Anyone else getting tired of the furlough bashing?

[NEVERQUIT3331]

First, it was immigrants stealing the jobs. Then it was bashing people on benefits. Now it is furlough bashing.

People need to understand that a lot of people are struggling on 100 percent of their current salaries. Living on 80 percent will not be easy either for anyone (especially for groups like single parents.) I am someone who was lucky to work the majority of the months since March 2020. I am lucky I still have a job. Some people that were furloughed were not that lucky they were made redundant. Most people would rather work than be redundant and worry about how to pay their next bill or mortgage.

Yes you might see people go to parks/beaches during furlough and others had to work without a holiday. But for most people it was a constant worry whether they would have a job. Also, if someone is on furlough what do you want them to do? Just spend all day at home twiddling their thumbs and isolated. That is not good for anyone's mental health. Others also have worked second jobs to ensure they could pay their bill.

Are there people who abuse the system? Of course. You get that with every system: taxation, benefit, furlough etc.. But punishing the vast majority of people on benefits, furlough who are there through no fault of their own is never the answer. We need to learn to be more compassionate as a nation and realize life is not as rosy as some may perceive. I wish everyone on furlough good luck and hope they keep their jobs and for anyone being currently unemployed/redundant I hope they find work. and leave you with this quote:

"Do not trust everything you see even salt tastes like sugar."

No. I think it's ridiculous people on furlough are still accruing paid holidays.

Yea. Absolutely sick of it.

No-one asked for their workplaces to close down.

THE GOVERNMENT ORDERED THEM TO CLOSE. I don’t understand what’s so hard to understand about that. It was either furlough people or have an even bigger benefits bill.

It’s not a bloody holiday as everyone seems to think. 80% wage is crap, there’s nothing to do and you spend every day wondering if you’ll have a job to go back to.

you think the treatment of people on furlough is similar to the racism immigrant workers have faced ? FFS

@glitterypencilcase

Yea. Absolutely sick of it.

No-one asked for their workplaces to close down.

THE GOVERNMENT ORDERED THEM TO CLOSE. I don’t understand what’s so hard to understand about that. It was either furlough people or have an even bigger benefits bill.

It’s not a bloody holiday as everyone seems to think. 80% wage is crap, there’s nothing to do and you spend every day wondering if you’ll have a job to go back to.

This. Saved me 2 minutes of typing there!

Me and DH have STILL not been given a day to go back to work. Been off for 8 of the past 12 months, and are still not sure if we have a job to go back to. We have had 20% less pay for much of the past year, and have had over a thousand pounds in vet bills this past few months, and also eight hundred pounds on other things we have had to cough up for. (Just this past 2 or 3 months!) Nearly 2 grand gone on unexpected bills since January, on TOP of the 20% less income for both of us for most of the last year.

Our heads are above water, but only just. We're starting to feel the pinch a bit now. 20% less pay, but not 20% less bills!

@NEVERQUIT3331 I am ALSO sick of the furlough bashing. Boils my piss it does!

Sorry but I can see why people who have worked all the way through the pandemic, tired and stressed - get arsey at people who are getting 80%of their wage (or some of my friends 100%) for being at home. Couple friends over last year have been putting up loads of photos of all the work they have done on their gardens and houses, how amazing being furloughed has been to to all the wonderful things they wanted to do.

It works both ways with some people

@LaMainDeFatima

you think the treatment of people on furlough is similar to the racism immigrant workers have faced ? FFS

The OP never said that!

** I think it's ridiculous people on furlough are still accruing paid holidays.”

I have to agree with this

I must live on a different planet, I never hear anyone furlough bashing.

@Hankunamatata

Sorry but I can see why people who have worked all the way through the pandemic, tired and stressed - get arsey at people who are getting 80%of their wage (or some of my friends 100%) for being at home. Couple friends over last year have been putting up loads of photos of all the work they have done on their gardens and houses, how amazing being furloughed has been to to all the wonderful things they wanted to do.

It works both ways with some people

FFS, most people on furlough are not living the life of reilly, and are struggling financially! Re the making the garden and house a bit nicer, they probably just making the best of a bad situation by trying to keep themselves busy and to stop themselves from going crazy!

And why the F are people who HAVE to work getting arsey with furloughed people? It's not our pissing fault we are furloughed FFS!

The bitterness and vitriol from SOME towards the furloughed is pathetic. Get a grip. No-one has CHOSEN to be furloughed.

@Viviennemary

No. I think it's ridiculous people on furlough are still accruing paid holidays.

I can understand the frustration with this. In my job, some of us have been working, some have been furloughed for childcare reasons etc. Now the furlough staff are back at work but have the same amount of holiday as those who have been here all the way through.

@Bluntness100

I must live on a different planet, I never hear anyone furlough bashing.

Me neither, not heard anyone say any of this irl or online whatsoever

Not been furloughed and dont want to be. The accured paid holidays is a bit odd? Paid to stay at home, but still expect to have paid leave when you return?

I haven’t heard of any furlough bashing.

It’s not the fault of anyone that people are on furlough and in many cases struggling on 20% less income. But I don’t believe they should be accruing holiday. And on the flip side, people who have been fortunate enough to work through the pandemic are stressed, knackered, doing the job of more than one and don’t actually have time to take the holiday days they are entitled to. Everyone is suffering in one way or another. No one has he monopoly on hardship.

@Bluntness100

I must live on a different planet, I never hear anyone furlough bashing.

Same here.

I was put on furlough and then made redundant in January so it hasn't been a fucking holiday for me. I have never had so much stress in my life. Luckily now have a new job with no chance of being furloughed currently and I feel less stress.

I hate the furlough bashing. Can you imagine if the government did nothing and everyone got made redundant the uproar it would have caused? These businesses have been forced to close through no fault of their own.

@Hankunamatata

Sorry but I can see why people who have worked all the way through the pandemic, tired and stressed - get arsey at people who are getting 80%of their wage (or some of my friends 100%) for being at home. Couple friends over last year have been putting up loads of photos of all the work they have done on their gardens and houses, how amazing being furloughed has been to to all the wonderful things they wanted to do.

It works both ways with some people

This. I haven't seen any furlough bashing but I have seen lots of people assuming that everyone has loads of spare time. Me and DH have had to duck out of a few zoom social gatherings because we've been completely snowed under at work but people really don't understand- telling us we can watch our Netflix box sets another time or just have a lie in /nap when we've said we need early nights.

There was also a lot of assumptions around our ability to homeschool DS. We've had to do that while both of us worked full time but so many people assumed I could just ask to be furloughed.

The truth is we're just completely exhausted. This has been the hardest year we've ever had.

Haven't heard any furlough bashing

Don't think people should accrue holiday during furlough

I do wonder if might be better for the country as a whole if SOME people on furlough were supported to move into areas of demand e.g. mental health

I just think they were really Lucky as we had all that nice weather last summer.

But it must have been hard for people who were furloughed too with worrying about what would happen to their jobs.

Hopefully this won't happen again.

I can see why lots who have had to work and risk their health would be annoyed at the scheme as it meant huge amounts of paid time off and it was money that didn’t have to be paid back or anything done in return for it.

Can I just ask, where are people seeing/hearing this furlough bashing?

The people on furlough had no choice! Something most seem to forget. My family member was put on furlough and now hasn't worked in months, as they were then made redundant. So far no prospect of work, even though they are glued to their laptop for hours jobhunting. They have had interviews,but there are now so many unemployed people the competition for work is fierce. Im really worried for their future. I know many other people on furlough who are seriously wondering if they will have a job to return to. Furlough isn't a holiday. It's all very well for other folk to judge and criticise, but Ive had to sit and watch my family member's mental health crumble with the lack of social contact, furlough,then redundancy wreaked. So please, have a care before criticising furloughed people.

The people on furlough had no choice! Something most seem to forget.

I don’t think anyone at all has forgotten that.

But being on the other side of the coin hasn’t been a bundle of glory either.

Those on furlough haven't been on holiday though have they?

Local papers ive seen it, ive seen it on mumsnet and ive seen it on facebook furlough bashing. Most people i know worked all the way through, kept their routine, kept 100% of their wage whereas i am surviving on 80% minimum wage part time zero hour contract. Yeah its really fun. Its also been hinted that i havent actually got a job to go back to so im currently looking for a job and hearing nothing back.

I’m not sure about this. I haven’t really come across any furlough bashing irl.

I think the situation of being on furlough is going to vary massively. Some will be struggling on 80% salary, especially if they lived pay cheque to pay cheque before, and worried about redundancy. Some will, frankly, be having a lovely year off work, getting stuff done on their house, having quality time with children, lots of trips when it’s been allowed etc.

I think the important things, as ever, are not to presume, but also not to brag. “Oh it’s been so lovely, we’ve really spent some great time together/ the house has never looked so nice” etc. Usually from people who are comfortably off, or have a partner whose salary covers all the bills anyway.

People should have some sensitivity either way.