Furloughed but working?

[Meredithgrey1]

So, a company I used to work for has furloughed basically all employees. Most are correctly not still working, but some are. I know this directly from a senior manager who is still working despite being furloughed. He told me this like it was no big deal, "everyone's doing it." But they are furloughed, with the full expectation that the bill will be picked up by the government.

I personally find this appalling. We're not tanking the economy so that businesses can get free labour.

But I don't know what to do. Should I report it - I have no actual proof (I'm totally sure, this man has no reason to lie to me and was totally blasé about it, I just have no proof). I don't even know how I'd report it. Or should I just mind my own?

My view of this company is tainted by several unpleasant things I witnessed while working there, including reports of serious sexual harassment being completely brushed aside. So I don't know if my negative view of owner is impacting my view of this issue, although I don't think it is.

Thoughts?

Yes, report it. The government is shelling out enough to save people without being defrauded.

If you are furloughed you cannot work for that company.

Personally I think there will be a fair few prosecutions for fraud when this is all over. The government has to recoup the money somehow

Report to HMRC. If staff are furloughed they aren’t allowed to work. If there’s work for them then the company should be paying them.

The government is shelling out enough to save people without being defrauded.

That's how I feel. Do you know how I'd report it? Or if I'd need proof?

I worry about the effects on the people I know who work for the company (who are furloughed and rightly not working).

Absolutely report it.

I have people going on furlough and some divisions claiming they will still be working.

Pressed post too soon.

It could end up risking the payments for whole companies, if they are found to be still working on furlough. Its bloody fraud.

I know of a few companies (small ones) who were planning on 'exploring' whether they could keep staff working and get the 80%. They didn't seem to understand that the benefit of this system to them was putting all or part of their companies on ice rather than closing them down, it wasn't about them getting (or missing out on) an 80% bung from the government. Trouble is the staff will most probably go along with it for fear of losing their job or the inequality of some staff in the same company working and getting paid, others being furloughed and also getting paid. We'll all be paying for this one way or another in the long run.

This is about the fourth thread I’ve read today where companies are doing this. Awful.

It's make me so angry that companies are seeing this as free money. If you have business coming in and need staff to work, furlough isn't even on the table. I heard they're looking at auditing this scheme in the future. I hope they do and these firms get what's coming to them.

Is it legal for your boss to expect 20% of your usual input in return for your full wage?

@opticaldelusion sorry I'm not sure I get your point?

Disgusting behaviour imo. Companies looking to profit from free labour during a pandemic, it's shameful. Definitely report it