Furlough

[newnameswhothis]

I have requested to be furloughed 2 days a week for childcare purposes. My line manager has came back to me advising that HR have said they did not plan on Furloughing staff during this lockdown and are having a meeting about this towards the end of the week.

Can anybody advised me what rights I have? I'm a full time employee for 6 years. Can a company refuse to furlough you for the reason that they don't want to use the scheme?

I'm at an absolute loss I already have roped in every able family member to help with childcare for the 3 days I've committed to working and my partner is a KW so not at home.

Lockdown last time was hellish and that was with me being furloughed down to part time hours I just don't see how I can commit to full time and watch my DD (3) as well.

Sorry unfortunately they don’t have to furlough you if they don’t want. It isn’t free for them (they have to pay top ups and your NI and pension) and if they need the work doing then they need you working. Are they offering anything else like unpaid leave?

As your dd is 3 you could put her in nursery for the other two days? They’re still open.

No, they don’t have to Furlough. What are your arrangements for DD usually?

You have no legal right to be furloughed unfortunately.

@Mousehole10

Sorry unfortunately they don’t have to furlough you if they don’t want. It isn’t free for them (they have to pay top ups and your NI and pension) and if they need the work doing then they need you working. Are they offering anything else like unpaid leave?

I thought the same too. It's up to them to offer it not staff to request it.. Also do you not have to be furloughed completely rather than just some of your days? When I was furloughed I couldn't undertake any work at all, it was not permitted. I didn't realise you could be part furloughed.

@Sparklingbrook part time furlough was brought in earlier in the year so is an option. You can also request furlough for childcare reasons, but the company doesn’t have to grant it.

[quote Mousehole10]@Sparklingbrook part time furlough was brought in earlier in the year so is an option. You can also request furlough for childcare reasons, but the company doesn’t have to grant it.[/quote]
Oh ok, thanks.

Nursery's are closed here (Scotland) she normally attends 5 days a week.

I knew that companies didn't have to furlough you but thought they would have to provide a better reason that don't want to use the scheme.

I was previously furloughed part time. I don't think it was available at the start but was was later in lockdown

I didn’t realise nurseries are closed in Scotland. That’s a bit stupid of the Scottish government, what do they expect parents of young children to do?

Your company doesn’t have to give any particular reason, lots aren’t furloughing staff this time. Will they let you reduce hours or take time off unpaid? Or do you have annual leave left?

I was under the impression furlough costs businesses nothing. They don’t have to top up, it’s optional.

I was like that in lockdown 1 but now employers have to pay NI, Pensions etc.

I think that it was presumed we would be furloughed for childcare reasons but companies aren't doing it.

I don't expect the top up I would be happy with the 80%

I only have a limited amount of annual leave left which wig I use 2 days a week will only cover me for the next 3 weeks.

I just find it so infuriating that companies won't use the support that's being provided for them. My team could easily cope with me on a reduced basis and did so for 9 months previous as a good portion of our job isn't possible during lockdown.

Yup, my company have said the same OP. It’s utterly shit. I’ve requested to take annual leave but fuck knows what I’ll do later in the year.

They’ve helpfully informed me I can take unpaid parental leave.

Why is no one kicking up more fuss about this?

Taking unpaid time off will really leave me struggling, Savings we're wiped out last time round.

I still have to pay full time nursery fees for the first 6 weeks of closure it's honestly a nightmare

And my company is a massive multinational, they’ve just decided not to access the furlough scheme.

Childminders are still able to work if you can find one? They might have places due to people not using them at the moment.
@Nochangeplease even if they don't pay top-up salary it still costs them in pensions and National Insurance and accrued leave. If someone had 3 months on furlough that's a 1/4 of their paid annual leave allowance accrued when they've brought no income into the business. It doesn't sound like much but a lot of businesses work to very small profit margins. If everyone with primary school aged or pre-school kids in our office went on furlough i'm fairly sure the business would fall apart! If there's a workload to be done then I can see why they want it doing.

If I could afford a childminder I would be taking unpaid leave.....

Do you work from home? Could you split yours hours so you do 5am to 8am (or up to when your dp leaves the house) then more in the evening when dd is in bed? Or something along those lines? What hours does your dp work?

sorry, cross-posted with the bit about you paying 6 weeks full nursery fees. That's crazy! Surely they should be furloughing their staff / applying for business grants not you footing the bill for a service you can't legally even use?

Do you work from home? Could you split yours hours so you do 5am to 8am (or up to when your dp leaves the house) then more in the evening when dd is in bed? Or something along those lines? What hours does your dp work?

And how quick do you think burnout can happen?

@Nochangeplease I was under the impression furlough costs businesses nothing. They don’t have to top up, it’s optional.

This time round employers still have to pay national insurance and pension contributions so there is a cost even if they don't top up.

I don't think am being unreasonable asking for furlough for 2 days and passing my DD around family members for 3 days of the week.

I don't think I would cope with working all day 5.30 till 9 and then 5.30 till 9 pm I would be exhausted after having DD all day I could maybe try and and sneak a couple of hours during the day.

It just feels so hopeless. I get it's not my works fault but I don't feel like am being supported in the way that I should. I work in funeral industry restrictions have been hard for us but profit margins haven't been an issue

I think your only other options are to use unpaid parental leave or put in flexible working request to reduce your hours.

Are you working from home? Me and most of my colleagues are just working around the kids. Even very little ones.

Yes I'm working from home, i think I'll use annual leave for the next 3 weeks and then reassess what we can do. My partner can put in for leave as well so may be able to manage around 6 weeks all and just cross our fingers that nurseries are open