Can my employer do this? (Furlough)

[pinkandblue15]

Like many people, I have been placed on furlough a few days ago.

However, my employer said we will be paid 80% for the whole of March, despite the company working and operating until this week. Which means our March pay will be only 80% despite us working as usual until a few days ago. I understand the need for furlough as company is struggling but surely they can't backdate to 1st March if we have been working as normal for 3 odd weeks.

Can they do this? They say they can?

From what I understand they can claim from 1 March. Couldn't see anything in the guidelines to say effective from date you tell employee but will gladly be corrected if wrong

I highly doubt they can pay you 80% for actual worked hours. I would seek legal advice if you can. You can't deduct 20% of someone's wages just for the hell of it! Also, surely they're taking advantage of the system as they'd have to say you were furloughed since then, isn't that fraud?

Our (2%) payrise has been cancelled, which happens in March's pay. Payroll is normally finalised in the middle of March so I'm not sure why it has been. They've also said they'll pay us 3 months full pay but they are including March's pay in that, so two months really. I'm just grateful to have the pay to be honest. It is a bit disingenuous.

They can't claim for employees who are doing work for them, so no they can't claim for the whole of March because they had no furloughed employees until whatever date you all left work.

They are trying it on.