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."

@sjfjsnfkdhsbd

I'm curious. Those objecting to people continuing to accrue annual leave whilst furloughed, do you also object to women accruing annual leave whilst on maternity leave?

yes actually.

On what planet does it make any sense to accrue paid holidays whilst you are not working?

I mean, I am happy to accrue holidays when I am on sabbatical, why not but come on, that's a ridiculous concept.

It's been a long year filled with worries, for many people: financial, medical, mental health, loved ones, jobs, businesses, homes etc.

It's probably to be expected that after a year of living with their own worries, the grass on the other side of the fence is looking increasingly green. So, if you've spent a year desperately trying to hold onto a businesses without the right support, furlough or a steady job probably does look very very green grass indeed. If you've spent the year working at a job full time, having extended time off probably looks green. If you've spent the year scraping by on 80% of your normal wage whilst panicking in case there isn't a job to go back to at the end of it, having the security of a normal job/wage probably also looks like green, green grass.

I think we just have to accept that only a few people have lived any kind of dream over the last year. For many/most it's been more like a nightmare (to varying degrees of severity).

There were actually people disciplined at my workplace for furlough bashing. A handful of those who were working thought those on furlough were having the time of their lives and wound eachother up into a frenzy over the perceived injustice of the situation. They weren't even working hard or more often because the work had all but dried up, just attending work as normal. In the end my employer started rotating furlough once that was allowed, so now everyone who can takes their turn, There are some have been off for over a year now though. That's a year of 80% pay and constant worry over job security. I'm pretty sure the complainers would not swap places with the perpetually furloughed.

No one has had a good time during Covid. We all have our tales to tell. But comparison is the thief of joy, so just worry about your lot and stop wanting what you perceive others have.

Actually I’m even more annoyed by the Guardian’s constant drip of “revelations” that some businesses which have furloughed staff are owned by people who are rich/famous/titled/foreign/not nice.

I literally don’t know what their actual point is.

It would help if people on furlough were not allowed to take on other jobs and receive both furlough and their new income!

At least furlough should be paused during their new employment.

People are not even lying about it and enjoying the best of both world!

No one has had a good time during Covid. We all have our tales to tell. But comparison is the thief of joy, so just worry about your lot and stop wanting what you perceive others have.

But someone is paying furlough... if it wasn't coming out of people's tax, they would be less bothered about it. Paying for other people's holidays grates a bit, you can understand that.

"I'm curious. Those objecting to people continuing to accrue annual leave whilst furloughed, do you also object to women accruing annual leave whilst on maternity leave?"

Yes I do. As a teacher I did not accrue holiday on maternity leave and I certainly didn't feel that I should have. It seemed mad and unfair that others would accrue it though.

FWIW I haven't heard any furlough bashing. I think there's a lot of sympathy for people who are worried about job security. Reading this thread, the accrual of annual leave seems very unnecessary though and unfair to those who have worked throughout and should therefore not have to compete for time off with people who don't actually need time off.

@littlemisslozza

"I'm curious. Those objecting to people continuing to accrue annual leave whilst furloughed, do you also object to women accruing annual leave whilst on maternity leave?"

Yes I do. As a teacher I did not accrue holiday on maternity leave and I certainly didn't feel that I should have. It seemed mad and unfair that others would accrue it though.

FWIW I haven't heard any furlough bashing. I think there's a lot of sympathy for people who are worried about job security. Reading this thread, the accrual of annual leave seems very unnecessary though and unfair to those who have worked throughout and should therefore not have to compete for time off with people who don't actually need time off.

You get 10 weeks holiday a year. Other people get 4.

thebillyotea of course I do. But I don't have the mindset of 'I'm paying your wages' as those on furlough have no choice in the matter, other than to leave their job altogether.

Regarding accruing holidays while on furlough, that is for employers to manage appropriately. My employer have made sure everyone takes their annual leave, furloughed or not, so nobody has accrued holidays. Partly for fairness, and partly because it would be impossible to manage if those furloughed returned with an extra year or more of holiday entitlement.

If people have a problem with furlough then they should direct their anger at the government, not the individuals.

@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

I've worked non stop during the pandemic in a stressful and essential role and I have no anger towards people who are furloughed. They're doing that stuff because they're BORED. They have no choice not to work and they're entitled to their benefits. How about we come together during this pandemic instead of fighting amongst ourselves about who has it bad and who doesn't.

You get 10 weeks holiday a year. Other people get 4. statutory minimum is 5.6. Teacher bashing is unreal, they deserve their 10 weeks trust me.

@kirinm I can't see your point? However many weeks you are entitled to (my mum is a nurse and I'm pretty sure she has 8 weeks, for example), if you're on maternity leave it seems weird and unnecessary to get holiday on top. If you are on maternity leave you're all in the same boat with no holiday needed that year.

As an aside, teachers may be seen to have loads of holiday but much of it is actually unpaid but the salary is paid each month as an equal amount over the year. Teachers also have work to do during the 'holidays', it's rare to find one who has a complete break from work.

I know a couple who've both been furloughed on full pay for a year, and have been rubbing it in everyone's faces on social media, decorating, doing their garden, lovely walks with the dc. They're not concerned about not having a job to go back to, they work in hospitality for a large company and will be back working full time as soon as they reopen. Not the same story for everyone but not that uncommon. They could have been more sensitive.

YANBU, also its odd how so many say they've never seen it, yet on this very thread there is a lot of bashing comments.

All bashing comments are born out of jealousy imo, its understandable but people need to realise that is the root of their discontent.

Also to those who claim 80% of salary is good enough and people shouldn't be allowed second jobs, not everyone gets 80% due to the cap, my husband has been on furlough for 6 months and has had to get a second job as he is losing over £2500 a month in take home pay. With me currently being on adoption leave and only getting the statutory minimum this has been a huge hit for us financially.

@DiamondBright

I know a couple who've both been furloughed on full pay for a year, and have been rubbing it in everyone's faces on social media, decorating, doing their garden, lovely walks with the dc. They're not concerned about not having a job to go back to, they work in hospitality for a large company and will be back working full time as soon as they reopen. Not the same story for everyone but not that uncommon. They could have been more sensitive.

Are they actually rubbing it in people's faces or are they posting pictures of their lives? It's not personal.

The only person I saw furlough bashing was a nurse on facebook. Cheers and all that for the hard work love but everyone on furlough cut their income and sacrificed their own work to make your NHS job easier. So you should be thanking them just as much as they are thanking you.

TheNugLife I agree with your comments on 80%. So many don't realise it's capped at £2.5k gross per month, equivalent to £30k gross annual salary. That might seem fine if you earn that amount or less, but for many who earn more that could rapidly result in masses of unservicable debt and/or selling their home to survive. People live to their means in many cases and most cannot afford a massive drop in salary virtually overnight, regardless of what they earn. Even a 20% reduction is too much for most to take long term, hence them seeking other employment.
Furlough really is not all that.

@Biffbaff

The only person I saw furlough bashing was a nurse on facebook. Cheers and all that for the hard work love but everyone on furlough cut their income and sacrificed their own work to make your NHS job easier. So you should be thanking them just as much as they are thanking you.

Yeesh, don't go down to her level. Her NHS job is currently incredibly difficult I can tell you that for free. I don't understand all this hostility.

It’s rubbish for everyone! I’ve been working the whole way through and am exhausted... my brother has been shielding and that is so isolating and I have friends on furlough who are finding the uncertainty extremely stressful. Everyone seems to think they’re situation is worst but let’s just admit it sucks for everyone and just be kind.

Chin up everyone... keep doing your best and I hope it all works out for all of us soon.

Everyone's had a difficult time, it's a pandemic. Obviously the front line was hard. But the idea that some people have been getting a "paid holiday" is bullshit when they were forced to do so explicitly to "save the NHS". So I don't subscribe to the idea that there is a hierarchy of who worked the hardest, with the NHS at the top. We have all done our bit.

@DiamondBright

I know a couple who've both been furloughed on full pay for a year, and have been rubbing it in everyone's faces on social media, decorating, doing their garden, lovely walks with the dc. They're not concerned about not having a job to go back to, they work in hospitality for a large company and will be back working full time as soon as they reopen. Not the same story for everyone but not that uncommon. They could have been more sensitive.

When you say "rubbing it in peoples faces" ... what? aren't they just posting about their lives? And their lives happen to be different to yours right now?

I don't have FB or Instagram etc but I know how they work - surely if you went on holiday, you would post from there to Facebook? Isn't that "rubbing it in peoples faces" if they can't go at that time?

It goes back to my earlier point on this thread - are people who are on furlough meant to be invisible in case they offend people who weren't "lucky" enough to have 20% slashed from their monthly take home?

@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

That would irk me too. Ditto the accruing of holidays.

@Biffbaff

Everyone's had a difficult time, it's a pandemic. Obviously the front line was hard. But the idea that some people have been getting a "paid holiday" is bullshit when they were forced to do so explicitly to "save the NHS". So I don't subscribe to the idea that there is a hierarchy of who worked the hardest, with the NHS at the top. We have all done our bit.

Would you switch places? Risk getting COVID on a hot ward, work ridiculous hours in hot and uncomfortable PPE and watch people drowning from the inside? I'd personally rather be furloughed.

As per my earlier posts, is there a social media code of conduct published somewhere for the furloughed so they can ensure they don't "grate" on some of the jealous posters on this thread?

Maybe they can counteract some of those garden sunbathing pictures with a screenshot of their payslips just to ensure the bitter types don't feel like they're getting ahead of themselves

This country depresses me in its fostering of an envy culture. Just do you, envying someone else won't change your lot.

The only person I saw furlough bashing was a nurse on facebook. Cheers and all that for the hard work love but everyone on furlough cut their income and sacrificed their own work to make your NHS job easier. So you should be thanking them just as much as they are thanking you.

Wow, I don’t agree with furlough bashing but this is seriously a stretch. Do you really believe your last sentence? I don’t.