just the nature of the job. Its exploitation. Its a choice that employers make.

My view on that would depend entirely on if the company had topped up the 80% furlough payments to be honest.

If they’ve topped up 20% then no I wouldn’t ask for the 3 hours - She would have had more than that “free” over the last 4 months, I’d feel like a CF if I asked. (Would probably be different if it was weeks/days but 3 hours is negligible really)

If she’s been on 80% then she earned the 3 hours, either allow her the time or pay her for it.

FlameFartingDragon That sounds horrendous Flame and like you have an unreasonable workload. But for most people they are doing their normal jobs plus covering for colleagues or doing extra because of Covid related pressures. I think people who have been on furlough need to be sensitive to the pressures we have been under

@HotChoc10

Is she entitled to it?

So she's had how many times 3 weeks (minimum amount of furlough allowed) of time off paid in full, and she wants another 3 hours?

[quote FlameFartingDragon]@DingDongDenny

"So people who are on furlough need to understand that their priority when they return to work should be taking the strain off colleagues"

There are three people doing 40% of my workload (that's how hard I work usually). When I go back I will be catching up on four months of 60% of my workload, and doing my 100% day to day workload.

I won't have time to take pressure off my colleagues. I already have 8,000 emails in my inbox (kind of wish my friend who works in our IT department hadn't mentioned that to me).[/quote]
Fuck, just lost my long reply..

OK at 3 people doing 40% my dodgy maths makes it 8 people ish to do your job

How long will it take you to action 8000 emails

What do you do? And why does it take other people so long to do it?

Erm you do know that not every business is struggling in lockdown right? And if she owed 3hrs work then her manager wouldn't expect to just not say anything?

Her 3 months break has been paid by the tax payer, not her employer.

I can't get my head around how many posters seem willing to subsidize their employers! If you can afford to, go ahead. Leave your colleagues alone eh.

Has this person not seen how many people are currently being made redundant? It certainly shows her attitude and it is frankly all wrong regarding 3 hours when she has been paid on furlough. The country is in a mess and so many businesses are struggling through. She would be on my list to let go.

What do you do? And why does it take other people so long to do it?

It takes people so long because they aren't trained and don't have the knowledge to do the job at speed. Absolutely not their fault, I work in a niche area. Plus those three people are two full time people and two other people working part time - I am sure they have made it overly complex by attempting to split the workload.

It would take a while for the emails, most will require bespoke replies.

@DingDongDenny I am, incredibly grateful for the team even attempting my work load. There's been a really shit line management decision that has led to this - it would have actually been better for all of us if our line manager had been furloughed but that didn't happen.