Self isolate - can I claim furlough

pollycracker1 · 2021-07-18T17:59:37+00:00

I have a small business and 1 employee Her bf has tested positive for Covid and she had to self isolate She's asked if she can be put on furlough rather than SSP Is that allowed? I'm not sure if I can be bothered to set up a furlough scheme just for 10 days

PollyIndia · 18/07/2021 19:00

Yes, I just furloughed an employee for 3 weeks to cover her isolation plus a week to be fully better. Better for them than ssp

Original poster

pollycracker1 · 18/07/2021 19:10

Ah that's good to know. I will have to speak to the accountant tomorrow morning

OP posts:

JacquelineCarlyle · 18/07/2021 19:14

The employer does now need to make a contribution to furlough to make it up to the 80% - government will now pay 70% and employer must pay 10% (or obviously can choose to top up to 100%).

Original poster

pollycracker1 · 18/07/2021 19:31

Ah that's good to know. How easy is it to claim? She's leaving at the end of July anyway so a little bit of me is a bit like at the convenient timing as it's 2 weeks right before she leaves

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user1487194234 · 18/07/2021 19:49

I would not do it for an employee who is leaving

Original poster

pollycracker1 · 18/07/2021 19:52

Yeah she's asking to be topped up to 100% pay as well and I'm like.. er.. I will ask the accountant

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Spinningaround21 · 18/07/2021 19:54

She’s leaving! I’d want proof she needs to isolate. She’s cheeky for asking for the 100% too.

Pinotwoman82 · 18/07/2021 19:55

Has she proved that her BF has COVID then or is she just hoping to have the next 2 weeks off paid?

Original poster

pollycracker1 · 18/07/2021 19:56

She's sent me the lateral flows which are positive so I guess it's true.
I definitely won't be topping up to 100%

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Original poster

pollycracker1 · 18/07/2021 19:58

Unfortunately the work can't be done from home and is in person, retail so she definitely can't work

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Ilikewinter · 18/07/2021 20:00

Make sure you see the PCR test results, he should have taken one if the lateral flow is positive.
I would say no to furlough!

Pinotwoman82 · 18/07/2021 20:01

I wouldn’t trust LFT he could have put fruit shoot on it or coke! He needs to have a proper PCR test then when the result of that is through then you could look at what you do next

Batsaboutcats · 18/07/2021 20:01

Imo as the furlough is a job retention scheme, she shouldn’t get it because she is leaving, and has presumably handed her notice in no?

BlessedBeTheFruitCake · 18/07/2021 20:01

Lateral flows can be faked as positive with lemon juice apparently so I’d be wanting proof of a positive PCR before paying furlough.

SummerSazz · 18/07/2021 20:01

Yes, see the pcr test - apparently (no idea if it's true) that orange juice can generate a positive LFT...

Ohshittt · 18/07/2021 20:03

Yeah she's definitely being a CF!

Original poster

pollycracker1 · 18/07/2021 20:05

I work in the same room as her so i would rather not have her come into the shop in case it is true? I have asked that she self isolates for the 10 days

She's going to take a pcr so do I have to pay her SSP instead?
She only started working for me in January so dh said I should just fire her as she has no employment rights

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Original poster

pollycracker1 · 18/07/2021 20:07

They have arranged for a pcr by post so by the time they get it will be Tuesday and then by the time they get the result will be Thursday at best. She's leaving next Friday

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firsttimedad79 · 18/07/2021 20:08

She can't have furlough as she has to have been employed since October 2020. She can however use annual leave for this period, providing she has enough left. Other than that it's just ssp.

Original poster

pollycracker1 · 18/07/2021 20:13

She hasn't got any annual leave left

I've just checked and looks like it's fine as she was employed in March

For periods starting on or after 1 May 2021, you can put the employee on furlough as long as they were employed by you on 2 March 2021, as long as you have made a PAYE Real Time Information (RTI) submission to HMRC between 20 March 2020 and 2 March 2021.

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firsttimedad79 · 18/07/2021 20:15

@pollycracker1

She hasn't got any annual leave left

I've just checked and looks like it's fine as she was employed in March

For periods starting on or after 1 May 2021, you can put the employee on furlough as long as they were employed by you on 2 March 2021, as long as you have made a PAYE Real Time Information (RTI) submission to HMRC between 20 March 2020 and 2 March 2021.

Blimey, it's changed since I looked last week. I was on isolation after being pinged and had to fight my company for annual leave to be used!

SummerSazz · 18/07/2021 20:17

It'll cost you money with your accountant to set up etc and then potential arguments about topping up etc. I'd go with SSP on the basis it is a JRS and she's leaving....

firsttimedad79 · 18/07/2021 20:19

@pollycracker1

She hasn't got any annual leave left

I've just checked and looks like it's fine as she was employed in March

For periods starting on or after 1 May 2021, you can put the employee on furlough as long as they were employed by you on 2 March 2021, as long as you have made a PAYE Real Time Information (RTI) submission to HMRC between 20 March 2020 and 2 March 2021.

But it also says you can't use furlough for it?

Original poster

pollycracker1 · 18/07/2021 20:20

That's a very good point! I will need to speak to my accountant to see how much it will cost me to set up the furlough scheme

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Bonjourfern · 18/07/2021 20:20

She's being cheeky at best and fraudulent at worst. As if she's trying to pressure you into topping up to 100% as well! All very convenient and suspicious that she's leaving in 2 weeks to be honest. On that basis I'd just go with SSP.