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Original poster

I can't be furloughed.

49 replies

Waitinginthewings · 20/02/2021 09:10

I've just been advised to shield. I only started in my company in November. I think this means I'm not allowed to be furloughed. My work have agreed to furlough me but guessing they've got it wrong? I'm really worried...do I have any other options? My GP has strongly advised me that I should shield but I don't have enough savings to survive on for very long if I'm not earning anything. Are there any schemes for people who missed 30th October cut off?... Thanks.

OP posts:
RicStar · 20/02/2021 09:22

Unfortunately I agree with you, the company won't be able to claim furlough support for you, I assume there is no work you can do from home? The company could pay you a furlough salary out of its own funds, or sick pay - hopefully its a relatively short period as if you have you injection plus 3 weeks perhaps you can come back to work? depending on what it is you do.

Original poster
Waitinginthewings · 20/02/2021 09:28

Unfortunately no, I won't be able to do any work at all...partly because I have young children who I've had to take out of nursery. Definitely couldn't do my job with children in tow. My company totally agreed that I need furloughing and doing reduced hours not an option. They were very supportive and I did remind them that I only joined company on 1st November, they said it wouldn't be a problem. It was HR who told me this.
I'm booked in for my vaccine on Friday. I hope they can put me on special leave. I really don't want a sickness record and am still in my probation period.

OP posts:
Kazzyhoward · 20/02/2021 19:31

Unless there's something in your contract of employment, or your employer are going to pay you voluntarily, then your only help will be statutory sick pay (Govt have said that's the alternative for staff who can't be furloughed). It's just yet another hole in Rishi's scattergun approach to covid support.

RonaLisa · 20/02/2021 19:33

If you have only just been advised to shield, a year after the first lockdown, are you absolutely certain you need to?

If I were suddenly told, now, to shield, I wouldn't be doing it - on the basis that if I have got through the past year unscathed, it would seem ridiculous to be doing it now.

Jobs are so hard to come by at the moment that I would absolutely not be doing anything to risk losing one.

nether · 20/02/2021 19:35

Various charities have been quite active in calling for additional furlough rules for those asked to shield, so people don't have to choose between employment and health. Unfortunately, little headway was made (too many people thought it was only the old and moribund in the category, and of course that was never the case)

The shielding letter sets out the options, such as they are, and acts as proof of status for ESA or UC claims

Sumwin1 · 20/02/2021 19:44

@RonaLisa may have a point. Has something seriously changed with your health OP.

Original poster
Waitinginthewings · 21/02/2021 07:57

No, nothing has changed with my health.
Before I got the letter I assumed I was very low risk. I'm a healthy weight, no asthma, no serious medical issues. Quite fit. Young.
I would much rather be working but I'm not a medical expert and feel like I shouldn't be trying to make these decisions, maybe I should just be trusting the doctors. Maybe now is the time to be extra cautious..

On the other hand, I've been fine last year not shielding and numbers are quite low round here now.

OP posts:
CornishTiger · 21/02/2021 08:03

Previous gestational diabetics at all?

Original poster
Waitinginthewings · 21/02/2021 08:07

Yes, GD plus few other health things (all that I thought were no big deal).

OP posts:
WreckTangled · 21/02/2021 08:09

If it was me I would ignore the letter and continue working. The whole gestational diabetes thing is beyond weird. Especially when most people who actually have diagnosed diabetes aren't being told to shield.

TheoriginalLEM · 21/02/2021 08:10

What foolish advice to tell someone not to shield if told to do so by their Dr Hmm

WreckTangled · 21/02/2021 08:10

Disclaimer that I'm not medically claimed and would advise you to speak to you GP before ignoring said letter Grin

CornishTiger · 21/02/2021 08:10

Similar decision made here. Disregarding letter s and GP has called me to say I don’t need to shield. My risk is high but I’m not stopping my work and income.

Brunt0n · 21/02/2021 08:11

I wouldn’t be shielding now if you haven’t had to for the last year... that seems daft?
However you seem to be saying you can’t work because your children aren’t at school? Can you work from home?

WreckTangled · 21/02/2021 08:11

Cross post there. It's not the doctors who've sent out these letters.

CornishTiger · 21/02/2021 08:13

Alot of GPs don’t even know about the GD debate

Fucket · 21/02/2021 08:14

If you’re shielding you should be getting a vaccine soon or recently had one. I am CEV too but I am not keen on shielding anymore. I think the case rates are very low now and this helps with the anxiety. Being of working age with a mortgage, family and health condition is like being stuck between a rock and a hard place. There is no right answer just difficult choices.

You have to do what’s right for you. My choice is to come out of shielding when schools open and try to limit how close I get to people and keep the online shopping going. My family need me to work and help pay the mortgage. Life insurance will cover the mortgage if I die. It’s not a fluffy topic, and I haven’t made the decision lightly but being CEV and catching covid is not an automatic death sentence. They just want to keep us out of hospital to prevent the nhs being overwhelmed.

thewinkingprawn · 21/02/2021 08:15

Your work absolutely will not be able to claim furlough for you. In your situation and given you have no health issues to really speak of or that would make any difference I would be cracking on and working. I think this latest shielding list is bonkers given people have been fine for a year now. In this economy you would be mad not to put work first. Only you will know if your work is genuinely fine with it but at the very least I’d be leaving my kids in nursery and offering to wfh.

chopc · 21/02/2021 08:17

Have you talked to your GP? A lot if people have been incorrectly added due to the terminology used in the search engines. Your doctor can advise you if you need to be in the shielding group or not.

Fluffien · 21/02/2021 08:18

If it's just GD that has flagged you I would question it. There have been some research papers done in the prevelence of 'new' diabetes in those who have recovered from covid, and there have been some hypothesis for years that having GD means you are potentially more likely to develop Type 2. But in relation to covid they should clarify if GD was an admin error (ie the sweep just caught up anyone who had diabetes of any sort on their record), and if there is new research which means it was intentional. How can people make informed decisions without knowing?

spookycookies · 21/02/2021 08:21

If you've got a vaccine booked couldn't you take 3 weeks off and then go back to work?

Original poster
Waitinginthewings · 21/02/2021 08:22

It really does feel like I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. I really need to work. I can't afford not to work. I don't want sick leave/ special leave on my record when I'm so new to the company but I also don't want to find myself in hospital wishing I'd followed advice. I spoke to my GP about it, thinking she would say ignore letter, she told me to follow shielding advice that it's not worth risk. I'm having vaccine next week..

OP posts:
WreckTangled · 21/02/2021 08:22

One of the top endocrinologists is trying to find an answer to this. He is just ask confused as everyone else and thinks it's probably an error.

I can't be furloughed.
seven201 · 21/02/2021 08:22

There was a thread on here the other day about GD and the shielding letter. A GP came on and said it was an error as the system mistakenly counted past GD as being current or something.

I had GD and some other minor health issues (high bp, kidney issues/surgeries) but I haven't been contacted so I'll be reluctantly going back to the secondary school where I teach, when it fully opens again.

WreckTangled · 21/02/2021 08:23

Did your GP tell you what it was exactly that meant you needed to shield?

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