Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

Original poster

Furloughed but work wants me back and Plan B

23 replies

Murfs · 13/08/2020 17:37

Hi all my head's in a spin and I could do with some perspective. Firstly I want to say I know I've been lucky the furlough scheme was available for me and I have been hoping and waiting to get a call from work to take me off furlough since April. I was really disappointed to be put on it as I was only back from Mat leave in December and was working away on a busy project and I was surprised I was picked I suppose I felt not required really. My husband and I were managing working from home with the baby I was getting the work done. But during furlough I have had very limited contact from my manager really just me contacting them for updates and getting very little info back. To be honest I had sorta given up on being brought back and thought redundancy was likely I was told I'd likely be on furlough til October.
So I decided I needed a plan B, the Industry I work in is vunerable and there are no other job opportunities it was hit badly the last economic downturn too. So I applied to do a master's to retrain to another industry with very good employment prospects here locally (Software development) I literally got accepted and funding sorted this week.
Anyway murfs law work just called and they want me back in the office next week for an urgent project probably just for a few weeks then back on furlough. If I go back I need to sort childcare, the crèche manager is on leave til next week so I need to check availability at short notice which I won't know til Monday. We have no fam nearby I think it's gonna be hard to work it out. The husband's up to his eyeballs in work so wouldn't get leave that short notice. Maybe a few days. They are all back in the office so I'm not sure WFH is going to be an option.
Also they are making redundancies in my work place but not my job description. Does anyone know could I volunteer for redundancy?
Anyway im so torn. My plan B is all go and I have been the happiest I've been in ages knowing I have a plan for the future. I felt like shit when furloughed for a long time particularly the limited contact I felt froze out. But I have 15 years experience in the industry 5 with this company Aaargh.
Anyway help!
YABU pull strings to get some childcare go back for 2 weeks try and cling on to the job
YANBU move on to plan B

OP posts:

RNBrie · 13/08/2020 18:04

i guess my only question is can you afford Plan B? If yes, then I don't see why you wouldn't!!

IncrediblySadToo · 13/08/2020 18:17

I voted 'YABU' because there's not a lot of nuance in yes/no.

Firstly, well done for sorting Plan B & getting on with a/another masters. That sounds a bit patronising, but it's really not.

What are the details re your masters? Is it one person' or 'on line' ?

If it's at all possible I'd find childcare, go & do the short term contract at work do all you can to be visible, productive & accommodating etc & juggle any masters requirements alongside of that

Childcare.co.uk is good for finding childcare & there are nannies who now no longer have jobs. Thanks to parents WFH or being made redundant.

I think it would be sensible to do all you can to retain your job in this market & you can work on changing industry/doing your masters alongside that.

Not going back may mean you're out if wirk
For quite a few years the way things are going. And as you know, it's easier to get a job when you have a job. Mums returning to the workforce are not generally the top
of most employers list of perfect candidates.

ZoeTurtle · 13/08/2020 18:21

I wouldn't give up a five year job for a master's at the beginning of a huge recession. So many people are going to be unemployed and retraining; the job market is going to be fierce for years.

RoseTintedAtuin · 13/08/2020 18:46

I would hold onto the job as long as you can. Essentially you would be paid 3 month wages for 1 month of work if you are put back on furlough and regardless if you leave would have to do a months notice if voluntary redundancy is not on offer. They normally do redundancy based on role therefore this may not be available to you unfortunately.

chatterbugmegastar · 13/08/2020 18:52

How long can you keep the job before you have to start seriously studying?

Hamm87 · 13/08/2020 18:58

If they take you off furlough they can't but you back on it a few weeks later when does your course start?? Can you afford plan b

Stannisbaratheonsboxofmatches · 13/08/2020 19:02

I’d hold onto my job if I could.

Balkin · 13/08/2020 19:08

If they take you off furlough they can't but you back on it a few weeks later when does your course start??

I thought they can do this? My MILs place of work have been switching furlough between the staff so like 2 weeks furloughed, 2 weeks in work etc...

tigger1001 · 13/08/2020 19:09

You can ask about voluntary redundancy but it's the role that's made redundant not the person so it might not be available to you. We were asked if anyone wanted to be considered for voluntary redundancy before they started the redundancy process but were also warned that it's dependent on business needs and might not be granted.

I would try and do both alongside each other if possible, especially if it's only for a few weeks at the moment.

tigger1001 · 13/08/2020 19:10

@Balkin

If they take you off furlough they can't but you back on it a few weeks later when does your course start??

I thought they can do this? My MILs place of work have been switching furlough between the staff so like 2 weeks furloughed, 2 weeks in work etc...

You are right they can. I think as long as you had been furloughed at some point before (I think) mid June. You can no longer furlough an employee who hasn't been furloughed

OhMyDarling · 13/08/2020 19:12

Can you defer your masters?
Until next September or even January?

Snorkelface · 13/08/2020 19:13

They can refurlough you straight away, they don't need to wait any given length of time. They can just bring you back part time and pay you for the time you're working and then use the furlough scheme the rest of the time)

Dee1975 · 13/08/2020 19:17

Sounds like you have already gone for plan b in your head ... but are now surprised you’ve been called back into work.
If you can’t get childcare sorted and they won’t allow you to work from home you may end up having to hand your notice in anyway or take unpaid leave. (They don’t even have to continue you on furlough for that period as technically they want you back and you are not able to go back - although that would be pretty harsh of them)
It’s only a few weeks so unless you’ve decided you want to leave anyway, you need to do it.

yelyah22 · 13/08/2020 19:24

My heart would say do what makes you happy, but my head says defer your masters for a year if you can. There are about to be a lot of people out of work - starting at the lowest rung (or lower rung) of an industry is not the place you want to be. In a year's time you'll have a better idea of what's going on in the jobs market.

Alternatively, can you afford to do your masters part time and work part time? Someone I know did that, and got their MSc in Marketing while working (she actually worked full time too, but she doesn't have children!). That's the best of both worlds, if you were going to be able to afford to stop working to do your masters anyway.

ChicCroissant · 13/08/2020 19:31

I can't believe that you've applied for a Masters and not told your employer that you are leaving. What kind of contact were you expecting from your employer? Also, what is your notice period, can you still resign in time to start the course?

Mummyoflittledragon · 13/08/2020 19:39

Can you and your partner afford to lose your income and what if they lose theirs? I’ve voted YANBU on the basis you can afford this. But you need a water tight back up plan as we are going into recession.

Original poster

Murfs · 13/08/2020 19:46

Hi all thank you there's some really good perspectives on here much appreciated! I applied for the full-time masters which will be taught in the university or online if required as in local lock down. Uni is local and the job market here is decent in the industry I would study and has been during lockdown. We can just about afford it with strict budgeting with a few quid put away incase of emergency. The course is available part time (2 years) or I can defer. But I am not getting younger 😸 so my thoughts were to get it done get out and start working.
Definitely interesting perspectives and I am normally super cautious when it comes to my career. I would never normally leave a job without something concrete lined up. I just felt with being on furlough so long I had lost control of my career like I could find myself out of work later this year and I'd have to wait til September next year to start the course. That's the bit that's melting my head weighing up the risks.

OP posts:

spudlike1 · 13/08/2020 20:00

Dont ditch your job at this point in a recession , try and keep plan B ticking over (opt to part time study , or in modules so you pace it )

GabsAlot · 13/08/2020 20:08

can u not do it part time and keep your job we're in a recession no industry is strong right now

CheshireDing · 13/08/2020 20:09

Personally if you can afford it then I would go back to work for the 2 weeks then get put back on furlough, then leave in October.

Just plough on with your course and concentrate on that. The risk of you go back to work/defer the course is that you then get used to the money again/never actually get around to completing the course (depending on how disciplined you are I suppose)😂

Are the job prospects good once the course is complete ?

ZoeTurtle · 14/08/2020 00:10

I really don't think software development is going to give you as many opportunities as you seem to think, especially with the changes we have coming.

You can survive two years of studying financially but how much longer could you afford to be looking for work?

The obvious choice to me is to carry on working and do a part-time master's on top, studying at evenings and weekends. I did mine that way via distance learning and it really didn't take many hours a week.

Polnm · 14/08/2020 02:20

Are you sure the ma is running in September? Lots have made the decision to move start dates to January in the last couple of weeks as they need overseas students

ivfdreaming · 14/08/2020 03:03

Well if the course was up to 2 years how were you going to juggle it with work anyway?

I vote YABU because you are taking the piss out of the furlough scheme

Flip

Swipe left for the next trending thread