Furlough holiday

[MrsQGinglass]

I am furloughed still and work for a large international company. There are only a few off us still furloughed 2 in my office only.

I received an informing me that all holiday from last year that was carried over would have to be used in the October. I know the reason why it is cheaper for them to get part of the government to pay it.
My issue is that those that have not been furloughed are allowed to carry over their holiday for the next 2 years.
I really do not think this is fair as they are treating us differently.
I have contacted HR for clarification but they have not answered my emails.
Is this lawful.
AIBUto think that they are treating us unfairly.

I would just keep my head down, if you want a role post furlough

However the employer should consider whether the employer has been able to actually enjoy some time off for the period of rest and relaxation when they take the leave. If for instance they were full time home schooling solo and had not had any actual time off that would not generally have allowed for rest and relaxation.

I am sorry WHAT?!?

It’s in the government’s actual guidance and takes into account the law. There is a purpose for annual leave which is to provide an opportunity for rest.

However the employer should consider whether the employer has been able to actually enjoy some time off for the period of rest and relaxation when they take the leave. If for instance they were full time home schooling solo and had not had any actual time off that would not generally have allowed for rest and relaxation. There has been Easter, May and Summer breaks since March.

I think people need to stop thinking that being furloughed is a great big holiday.

It's obviously not a holiday. But again, it's obviously not the same as work.

It's totally and utterly unreasonable to expect to have 6 months off on furlough, keep accumulating your holidays, then when the business needs you back, to say that actually you've got 15 days holiday so you'll just have three weeks off please.

That's the bit you're not getting.

Furlough has been so divisive. I spent time on furlough and time working and I find work a million times more. Furlough was a total nightmare. I hate the feeling that people hate you just because of something somebody decided to force on you.

@MrsQGinglass

I think people need to stop thinking that being furloughed is a great big holiday.

Whether you had a great time or a lousy time on furlough is irrelevant.

Whether all your company was furloughed or only 10% were is irrelevant.

When your non-furloughed colleagues get to take their holiday is nothing to do with you.

They are acting in the best interests of the business and are acting lawfully; you can’t do anything about it so you need to stop fighting it.

@SockYarn

It's obviously not a holiday. But again, it's obviously not the same as work.

It's totally and utterly unreasonable to expect to have 6 months off on furlough, keep accumulating your holidays, then when the business needs you back, to say that actually you've got 15 days holiday so you'll just have three weeks off please.

That's the bit you're not getting.

Where have I said it has to be taken in a lump, we all agreed that we would have to take 25% of our holiday over a quarter at the employers approval. This is now changed and the only ones not allowed this are those on furlough.

My point is if they had asked everyone to take holiday I would be completely ok with it.
Some people have returned from furlough and have been given 2 years to take their holiday someone in the business is carrying over 13 days.

Take this to ACAS and your Union if you don't like it.

Make a formal complaint to your manager

I'm not sure what you're getting out of arguing the toss on here - we can't change your employers decision for you.

Get off your butt and sort it out for yourself

This isn't what you're not getting OP.

Being fair, doesn't want mean treating everyone the same!

@Keratinsmooth

I’ve never been able to carry more than 5 days over to the following year. Carrying over for two years Just wouldn’t be entertained, you would lose this allowance. I’ve been working FT for 30 years.

I was able to carry over more than 5 days, COVID happened before the end of the financial year and I had more than 5. I am not furloughed though, just very busy! (To my knowledge, no one in my company was furloughed).

I've only been working full time for 20 years though probably don't know anything.

Get off your butt and sort it out for yourself

chatterbugmegastar There’s nothing for her to sort. She can’t do a thing about it - they’re acting legally.

With the best will in the world OP they are trying to run a business.
I worked full time at home, looked after 3 children, 2 elderly and ill parents and had a drop in income. Half of this years holiday had to be taken by now on top of anything that was carried over- at no point have I thought I am hard done to.

Virtually no one has been having fun and everyone has their own story, but actually just be grateful for each day of your job, because that's how many of us are handling it.

If you are so unhappy and in need of holiday then ask for unpaid leave.No one forces you to work for an employer at the end of the day. I am sure there are many out there who have been asked to work unreasonably under furlough and have real complaints but this isn't one of them.

@Aridane who are the “entitled fuckers” though?

The people who largely didn’t ask to spend the last 6 months on 80% pay? The ones who mostly would have loved to be working and had that security?

To be perfectly honest I think the real “entitled fuckers” are the ones who seem to expect a bloody medal for having done their job for the last 6 months. If during that time you’ve worked 12 hour days with no time to eat then more fool you (unless you’re frontline medical or emergency services in which case, genuinely, thank you and I’m sorry it’s been so shit).

Anecdata but I don’t know a single person who asked to be furloughed, I also am not aware of a single business that genuinely needed to furlough as many employees as it did - many companies just took advantage of making savings on the wage bill and if you work for one of those companies and you’re getting angry at your colleagues who’ve spent the last 6 months on furlough, whilst you’ve done their job and yours, I’ll repeat, you’re angry at the wrong people.

@LilyLongJohn

This isn't what you're not getting OP.

Being fair, doesn't want mean treating everyone the same!

No it does not in certain circumstances but in work, with colleagues it does.

Whooopie! Most of my annual leave I don’t get to relax and rest, as I’m usually just covering the DC school holiday. This year, when you couldn’t go anywhere due to lockdown etc I did the same.

Can’t wait to tell my employee that they have to give me the holiday back again to carry over as I didn’t get to rest and relax 👍🏼

I think people need to stop thinking that being furloughed is a great big holiday.

But it's not the same as working though is it? Lots of people in my sector have been forced to take 20% pay cuts while continuing to work full time and also worry about redundancies.

At my friends workplace those that were furloughed have just been awarded 4 extra days holiday in lieu of bank holidays while those that continued to work full time on 80% pay got nothing.

No it does not in certain circumstances but in work, with colleagues it does.

No, it doesn’t, OP

If you read the Govt guidance on carrying over annual leave due to COVID19 it does say that furloughed staff wouldn't be expected to need to carry it over as they can take it during the furlough period

The changes to the legislation to allow carrying over of statutory minimum leave was aimed really at key workers. It's allowed only if it's not been practically possible to take the leave, not just because your holiday has been cancelled and you don't want to take the time off.

I work for an essential service and we've been told we can't carry any over and that we have to take our leave as originally booked and if people didn't have enough booked in by September they'd be told when to take it, as we can't have many off in December as it'll be busy.

I can see one issue with this (no idea if it applies to the OP)

If they furlough all the people in a certain job that mostly consists of women (admin etc) and then force them to take holiday in October it could mean there's no holiday for school holidays when they might actually NEED it (lots of families juggle their holidays to cover the school holidays)

Loads of people have no childcare/can't get ad hoc childcare etc

@LaurieFairyCake

I can see one issue with this (no idea if it applies to the OP)

If they furlough all the people in a certain job that mostly consists of women (admin etc) and then force them to take holiday in October it could mean there's no holiday for school holidays when they might actually NEED it (lots of families juggle their holidays to cover the school holidays)

Loads of people have no childcare/can't get ad hoc childcare etc

Also irrelevant. Employee’s childcare issues are their own and not their employers problem.

@MrsQGinglass

I think people need to stop thinking that being furloughed is a great big holiday.

Well it is certainly NOT work is it!

No it does not in certain circumstances but in work, with colleagues it does.

But you acknowledge your employer is acting legally so why are you still banging on about it?