Another furlough one ...

[Strawberrybutton]

I am currently on furlough. I contacted my partner in charge at work to ask if I would be returning back to work in September or if my furlough would be extended until the end of October.

His response was I am unable to confirm if you are returning in September or will be remaining on furlough until the end of October.

There is communication from the company once per month and that is it. They will not confirm anything about anything. There is no HR to speak to.

Setting aside the fact that clients have remained paying at 100% and the company are pocketing the money I should have been paid I’m tempted to report them to HMRC.

I’m in a really difficult position because I can’t afford to live on the furlough pay and I’ve now got to the point where I am taking on work through the company I had formed a while ago in order to pay my bills.

I’m not deliberately trying to be underhanded but I don’t even know if I have a job right now to go back to and could barely afford to eat and pay bills.

Since I’ve been put on furlough I’m getting more work through my own company. I don’t get why I am getting work and my employer claims there not.It all odd.

I did have restrictions in my contract about not working for someone else or a competitor but before I signed my furlough agreement I was honest with them and I told them I could not afford to live on the furlough money and I would have no choice but to seek work from elsewhere and I waived my restrictions before signing on the bottom lime.

What do you think I should do?

Not knowing what’s happening is becoming a nightmare and I’m not sure how to play it.
Payment holidays only last so long and I feel naughty doing other work in a way but in another way there not paying me and not providing work. I don’t even know if I have a job to go back to.

The only thing the company is doing is a weekly quiz which tbh I’ve given up going to because it doesn’t benefit me and I don’t enjoy quiz as there boring

Apologies for the waffle

You've posted this before.

And as you were told before HMRC don't care what your employers clients pay for their services - nothing to do with them or you. You can't afford to live on furlough pay. They don't know when or if you can return to work. The answer is still obvious. Get another job.

Yes this sounds familiar. You were given good and consistent advice previously which you didn't seem to like, although that doesn't make it incorrect. You are allowed to do additional work (just not for your existing employer) while on furlough particularly if the company (not you) waived the restriction on you doing so. Many of my fellow employees are on furlough and are working in supermarkets, Amazon, other places to supplement their income or provide structure to their time. There is no reason for you to feel "naughty" about it.

The company can't tell you if you have a job to go back to because they don't know! They haven't got a crystal ball and the guidance is changing all the time, most recently this morning! I'm sure you are not in e.g. wedding planning or working for a casino but if you were, those companies which were working towards reopening or increasing numbers as recently as today are now having to rethink their plans yet again.

What should you do? Look for another job I suppose. You are completely disengaged from your employer, that is clear. They may or may not have done anything wrong, but based on this particular post, nothing leaps out. How would they know for certain in July what the situation will be in September/October?

Either look for another job or focus on your self-employed work instead and leave your job behind. If they've waived your restrictions you have an opportunity to build up your own business first while on furlough.