What do you think is likely 'end game' for furlough employees?

[pandarific]

This is total thinking (worrying) out loud, I am claiming no expertise here.

I work in a skilled role in a company (mention this as my salary isn't eg minimum wage so our mortgage, outgoings etc are in line with this). We expect them to make some announcements next week about potentially redeploying some employees to different parts of the business, furloughing others, perhaps some taking pay cuts etc.

If I was given a choice, personally furlough would be my last, as to me it's most uncertain about what happens if lockdown rolls on long-term, if recovery is slow and the business doesn't need you back soon? I wouldn't put it past this government to cut it payments from 80 to 50% of your salary, or less if it came to it.

Or, say you were furloughed but came up as immune on the testing which will be rolled out over the next few months - then I could see you potentially being required to take up a completely different necessary role, but I'd imagine your new salary would be that of the new role rather than what it was - so eg healthcare assistant/delivery driver salary.

So, has anyone any thoughts on the above? Am I being massively paranoid? It's more worries about the mortgage than anything else and trying to plan - yes I know there are payment holidays but those won't be extended indefinitely?

@oldhaggard I agree that furloughed workers could be redeployed into public service roles, expect because being paid to stay home is hardly an incentive to apply for the shelf stacking and delivery type posts that are widely available at the moment.

especially

We have furloughed 75% of our employees more will be furloughed over the coming months as our business can't operate at the moment. There is no discussions about redundancies at the moment the decision to furlough is to safeguard jobs. Having the ability to claim back 80% is a lifeline.

We are also topping up the pay to 100%

We’ve furloughed about 50% of employees, business is struggling to continue. If we do survive the next few months the employees furloughed will stay that way until the government end the scheme. All other employees will be furloughed too as cash flow dries up. I can’t see many of them coming back to work at the end of it, we’ll have to cut back staff massively so they’ll be made redundant.

My employer has also furloughed workers - all the office staff: front of house, support staff, property maintenance. These people will have jobs to go back to ... if we go back to working like we did.

The risk is that the business will change the balance from office based to home based permanently. The business has office leases which it can’t get out of (yet) but I think we will go from e.g three floors of expensive office space to two floors.

Office manager type roles will be needed less. Reception can be re-hired in six months when clients might (?) be travelling to meetings, facilities people can be pooled with other users in the building... etc

I've been furloughed already and been told that as of next month our wages are being reduced further.

Having escaped redundancy in the last year already the writing is on the wall.

I am so surprised by people saying they have furloughed workers but there’s is no discussion of redundancies yet.

We are already one month in to the three month furlough offer. It is unlikely to be extended for most businesses. Assuming that those businesses want to give staff a months notice, they only have a month to do a consultation.

Otherwise, furloughed staff will get no notice.

expect because being paid to stay home is hardly an incentive to apply for the shelf stacking and delivery type posts that are widely available at the moment.

And there we are. The undercurrent. Actually to take one of those widely available yet temporary contracts, puts any security in the job I'm furloughed from at risk. So when I'm no longer needed for that temporary job, and I've given up a job I could have gone back to (if the business is able to reopen) what then? What do I do then because I'll be out of work completely? I'd be more than happy to fill a role that's needed at the moment but temporary on a voluntary basis - recieving the furlough and knowing I can go back to my job when all this is over. But I can't do that, I've tried. Closest thing is volunteering with local groups and the NHS goodsam which I am, but it's not plugging the gaps that are most needed.

But if you're furloughed you can work elsewhere and be paid for it (unless you have the relevant restrictive covenant in your contract)?

Secondly someone posted here earlier that they are already furloughed and their pay is being further reduced from next month. That shouldn't be happening, you're either furloughed and receive X throughout or you temporarily accept to work reduced hours and in such case you receive your salary pro rata. This might well end up being less than the furlough pay. But these are two separate scenarios. I suggest you speak to your employer as what you're describing shouldn't be happening.

They also didn't factor in key workers who's businesses are allowed to stay open but in reality can't as there is no work. The ones I know of are still operating as businesses but only the owner is working and no staff as there is no work.

My organisation has furloughed maube 50-40% of my department- I am not one of them (yet) but who knows what could happen

I do think its not economically feasible for govt to continute with the 80% but would hope it would stay for another 3 months and hopefully by then things may be getting more "normal" (am I nieve?)

If redundancies are needed I would hope organisations would look at another criteria than the one for furlough- as it was such a quick turnaround in my organisation we focused on the skills needed for the next 8 weeks not the long term and some furloughed employees are critical in the longer term
Its a worrying time

No, you cannot get paid other paid work when you have been furloughed, it’s illegal. If you did your 80% salary would be at risk. You can volunteer.

No, you cannot get paid other paid work when you have been furloughed, it’s illegal. If you did your 80% salary would be at risk. You can volunteer.

This is incorrect. You cannot undertake work for your employer whilst furloughed.

You can work for other employers so long as it doesn't breach your existing contractual obligations to your employer.

I am not confident that the government's offer of 80% wages will continue past 31st May, which is the date they have committed to initially for the job retention scheme. It sounds a bit too good to be true, and I think they have said this in the first instance to stop mass panicking and social unrest... once we've all got used to the idea that our lives are going to shit, they will reduce the amount I think. Maybe 50% of wages for a short time, then 30%. Frog in boiling water and all that.

Some people may prefer redundancy at that point especially if they have long service so will get a few grand to tide them over.

We have to remember that no one not even the government really knows what it is doing at the moment or what we are dealing with. We're all flying blind.

We furloughed many staff on 100% pay until 31 May.

I suppose after that we would: ask everyone in the organisation, furloughed or not, to take an paycut to 80%. That way, if the government dips to 50% we can still protect jobs. I am not furloughed but fully expect to have to take a paycut.

My furlough agreement prohibits me from working for my employer or in any other paid employment. I suspect that this is the case with many others

There is scary naïveté on this thread about furlough. Please don’t rely on the government extending the period. They might, but they definitely might not.

Make your decisions based on 31 May. Two months from now.

There are problems with redeploying furloughed to public services though.
a) lack of relevant skills, aptitude etc, just at a time when no one has time to train, mentor or supervise a sudden influx of new people.
b) furloughed staff with vulnerable health issues (not necessarily in the shielded group). Some workplaces have furloughed based on the risks faced by employees as well as skills (eg asthma, can they drive or get public transport to work, etc etc). Harsh to put those people at greater risk roles.
c) New caring responsibilities on furloughed staff (kids, necessities for shielded family/friends/neighbours etc).
There are loads of opportunities to choose to volunteer.

I imagine that those furloughed will be those most likely to be made redundant in general. And the 80% pay will only continue for the 3 months, after that surely it’ll have to be reduced a lot.

DHs company have contacted him to say although they will continue to pay him (100%) while they are closed they will not be taking any money from the government towards paying salaries as they can afford to cover them. I was actually pretty impressed.

My furlough contract states that’s i cant work anywhere if I’m furloughed as does my husbands, ds can’t remember if his said it.

I’m hating sitting at home, in a matter of weeks I’ve gone from being out 50+ hours a week between, college, placement and work. I am not enjoying doing nothing, but as the government closed our work I still need paid, to cover our outgoings. So 80%is better than nowt!