Friend said DH is abusing furlough

[amy198820]

DH been on furlough from 2 jobs since March (one full time job and one part time job he does one evening a week). He has been back to work on and off since the summer and is now on the flexi furlough scheme and both jobs have topped his pay to 100%. Since the tier 4 announcement he has been put back on furlough completely.

As tier 4 is looking like it will continue through Jan/Feb, and so unlikely he will be going back anytime soon DH had applied for another job to keep him busy rather than sit at home. DH found out before Christmas he has got the job and he has made this new employer aware that this job will just be a fill in whilst he is on furlough and the employer has accepted this and are happy to take him on. (its a friend of a friend type thing)

Spoke with my friend and earlier and told her about DH's new temporary position explaining that its better than him sitting at home all day /gives him something to do until all this passes etc. My friend took umbrage with this and said that we are abusing the system and that this isnt what the scheme was designed for. I didn't really know what to say and so said sorry she was offended and would speak to her later on.

For background before anyone says anything, I was not being insensitive, my friend has not suffered financially due to COVID as she has been working from home continuously throughout.

I want to call my friend back soon as to not let the bad feeling grow. How would you suggest I approach this? I do not think we are doing anything wrong, just trying to get through this pandemic and doing the best for our family as would anyone else.

Look your friend is right to be pissed off so don't try to justify your position to her. You are in the wrong and are cheating the system.

However you want to continue doing what you are doing for your family's security and that's fine - however don't expect anyone else to be ok with it as what you are doing is wrong. But you can explain your point of view to your friend without trying to justify it

I honestly don’t think I could stay friends with and your DH. I think what you’re doing is morally repugnant and I hope the government close this ridiculous loophole to stop people like you shafting the country.

He is being furloughed to support him while he CANNOT work and at the public’s expense. Being off work also reduces him catching and spreading Covid. Just because it’s not illegal to take another full time Job while on 100% funded by the tax payer doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do. If he was on 80% and took a part-time or zero hour contract to top it up that would be different. If he wants to take another job can’t he stake some kind of break from his current job, unpaid leave and come off furlough. I would not advertise it to friends or anyone what he’s doing.

He can have 8 jobs paying 100k each a la George Osborne, no one has an issue with that. Its the fact that there are limited public funds and the justification for the very expensive business of funding furlough...

So all the people wanging on about “he took someone’s job” are really being dishonest. The real issue here is with furlough being a massive expense and the government not saying people receiving it could not take other employment as they could easily have done.

I'm flabbergasted that the furlough scheme could allow for someone to be working one job whilst being paid for three. I get it OP, we all have mortgages to pay in these uncertain times but as someone who 'fell through the cracks' by going self employed in 2018 after paying tax for 24 years your post has boiled my piss!

A classic example of "I'm alright Jack, so sod the rest..."

If legal you are right to cut in the interests of your family. No one knows what is coming and odds are the extra job would go to mother who is furloughed. I would not overthink this even though I can understand why your friend had the reaction she did. I would just say you are not doing anything illegal and you need to ensure your security. End of story.

Remember during the 1st lockdown when people wanted furloughed workers to pick fruit

Being off work also reduces him catching and spreading Covid

Non-argument. If OP's husband were not doing the temporary job, someone else would be, and that person would have exactly the same chance of catching and spreading Covid.

You are in the wrong and are cheating the system

How can they possibly be cheating the system when the government went out of its way in publishing the furlough guidance to say that this was perfectly permissible?

I had no idea that those on furlough topped up to 100% of salary were allowed to find new paid employment during the furlough period.
It doesn’t seem right on an economics basis but I can definitely see the social/mental health benefits.
If it is allowed and a friend of mine did this I would think the system was crazy and in almost all cases think less of friend for choosing to play it this way.

Not read the whole thread but some of these responses are hilarious

OP I don’t blame you in the slightest and I hope those on their high horse are busy donating to charity and job sharing to help save people from the breadline.

Good on your DH for wanting to work hard. If we scrutinised everyone’s finances like this then we’d all be in the dog house. The only thing I’d suggest is, where there is widespread suffering going on, best to keep quiet about anything going well for you, it’s bound to cause friction.

@HeronLanyon

I had no idea that those on furlough topped up to 100% of salary were allowed to find new paid employment during the furlough period. It doesn’t seem right on an economics basis but I can definitely see the social/mental health benefits. If it is allowed and a friend of mine did this I would think the system was crazy and in almost all cases think less of friend for choosing to play it this way.

The thing is SOME of these people most likely will loose one of their jobs... or both!

Urgh. I'd not mention your DH's arrangement to anyone, they'll never look at you the same again.
A few DHs I am acquainted with at DC's school are doing similar, off on furlough from well remunerated employment, while also raking it in offering online consultancy. One told me he's done so well since the spring they're considering pulling DC2's friend out of local primary and putting her in private education. They already do this for older sibs in secondary, so not a complete divergence, but to me, it grates.

littleyell agree it’s more complex than first reaction.

I think what you’re doing is morally repugnant and I hope the government close this ridiculous loophole to stop people like you shafting the country

I agree with this. It’s a loophole that should be closed, or greatly disincentivized (eg you pay highest rate of tax on any additional earnings that take you above 100% of your former earnings).

I suspect it was brought in to allow people to make up the other 20% but yes it’s led to people playing the system for their own gain like this. If he’d wanted something to keep him busy there are many more things he could do to contribute to society rather than contribute to his wallet and his mate.

Wow, threads like this show you people are a bunch of jealous douchebags.

You're doing nothing wrong, OP. Put in your position, most people would make the same choice. There is nothing immortal with doing what's best for your family, especially during these uncertain times! You don't know if you'll still have jobs in a year's time, so save as much as possible while you can.

Your DH sounds extremely hard working. Good on him looking after his mental health as well.

Ignore the idiots who don't know the rules and get jealous at people earning more money than usual. All those working from home have benefitted financially as well. DH and I have made an extra £700 a month from not travelling alone and no one tells us we're evil, but essentially it's the same. Just don't talk about it with people who may have lost a lot financially this year (which I'm sure you don't do).

Op, you’ve learned a great lesson. Don’t tell anyone your business because people will judge you
Silence is golden

I’m shocked at posters reactions. I didn’t know you could do this but it’s not my worry. I’m not furloughed and I won’t be (secure industry).

The posters shouting about charity.... OP partner may have no income in 6 months time but I don’t hear you shouting about that.

Covid has brought out too many busy bodies!

Ignore the idiots who don't know the rules and get jealous at people earning more money than usual

You mean - people making more money that they didn’t earn and paid for by taxpayers, lol!! That’s hilarious. He’s hardly earning more than usual is he???! He’s just gaming a system that wasn’t designed for this purpose. I don’t think people are jealous that he’s getting more money, they’d just rather see either the money or the job go to people who really need it, which is what the system was designed for.

@littleyell people are perfectly entitled to have a view on how public funds are used.

@ConiferGate absolutely I didn’t state other wise. I stated I was shocked there’s a difference.

Your a hypocrite and one sided did I rattle you? Is that why you didn’t want to address or acknowledge the fact the OPs partner could be out of a job tomorrow?

Hypocrite you need to get off of your high horse I don’t know how you can be so entitled!

[quote ConiferGate]**@littleyell* people are perfectly entitled to have a view on how public* funds are used.[/quote]
Public funds? Ha Borris behave. YOU and others won’t be funding OP when he has NO salary because his job has ended! Don’t be so narrow minded FGS.

I'm sorry for your DH situation, but what he is doing is fraud. It is a crime, like benefits fraud.

Stupidly yes, the system is paying him to sit at home.

If your DP is bored, why not do community volunteering during furlough? Instead of getting a job which isnt really legal and someone else could have that job who needs it.