How does the 80% pay thing work?

[Miljea]

Does this mean the employer doesn't sack you, but has to pay the other 20% of your wages to you? In order that the government pays you 80% of your pay?

I don't know a huge amount, but I do know that you're paid 80% of your earnings and your employer can chose to top it up to 100% if they wish.

I've been furloughed and my employer will apply for the 80% pay for me. It basically means that if there isn't any work for you during coronavirus then your employer can furlough you until the work picks up again. They must still keep your job open for you.

Your employer does not have to pay you the 20%. That is at their discretion. My employer will not be paying the 20% as they can't afford to which is fair enough, I'd rather keep my job and can manage on 80% wages anyway if I'm just staying home at the moment.

The grant is not available yet and won't be for a few weeks. So potentially this means your employer will have to pay you out of their own pocket first and then claim it back at a later date. This is why some employers won't do it as they can't afford to pay it. Luckily mine can.

Thanks.

I was discussing this with my (59, single, no dependents, house-owning) DB yesterday as he was furloughed then. He's on something like £11ph installing coffee machines in places like unis, and restocking them.

I suggested he should look at Tesco as I can't see his employer being able to survive this, especially if, god willing, we climb up out of this by the summer, but unis won't open again til late Sept.

He says he's happy to stay home and live on 80% pay for 'as long as it takes'. 🤔 Previous form from his family run employer suggests they won't be topping his pay up, tho.

Anyway, there's nothing I can do about it!

I'm furloughed and I don't think my company will be able to top up financially. I'm just going to stay home and accept I'll be getting 80% of my income for however long and adjust finances accordingly.