Furlough.

Not yet but it sounds like it is coming for some of my colleagues at least.

 

It sounds like the team that I work in are relatively safe in the short term.

 

Can a company only claim the 80% furlough funding if they shut down operations or can they select staff who would otherwise be facing redundancy because of reduced business levels and selectively furlough those staff whilst still continuing operations?

At our place, we are still operating at present entirely from home but some of us are seeing quiet times ahead in our schedule in the near future. One of our biggest markets is the academy sector and of course, schools are severely limited at the moment.

To be honest, in many ways, I feel a bit useless sat in isolation in my study fannying about with systems or facing weeks of updating manuals because there's no other work coming in. In a way, I would welcome being furloughed so I could continue to receive an income whilst I went out and did something more productive for the war effort. I'd happily try my hand at emptying the bins if it meant that the service could still be provided.

 

Yes they can keep for example decide that because work is quiet they only need 5 salesmen instead of the usual 10 and so furlough the other 5. The only rules there are you can't switch and swap every week who is furloughed and you need to use proper reasons for deciding who stays and who goes much like with proper redundancy.

 

Are you sure about that? I don't know enough about it to directly question that you're mistaken, but my understanding is different from what you have written. As is the understanding of the firm I work for.

 

How did you/they understand it?

 

That we either close that entire position and furlough everyone or we keep it open. Different departments could remain open and we furlough a whole department, but not some from a particular department and not others. So for instance we furlough the whole customer services department, but keep deliveries going, but we can't furlough half the customer services department and keep the other half.

 

It's got me intrigued so I did what I should have done first and looked it up c/o Google.

It reads to me how ST described it

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-you-could-be-covered-by-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme

"If you and your employer both agree, your employer might be able to keep you on the payroll if they’re unable to operate or have no work for you to do because of coronavirus (COVID-19). This is known as being ‘on furlough’."

That seems to relate to people pretty much on an individual basis. But it could just be that the rules are vague.

 

I'm 99.9% sure that you can. If there is only enough work for half of a department and the other half would otherwise been made redundant due to no longer being needed then they are eligible for furlough. If that wasn't allowed you'd have companies who need to downsize getting rid of people permanently unnecessarily.

 

Thanks for that, very interesting but to be honest I'm no less confused.

 

That's a very salient point. It doesn't mean you're right because things are usually fc&ked up, but it would make absolute sense if you're right. I hope you are.

 

*Google's salient*

Are you related to Suzie dent? You've taught me more words over the years than my English teacher did.

Between you and Jamdrop you'll have me able to formulate full sentences by the end of the decade.

 

Agreed - it is the salient point because as I understand it, the whole point is to save mass redundancies. If would defeat the point if companies who are able to limp along without closing can't apply for relief as these will en masse likely need to make savings, hence mass redundancies.

I hope it is the right interpretation because I see no possibility of us closing operations. But I do see savings needing to be made. And my schedule looks very quiet post Easter.

 

I used to work with Susie Dent. Toppermost Fact.

 

I know of companies who have furloughed some staff and kept others on, don’t how they were selected etc but it would seem you can partially close.

 

The bum mer.

 

Im pretty sure ST is right - it’s certainly how it’s been interpreted at my work, and it makes sense in the scenario that imagine if your customer services team have two major clients - one is the NHS, and one is a massive rubber dildo manufacturer. Clearly one (I’m not saying which) you are part of the critical supply chain to a key industry; in the other, not so much, and one is likely to continue to place demands on your work whilst the other may not. Furlough the workers associated with customer relationships with the inactive client, keep on the ones who’s client has continuing need and is in a key/critical industry.

 

I can't believe you've just disrespected the NHS by saying they're not a key industry.

 

A load of single women stuck at home alone for weeks on end with no contact with men. If I were you I'd be setting on more staff

 

Makes absolute sense, but when have regulations ever made absolute sense before? I'll follow it up tomorrow, thanks to you both.