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Original poster

Anyone else that’s been furloughed - how do you feel?

103 replies

Sunbo · 26/03/2020 16:34

I was furloughed at the beginning of this week. My company is still running as about two thirds are WFH and the remaining third have been furloughed.

I am part time so just received an email from HR on my day off to inform me.

I get on well with my boss but have not heard anything from her (she is still working) ie a text or anything. I had access to my work emails on my mobile but they have since blocked this and changed my password, so now I feel completely out of the loop with company news etc. Almost makes me feel like I have done something wrong!

I am feeling quite down about it because I feel like they have furloughed the workers that they see as less important / more dispensable, in which case if things don’t improve in a few months then I think it’s likely the furloughed staff are the ones that would then be made redundant.

Just wondering how other furloughed workers feel when it’s not the whole company and just some workers that have been furloughed?

I know I am probably taking it too personally but just feeling very disheartened about it all.

OP posts:
SoapyChoc · 26/03/2020 16:37

I got furloughed yesterday unexpectedly. However the majority of people did and they have kept 2 per team who are a bit more senior who will be working from home. So I don't feel too bad but there is this nagging feeling of anxiety of what will happen if this goes on after May and what if the government don't pay!
I also think I am going to find it hard mental health wise to have no structure and not to see people.

Original poster
Sunbo · 26/03/2020 16:40

Yes I am also worried that the government may not pay out at all, I have been told I would then have to pay them back the 80% salary I would have received

OP posts:
SoapyChoc · 26/03/2020 16:44

That's awful Sunbo. Surely also your line manager should have followed up with a phone call out of courtesy.

ilovecakeandwine · 26/03/2020 16:46

I was just relieved that I'm getting 80% salary, I've dc at home so I'd struggle to work full time anyway at the moment.
I know some staff are wfh I wouldn't mind wfh as it would keep my mind busy . I am worried how long this will go on for and if I'll still have a job in a few weeks.

RightOnTheEdge · 26/03/2020 16:47

All the staff in the company where I work have been furloughed.

We still have our staff Facebook page which our managers kept in touch on and online website and get company emails keeping us up to date with what is happening.

I think I would feel sad and anxious as well if my company just cut me off like yours has. Its a pretty shabby way to treat you.

ilovecakeandwine · 26/03/2020 16:47

Also should my manager has been messaging us every day and said will keep us informed of any changes.

Wonderingwhyme · 26/03/2020 16:49

@Sunbo what do you mean the government might not pay out? I thought they had to if you were furloughed? I’m zero hours... small company I work for shut... I’m waiting to hear what Boris says today about self employed/zero hours...

Original poster
Sunbo · 26/03/2020 16:59

@Wonderingwhyme

It’s just that my company said in my email if they are unable to claim the money from the government then I would have to pay it back, I guess they were just trying to cover themselves as it’s a new scheme but obviously it’s worrying

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lakeswimmer · 26/03/2020 17:05

Just been furloughed - about 85% of our staff have.

On one level I'm relieved - I'd been working from home for a couple of days and found it really stressful due to IT problems/ poor mobile phone connection/kids at home/lack of space and I'm looking forward to having some time at home.

However, I have got some niggles about whether everyone will get their jobs back at the end of it. The process was handled better by my company than yours though - it was clearly explained by my manager (who's also been furloughed), there was a chance to ask questions via a platform all employees could access and it was followed up with an HR letter. I've been told the company will stay in touch with me.

DontGoIntoTheLongGrass · 26/03/2020 17:07

Furloughed on Tuesday until May. I'm not too bad with it tbh as I was worried if I worked from home there was some things that would fall behind that I couldn't do from home.

ilovecakeandwine · 26/03/2020 17:11

You won't have to pay it back , it's not a loan . The government will pay employers for 3 months but it will be reviewed. Hopefully within that time the situation will pick up and can go back to work .
Your employer won't get this money till the end of April I believe.

KaronAVyrus · 26/03/2020 17:12

I’ve been furloughed. Feel very down about it as I think if they have to make any redundancies they’ve already decided who is dispensable.

It’s not been handled well tbh.

Justkeeprollingalong · 26/03/2020 17:13

HR person here. If they have reclassified you as a furloughed worker and offered you 80% salary it is not my understanding that they can require you to repay salary if they don't get the grant. However there is no reason why they shouldn't get the grant if they have fulfilled the requirements.

OldUnit · 26/03/2020 17:13

I've been furloughed along with the majority of our company. Although I'm trying to feel reassured, I too am worried about the security of my job when we return....the company will have taken a big hit.

Wonderingwhyme · 26/03/2020 17:16

Any idea about zero hour workers @Justkeeprollingalong? I get paid via PAYE so I think I can be furloughed? My boss has a small company... I can’t find any definite information about where I stand? Even the woman who does the payroll has no idea? Plus this money isn’t available until June?? What do we do for April and May?

BrieAndChilli · 26/03/2020 17:17

I’m being furloughed as from next week. Tiny company though so only the directors/owners are staying on.
I’m hoping that we all have a job to go back to once this is over. Our clients are massive multi nationals, so hopefully projects that have been put on hold will be back on.
In a way with 3 kids at home to sort while also working was a bit of a nightmare so getting 80% of wages and not working during schools being off actually is better for me.

Blankscreen · 26/03/2020 17:22

My dh has been made redundant I actually wish he'd been furloughed.

You're not allowed to work while you are off so that will be why everything off but it has been handled badly.

If you can enjoy the time off being paid and spending time with you family.

I think we will be financially ruined by this but I am hoping that there will be enough measures put in place to stop us ending up homeless.

Fucking bats !!

BubblyBarbara · 26/03/2020 17:25

It’s just that my company said in my email if they are unable to claim the money from the government then I would have to pay it back

That is a disgusting thing for them to threaten at this early stage IMO. I'm sorry they said that.

Poppy1968 · 26/03/2020 17:33

I was furloughed on Friday by email, I have not had any other communication from my company, I am not worried as I didn't want to working at the moment anyway.

Fucket · 26/03/2020 17:39

Most of us have been furloughed, we still have access to emails, and don’t feel left out of what’s going on without us. We are all trying to keep each other’s chins up. The company is going to pay the 20% difference and our pension contributions.

It’s such a lovely place to work, I hope the business survives this pandemic!

FairyBunnyAgain · 26/03/2020 17:39

I have not been furloughed, it looks currently that I will get to be one of the few that get to keep working, which I am trying to be positive about. However with the usually planning that the company I work for usually manage this will probably mean I am doing 12 hour days and 6 people’s jobs whilst covering the directors who will be on full pay but being hopeless.
The only good thing is that I can wfh and have already said that under no circumstances am I leaving my house.
Spoke to a friend just now who opted for furlough To avoid this, unfortunately I am —indispensable— cross trained.

nancy75 · 26/03/2020 17:43

I am the only employee of a very small company. Everything we do has stopped & there is no money coming in at all. The furlough thing is a godsend for me, it was that or lose my job.

ThursdayLastWeek · 26/03/2020 17:44

I started a new job at the beginning of March in hospitality. The site closed on Sunday afternoon and I fully expected as a new, zero hours person to just be asked to sit aside for three months.

Turns out I’m furloughed, which even at 80% of not very much is better than absolutely bugged all. And I still respect them.

Noworrieshere · 26/03/2020 17:46

I'm glad. But my manager talked to me about it by phone and made sure I understood and was ok.
Ive got kids at home and am glad to not have to think about work tbh.

You won't have to pay the money back, definitely not. Don't worry about that.

Sounds like your company haven't dealt with it very well though. How many employees do they have? We only have 6 so it's easy for the manager to phone round everyone. I guess if you have hundreds it's not so easy.

You mustn't work when you are furloughed so that will be why they have cut off your email access. I still have email access and could still work so I will have to just ignore it all.

Original poster
Sunbo · 26/03/2020 17:47

@BubblyBarbara

They are a law firm, so have been careful about wording their email so that they can claim back the money back from me if for any reason the government doesn’t pay out the 80%.

They emailed giving me a 2 hour deadline to accept their proposal, at the time I was at him managing my kids!

It would have been nice for my boss to have called me to give me a heads up that I would be getting the email from HR. Or to have at least text me afterwards but not heard anything.

OP posts: