Employment Furlough

Fat Albert · 31 Mar 2020 at 10:50

Hi there

Hope everyone is keeping safe and well.

I am an employee on a ZHC, my work has been regular over the past couple of years.

I have now entered a period where there is no work for myself at the moment, however all other departments appear to be unaffected. Business as usual.

I proposed the question to management about 'furlough' and was told I must have received no work for a 3 week period before this can be put forward for furlough.
As this is all new to me, is this correct? Or could I be put on the scheme straight away? I ask as I have now lost 3 shifts last week, and potentially 2 this week.

Many thanks

chroniclard · 31 Mar 2020 at 11:22

Might be an internal policy but not from the government. The 3 weeks is the minimum furlough time. Maybe they are confused....

Fat Albert · 31 Mar 2020 at 11:25

To quote what I was told this morning:

In regards to the above message. As it stands we are not expecting to have a period of 3 weeks out of work. 3 weeks is the minimum amount of time a company can apply furlough.

Edit - can furlough be backdated?

Thanks

chroniclard · 31 Mar 2020 at 11:30

If they are continuing to pay you then is there an issue?

Furlough is an option for employers to get through this period without having to fire people/make redundancies. They dont have to furlough you and if they are happy to keep paying you for doing nothing......

Nazbit · 31 Mar 2020 at 11:35

I think the eligible period is 1st April to 31st May so they won't pay outside of those dates.

I don't know if it could be backdated within those dates if you retrospectively had no work, not sure that scenario would actually arise?

Think it's three weeks minimum so they would need to envisage you having no work to do for three weeks in order to put you on it.

Depends what the employer is like really. On a zero hours contract they could technically give you one hours work a week and say your "too busy" for furlough as you have work to do?

My knowledge of this comes only from those around me being put on it so I could be wrong.

I'm also on a zero hours co tract but luckily managing my normal hours so far. Others are starting to be put on furlough for the whole of April and May and being told it might be extended if the government scheme is extended. So fingers crossed but could be me at some point too.

Nazbit · 31 Mar 2020 at 11:36

chroniclard said:
If they are continuing to pay you then is there an issue?

Furlough is an option for employers to get through this period without having to fire people/make redundancies. They dont have to furlough you and if they are happy to keep paying you for doing nothing......

OP is on zero hours and loosing shifts though?

Where as on furlough they would get whatever they got in Feb PAYE I think.

As stands they could pay OP one hour a week and claim all is right with the world?

Or have I misunderstood?

chroniclard · 31 Mar 2020 at 11:43

Ah sorry, didnt see the ZHC bit.

Unsure then.

Fat Albert · 31 Mar 2020 at 11:57

Back in tomorrow, thanks for you help.