Can i ask for furlough? Advice pls.

[whymewhyme]

Posting on here because I've not had much response on corova virus thread.
I have controlled asthma, however i've had several month's where i have had contant infections and viruses and it's impacted my asthma. I work on a care home, we don't have any cases if CV at the moment but we are expecting this in the near furure and social distancing isnt a option for obvious reasons, we are having to call into the shops on way into work to get what we need we need for the residents as we are stuggling to get a delivery slots. We don't have any hand gel or PPE other than gloves. I saw on this morning program a few days ago that Martin Lewis said that if your "high risk" you can ask for a furlough which is 80% pay for 12 weeks isolation but when I've googled it i can't find any info on it other than the company closer aspect.

So what i am asking is.... can i go on to furlough?

I don't want to approach my employer without the facts.

Thanks.

Have you had a letter or text to say you need to isolate? Don’t quote me but I think if it’s controlled asthma then, depending on your treatment you may not be in the category, more info here:

We understand that the term 'severe asthma' is open to interpretation. Following the Government announcement, the Department of Health and Social Care shared further recommendations about who in the severe asthma group should shield. Our clinical leads used this to develop the advice below. However, your own clinician is ultimately responsible for deciding whether to recommend you shield or not.

We will update this advice if anything changes and we will continue to push for support for people with asthma who need to shield. We will also monitor how all guidance is being implemented to ensure people with asthma are sufficiently protected and supported.

The current high risk groups are adults and children who are taking:

Any biologic therapy, also called a mAb (Xolair/omalizumab, Nucala/mepolizumab, Cinqaero/reslizumab, Fasenra/benralizumab)
Steroid tablets or liquid every day
Antibiotic tablets or liquid for asthma every week (e.g. azithromycin)
Tiotropium
A combination inhaler that also contains a long-acting bronchodilator (e.g. Seretide, Fostair, Symbicort) at a high daily steroid dose (speak to your doctor about whether you are on a high dose or not)
An inhaler with a high daily steroid dose (speak to your doctor if you're not sure if you're on this type of inhaler) AND you are taking Montelukast
Or, if:

You have been admitted to hospital for your asthma in the last 12 months
You have ever been admitted to an intensive care unit for your asthma

www.asthma.org.uk/advice/triggers/coronavirus-covid-19/

www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19

It's still unclear

Companies only appear to be able to furlough people if they have no work for you. If the company is not suffering financially, I am not sure how they can furlough you.

I saw Martin Lewis say that, but he wasnt clear where he got that information from. Or if he meant if you are vulnerable AND your company is furloughing, ask for it.

Not sure companies will be able to furlough, just one person without having to prove they are suffering financially

Hi there, @whymewhyme - we've moved this over to the Employment issues topic. Hopefully you'll get some useful responses. Best of luck with it all.

Furloughing isn’t designed for someone who has underlying health conditions and needs to self isolate. Martin Lewis has been spouting a load of nonsense and has been slammed by the government this week for leading people up the wrong path.

Furloughing is part of the coronavirus job retention scheme, designed for companies where the employee would have been made redundant because of lack of work.

For example, a recruiter would most likely be furloughed because there is no work for them to do right now. But when things get moving again they would be able to come back to work as companies will need staff!
In a care home this isn’t applicable, it’s a key worker position, you have plenty of work and so if your employer did furlough you they’d be illegally accessing the job retention scheme fund. It’s a sad incitement unfortunately and a type of person who has slipped through the cracks. There should be more available than SSP or unpaid leave for people who have symptoms, or live with someone with symptoms or are isolating for their own peace of mind.

Ignore Martin bloody Lewis.

If there is no work for you your employer can furlough you. It’s not an option for taking paid leave for other reasons, it’s to save jobs that would otherwise be lost.

I thought it was odd that i haven't been able to find any information in it. Very frutraiting. So if i started to shield i would only get ssp?

Hello dont know if this helps my partner is in the same boat martin lewis is correct i spent around a hour on the phone to acas and the hmrc regarding shielding people due to the fact they csnt leave the house you can be placed on furlough or the company should provide work to do from home where possible the thing is there isnt a legal obligation for them to do it also in regard to the company having to close this also isnt the case as select employees can be furloughed

1.5 million are following govt guidlines on staying in they are doing so to help the nhs as they are at most high risk companies should look after the vulnerable not just say oh ssp is all you get

If your employee is on Statutory Sick Pay

Employees on sick leave or self-isolating should get Statutory Sick Pay, but can be furloughed after this.

Employees who are shielding in line with public health guidance can be placed on furlough.

Dont know if this helps but try explaining to to a employer etc they dont have to close

Yes, they can be placed on furlough. I’m other words if you need to furlough employees due to lack of work and you have people who are on SSP due to self-isolating according to public health guidance, they stay on SSP and then can be placed on furlough. If you are furloughing staff and some of them are shielding you can place them on furlough.

There is absolutely nothing indicating that HMRC will refund salaries of people who still have a job and have work available just because they are shielding, that is not what it says. The stated purpose of the scheme is to save jobs that would otherwise have been lost, not to provide enhanced pay arrangements for those who are absent for other reasons.

I think this is more of a say governemt issue that needs resolving you cant tell 1.5 million people to help the nhs you need to sheild to then tell them you can only get ssp they didnt choose to be vulnerable its a big open field no one seems to know the answers fully my local mp is also meant to be looking into this as ive stated acas confirmed the work place doesnt have to close and the shielding people with the letter can be furloughed they dont see why they arnt been and if no work should be provided to do at home

They support employed
Support self employed
The 1.5million vulnerable does it seem they have forgot about these why should they get 94.25 a week for been vulnerable