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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

"I'm alright Jack" mindset.

156 replies

Donnsssfaa · 19/01/2021 19:38

Shoot me now, but I was just reading an article about furlough on Daily Mail (Halo).

Most of the top comments are people saying

"Get those workshy people back to work!"

"Furlough should be a loan that only those who are furloughed should be paying back"

"I've been working throughout, why should I pay??"

But I doubt these people would be saying this if they didn't have "secure jobs".

Of course you get some who take advantage, like everything.
But I have a waitress friend who rang me crying when restaurants were forced to close and she's now furloughed. She would rather be working but there are lots more applicants for jobs these days so not easy.

But AIBU to think it's wrong to want to punish people who were basically forced out of work because of lockdown by claiming they should be the only ones paying it back? Especially when a lot of these waitors, bar staff, beauticians, hairdressers probably aren't on amazing wages anyway! And to top it all off: recession so harder to find a job.

People need more sympathy and empathy, especially during this time when the virus has been around for almost a year so mental health will be declining.

OP posts:
EcoCustard · 19/01/2021 21:57

So many seem to have forgotten that the government imposed restrictions leaving businesses unable to operate and people unable to work. I have friends on furlough, I know people with businesses who have furloughed staff and are sick with worry with how the weeks and months are going to pan out. I know some furloughed last year and to avoid redundancy took huge paycuts. Let’s not forget the excluded from any help at all. Or the tax payers juggling wfh, homeschooling.
No doubt the love life on furlough brigade will be the first to moan when taxes rise, services are slashed to pay for it all.

Oooohbehave · 19/01/2021 21:59

@PeggyHill

YABU to read through comments on a daily mail article and then take them seriously.

People are obsessed with this competitive misery at the moment. Deciding who has it worse, who is the most lonely, who is the most stressed, who is the most fucked...

Everyone is having a shit time. Let's just leave it at that.

Absolutely right. Talk about race to the bottom, people suck.
LizFlowers · 19/01/2021 21:59

@Summersun2020

I had two close friends who work in the arts industry which has been decimated. They’ll be lucky to have an income at all after this. It’s hesrtbreaking
Yes. I believe such people, musicians etc, should be compensated by the government for loss of income.
Thewinterofdiscontent · 19/01/2021 22:00

@SillyOldMummy

Of course you're right, to some extent. But non-furloughed people are suffering more than the furloughed people, in a lot of cases. People in secure jobs are suffering because they are often exposed to covid risks, and struggling to home school children whilst being expected to continue working full time. They are also often expected to work longer hours, because of covid work-arounds and difficulties caused by wfh. They are often working under high stress due to inadequate wifi, cramped and unsuitable working conditions (eg sitting on a couch with a laptop).

In my DP's case, his workload went up more than 30% because junior staff on his team were furloughed and they have just moaned on about it. He has had to listen to them moaning, whilst doing a lot of their work for them. He's not paid or thanked for that. It just has to be done.

Meanwhile, i have friends who literally laughed their way through furlough, saving heaps on commuting and expensive coffees. Spent their time baking, doing online classes and meeting friends to go walking or jogging.

Furlough HAS been difficult for some but a huge holiday for others. Working HAS been great for some but awful for others.

Yep, I’d agree with all of this.
BubblyBarbara · 19/01/2021 22:00

People earning paid holiday while ON a paid holiday is a total outrage IMO. They should have used the student loan system to have a repayment scheme.

Inastatus · 19/01/2021 22:00

Nothing in this whole pandemic has been ‘fair’ for anyone! For every happy furloughed worker doing their baking, yoga, home schooling etc there is another who is suicidal about being isolated and would give anything to be allowed to work. For every key worker giving their all, working their arses off, there is someone taking the piss. It’s impossible to make it fair for everyone. I don’t work any more but I accept that the taxes I pay will go up significantly to pay for all of this.

EdithWeston · 19/01/2021 22:04

Furlough isn't like gardening leave, and I don't just mean because there's little to do.

It's a tool to spread out mass redundancies. It is still possible there will be major job losses, and those who have been 'invisible' may well be in less secure positions than those who have worked through

Nat6999 · 19/01/2021 22:09

The real victims of Covid are people like me on benefits, if you are on legacy benefits like I am you haven't had the £20 a week uplift, you will still have to feed heat & clothe yourself & pay towards rent & council tax when the costs start increasing due to Covid & Brexit & your benefits will be frozen & in real terms have reduced over the last 10 years against the cost of living.

Iknowwhatudidlastsummer · 19/01/2021 22:10

c there is another who is suicidal about being isolated and would give anything to be allowed to work.

let's not push it, it's a free country, they are free to resign and find another job - or just use their paid time to look and find another job. I could find of a worst position to be in frankly.

Original poster
Donnsssfaa · 19/01/2021 22:11

@BubblyBarbara
So basically through bad luck of their industry closing, you think it's right that a student loan system is set up for furloughed workers to pay it back?
You do realise that most furloughed workers had no choice to be furloughed as the government had shut down their industry? Unlike students who choose to go to university.
I'm sure you would not be calling for a student-loan type of paying back if you were part of the many unlucky industries that have been forced to close and furlough.

OP posts:
Iknowwhatudidlastsummer · 19/01/2021 22:11

And who do you think will pay that furlough scheme.. there's something to be resentful about!

user1471538283 · 19/01/2021 22:13

I am not resentful of people on furlough because we had to do it. I am resentful of people on furlough who played loud music and had parties and time to splash about in a hot tub whilst I worked 12 hour days at home. I am also resentful of people on benefits who had friends around throughout lockdown and woke me up twice a week with the screaming about how excited and drunk they were.

Working throughout this pandemic has not been easy with selfish and entitled people not understanding that it wasnt a holiday.

Original poster
Donnsssfaa · 19/01/2021 22:14

@Iknowwhatudidlastsummer and who do you think forced these industries to close?
You can't punish people through something that wasn't their choice just because you were lucky to keep your job.

OP posts:
MaudHatter · 19/01/2021 22:16

I’d love to be furloughed . Trying to juggle work and home learning with two children is a nightmare .

tillyandmilly · 19/01/2021 22:17

i wish I could work - I was put on furlough and then made redundant in September -I have been applying for jobs daily since then and gone for quite a few interviews - but sadly no job offer! Tons of people going for the same job - I really don't know whether I will find one - its really depressing.

Original poster
Donnsssfaa · 19/01/2021 22:17

@user1471538283 but it wasnt just furloughed workers having parties last summer so why generalise?
I know a social worker who to this day still posts photos of herself on instagram in house parties with friends and was also having bbqs and parties last summer.
It's not just the furloughed.
Many on furlough also stuck to the rules.

OP posts:
mollypuss1 · 19/01/2021 22:17

@Iknowwhatudidlastsummer

c there is another who is suicidal about being isolated and would give anything to be allowed to work.

let's not push it, it's a free country, they are free to resign and find another job - or just use their paid time to look and find another job. I could find of a worst position to be in frankly.

Yeah they should just resign from the career they’ve trained for and spent their whole life working in and just get one of the millions of other jobs going at the minute ......
Original poster
Donnsssfaa · 19/01/2021 22:18

@tillyandmilly your example is exactly why the whole "just find another job" brigade are beinf small-minded, There are not many jobs out there.
Hope luck comes your way soon Flowers

OP posts:
boobswife · 19/01/2021 22:19

was furloughed first time, now practically on gardening leave as employer not furloughing us this time as it is a JOB RETENTION SCHEME.you can guess whats coming soon...

mollypuss1 · 19/01/2021 22:19

@Iknowwhatudidlastsummer

And who do you think will pay that furlough scheme.. there's something to be resentful about!
Everyone working, including those furloughed when they can finally return to their jobs.
PyongyangKipperbang · 19/01/2021 22:19

This reply has been deleted

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IndiaMay · 19/01/2021 22:21

I agree but me and my other half did wonder if there was a way some could be paid back. He was furloughed for 3 months in the initial lockdown. His job entailed working with clinically vulnerable people and until there was adequate procedures in place (PPE, Testing etc.) He couldnt work. He was furloughed on 100% and has since gone back to work full time with weekly covid tests and PPE. You hear of some businesses paying back the money they took from the govt to pay furlough when they have found they have been financially secure without it but not every business can afford to do that. But what if the individuals could pay a little back. My fiance was saying he would happily pay £70 a month or something out his pay cheque for a while in a similar way to how I pay my student loan out my pay cheque each month. Problem is not everyone can do that and our circumstances may change and we may not be able to do that anymore but it was a thought we had.

Iknowwhatudidlastsummer · 19/01/2021 22:21

You can't punish people through something that wasn't their choice

it's not about punishing anyone, but there comes a point you need to take responsibility. Furlough back in April May, fine. Furlough a year down the line... it might be time to move on, might as well call it unemployment benefit, instead of a mythical job that will miraculously pop back. There was no lockdown in the England in the summer.. the furlough system should have stopped then.

PyongyangKipperbang · 19/01/2021 22:21

@tillyandmilly

i wish I could work - I was put on furlough and then made redundant in September -I have been applying for jobs daily since then and gone for quite a few interviews - but sadly no job offer! Tons of people going for the same job - I really don't know whether I will find one - its really depressing.
I applied for a barista job at Costa, well below my skill set but I am not too proud to apply for anything.

Made it to interview out of 600 applicants, the area manger told me that 2 years ago they would have got about 50 applicants. Didnt get the job :(

mollypuss1 · 19/01/2021 22:22

@Iknowwhatudidlastsummer

You can't punish people through something that wasn't their choice

it's not about punishing anyone, but there comes a point you need to take responsibility. Furlough back in April May, fine. Furlough a year down the line... it might be time to move on, might as well call it unemployment benefit, instead of a mythical job that will miraculously pop back. There was no lockdown in the England in the summer.. the furlough system should have stopped then.

Bollocks