Unpaid work due to payroll staff on furlough

[Acommonreader]

I work in an hourly paid shop job on zero hours contract. All staff were furloughed but many of us are now back in the shop. I’ve just been told that as payroll staff are still on furlough we will not be paid for our actual hours for the next few months! We will all be paid the same regardless of worked hours. We will be reimbursed or deducted in the future . Anyone know if this is allowed? Thanks.

No, of course it's not, just tell your boss you've contacted ACAS and you expect to be paid for what you're entitiled to.

You have to be paid for hours worked. Your employer can't just cut your pay and in any case you can't be paid less than minimum wage.

Flexible furlough has been available since the start of July. So if for example you would normally work 5 days a week, you can work 2 days and be furloughed for the other three. But your employer needs to keep track of things and not defraud the government!

Not on.

They have to unfurlough the payroll staff then, not coming up with stupid things like this 'solution'! Here's some good advice on how to point out to your employer that it doesn't work like that (but I'd recommend confirming with ACAS first to be 100% certain as mentioned above).

Thanks everyone for the advice. It’s difficult to know what’s allowed as so much has changed this year!

They are only allowed to furlough people when there is not work for them to do / they would otherwise be made redundant. That is demonstrably not the case with the payroll staff, they need to unfurlough them or use an agency.

How strange, is there a reason (other than furlough) that the payroll person can't return to work? There must be someone running the payroll even with set hours for everyone!

It depends if it's an emergency solution for a week/month or if the situation will be ongoing. I think if it's for one pay cycle it's a reasonable solution to a very odd situation, if it's longer, they need to get it sorted.