To ask for another week of furlough?

[Fasttrack321]

I was furloughed at the start of lockdown and have not been working since end of March. I have been looking after my 2 young children full time as my DP has been working full time. Luckily DP's job is secure and their employer is flexible with WFH.

My furlough pay is capped at the limit of £2,500 and has not been topped up so my income has been about half of my normal pay. I am very grateful to have been furloughed rather than lose my job.

My employer wrote to me on Friday and informed me my furlough was ending and I was expected back to work on Monday. I discussed this with my DP (who is classed as a key worker, not front line) as the kids are only in part time childcare. DS is 5 and in Reception, DD is 3 and in nursery 3 days per week.

My DP is working full time 9-5 and cannot change working hours this week at such short notice. So cannot do drop off and pick up for the children (nursery and school are about 15 minutes drive apart). DP also cannot WFH and look after DD who is 3 and needs constant supervision.

This week will be impossible to juggle, but from the following week we can manage with flexible working hours and the help of a grandparent.

AIBU in asking my employer to extend my furlough by one more week? I checked the government guidance and there is a specific provision for this which allows furlough for those with caring responsibilities. I would only want this for 1 additional week.

I am incredibly grateful my employer has asked me to return and I do want to return. I have been there years and have a good reputation for being one of their top employers and managers.

My only other option would be to use a weeks annual leave, but then I'd have none left for the rest of the year and summer holidays when I would need to take leave to cover childcare again.

Most of the company were furloughed and now being brought back bit by bit.

YABU - get back to work immediately.
YANBU - take an extra week furlough to sort your childcare out.

@beela

So many people are panicking now furlough is coming to an end, and they seem bewildered that they are expected to cope with working and childcare at the same time.

It makes me realise how totally invisible those of us who have been doing this for months are

That is so spot on!

I've barely seen my poor kids for four months

Op, this can hardly have come as a surprise. Get back to work or pay to solve your problem.

Couldn't the grandparents help you out with childcare? You only have 2 weeks to go before the start of the summer holidays so hopefully you have all them covered.

If you use annual leave now, OP - can one or both of you take unpaid parental leave when you need to cover childcare later in the year??

Annual leave . You will have accrued at least a week during the furlough process .

Whilst there's no specific notice period required for ending furlough I'm sure you have to give reasonable notice. I think the fact you have childcare to consider they haven't given sufficient notice and therefore it's not unreasonable to ask for one additional week. It doesn't hurt to ask and if not then take holiday like others have suggested.

@beela I agree. I sometimes think there should have been a clap for those of us who were stuck inside juggling work and childcare 24/7. No furlough, quietly keeping our jobs and the economy afloat while also looking after 14 month old, 4 year old and 8 year old (includes educating one of them). I actually get a bit panicky when I look back to that period.
As soon as nurseries re-opened the smallest two went back and we’ve continued to wfh while homeschooling the oldest and have been organising what childcare we can for the summer. Neither the government nor our employers are expected to help sort this out for us

I don’t know what the OPs gender (or his/ her partner’s) has anything to do with this.
OP your employer has no requirement to take into account your DP’s ‘packed week’. Welcome to the world that many of us have dealt with for weeks. One of you should take annual leave.

What did you do for childcare before covid? Did the little one have more hours in preschool? Before/after school club? Unless you are very very sure your role is secure I would not ask about extending furlough. That said we are having a discussion with our teams about returning and that includes discussions about childcare etc, we are trying to be accommodating but as many of those who have worked, have had children at home we would expect accommodation on both sides.

I think you are getting a lot of harsh responses because you have mentioned your high household income, op.

To everyone saying that OP's partner will just have to manage it - they will be doing that, they'll be happily juggling wfh and childcare from the following week, just not next week, because it's too short notice and they have work commitments that can't be cancelled or rescheduled.

However, despite the short notice, I would be loathe to ask for another week of furlough. Clearly, colleagues will view the request like everyone here and your reputation at work will be damaged.

The guidance you keep quoting is not for people who have been unfurliughed and need an extra week, op. It is to be used when deciding who to place on the furlough scheme.

Surely you knew furlough scheme ended at the end of June? I know it has been extended, but employees will have been notified if they were being furloughed beyond original 30/6 surely?

I would be moving heaven and earth to get back to work but if it's really not possible, contact your employer and offer to take it unpaid.

I'd ask your employer for an extra week's furlough and explain it's to sort out your childcare. Say all the things you've said here about being incredibly grateful to still have a job etc.

I think it's reasonable for an employer to understand and be flexible with regards to your childcare. If they say no then say you will need to take annual leave.

my vote is for annual leave then parental leave if you've run out in the summer.

Yes, the government guidance is that employers can permit furlough for that purpose, so it's an acceptable reason for them to keep a staff member furloughed and to claim the government funds.

However, if your employer is asking you to go back then chances are they need you in at this point. We're just at the stage of bringing our teams back from furlough (they've been given more than 3 weeks notice) and we still have numerous folk trying to extend and it doesn't come across well after months of closure.

If your DH has been working throughout then this would be one where he should be taking the hit, especially as it seems he's continued working uninterrupted throughout despite school/childcare closures

Rather than asking for an extension to furlough, you could ask for unpaid dependants’ leave.

I’m another one who has been wfh with 2 x primary school age children. I’m a keyworker, but not frontline (you’d definitely notice if my job wasn’t carried out though). DH also been wfh trying to keep his business going - not just for him but his 40 or so employees. It’s been hell. All the holiday clubs we use have said they’re not opening and our week away in Scotland has been cancelled. And, just to be extra special - we have 7 weeks summer holidays this year!

Nearest grandparents who are not shielding are 260 miles away.

Have you checked whether the nursery has any spare places for next week? They are behaving flexibility at present as many children are still not back in their care. What about schooll are they running wrap around care for key workers?

@Fasttrack321

I'm hearing most responses saying to take annual leave which I take on board.

The government advice is clear:

“Employees who are unable to work because they have caring responsibilities resulting from Coronavirus (covid-19) can be furloughed. For example, employees that need to look after children can be furloughed”.

Why do so many people not want to use this? I *think my employer might accept this but I wanted to gauge other views.

So basically you want your cake and to eat it. Furloughing is costing this country billions. It's not toy money. You've received £7500 for staying at home. You've had no childcare costs, no commuting costs. You've known that one of the requirements of furloughing means you have to be able to return at 24 hours notice. If you are unable to do so, then you or your dp should take annual leave ( presumeably at full pay) or unpaid parental leave.

It’s a bit odd, you write about the scheme like it’s some form of entitlement for you that you can chose to use. You can’t. It’s an employers decision.

All you can do is ask your employer. If they’ve already unfurloughed it may not be feasible, but you’re expected in tomorrow so,,not sure how that will pan out.

@dancinfeet

I think your employer is being really unreasonable here, up to a point. They really should have given you a week's notice that you were due back to work to enable you to sort childcare, especially since many of the usual childcare facilities are either shut, restricted or overbooked. However, with the income that you say that you normally have, my advice would be to ask for a week's unpaid leave, you can't expect them to pay you additional furlough if your job has reopened.

Why are they unreasonable? The thing about furlough is that you agree to return at 24 hours notice. That's the deal!

@DNAwrangler I totally agree, it was this part of the op that prompted my comment:

DP also cannot WFH and look after DD who is 3 and needs constant supervision.

Take unpaid leave for a week and use that to sort out a nanny. Going off mumsnet views, access to schools etc is likely to be choppy for months - I'd try and shore up your childcare situation.

I do find it totally unbelievable though that you had no idea this was coming, sorry.

DP also cannot WFH and look after DD who is 3 and needs constant supervision.

I was also going to highlight that bit.

So DP can’t do for a week what many have been doing for months, therefore the high earning OP needs more taxpayer money?

It doesn’t come across well, no.

And you'd be surprised how many of us have been managing to WFH and look after a little children for months now. I'm sure your DP is just as capable.

There’s so many threads like this on MN at the moment.
I’m absolutely astounded at the attitude of some people.
Unless you grow up and stop this “I’m entitled” culture we are all going to have far bigger problems than griping over AL/Childcare/DH pulling weight/“unreasonable”employers (god forbid expecting you to actually work for the money they pay you)

What do you do for childcare normally?

Most people I know earning 300k with more than 1dc have nannies.

Your joint annual income is £180,000

I assumed the 15k was after tax?

I don’t see any harm in asking if it’s allowed under the rules. However, I’d be prepared for your employer to wonder why you hadn’t either kept them informed that returning would be difficult due to childcare or asking you to cover the time off as annual or unpaid leave.

Can I ask what you do OP? I know lots of companies who haven't really furloughed staff because those companies make a lot of money & it's seen as inappropriate to use gov money.