[Help] Furlough Advice Required.

[Arkwright]

I started a new job on the 16th March and worked ten days before both my employers self isolated with side throats and high temperatures. I'm currently fit and well but both my bosses (husband and wife) are still poorly and talking about taking a minimum of three weeks off.
Today I spoke to my boss and she thinks that I am not entitled to Furlough as I wasn't in employment on the 1st March (well I was just not with them).
While I'm employed by these two I run the Post Office in the shop, apparently the PO said could I temporarily go and work elsewhere, which isn't the answer. I am unable to open the OK as insurance says two people have to be on site.
So in a nutshell am I entitled to be Furloughed or am I only entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP). It's all a bit of a mess, I'm a bit disappointed with my new employers but currently the main thing is that they get better.
Any advice is gratefully appreciated, thanks.

 

[SeagullinExile]

I think it depends on the company tbh. Mine are back dating to 28th Feb for furlough payments. Probably best to get professional advice. Sorry I cant be more helpful.

 

[Weststander]

I started a new job on the 16th March and worked ten days before both my employers self isolated with side throats and high temperatures. I'm currently fit and well but both my bosses (husband and wife) are still poorly and talking about taking a minimum of three weeks off.
Today I spoke to my boss and she thinks that I am not entitled to Furlough as I wasn't in employment on the 1st March (well I was just not with them).
While I'm employed by these two I run the Post Office in the shop, apparently the PO said could I temporarily go and work elsewhere, which isn't the answer. I am unable to open the OK as insurance says two people have to be on site.
So in a nutshell am I entitled to be Furloughed or am I only entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP). It's all a bit of a mess, I'm a bit disappointed with my new employers but currently the main thing is that they get better.
Any advice is gratefully appreciated, thanks.

Your bosses are correct.

If you have no more than £16,000 in savings, you should make a claim for Universal Credit, depending on other household income.

 

[Arkwright]

I think it depends on the company tbh. Mine are back dating to 28th Feb for furlough payments. Probably best to get professional advice. Sorry I cant be more helpful.

Thanks were you employed by them on the 28th February?

 

[SeagullinExile]

Thanks were you employed by them on the 28th February?

No. Been a year for me. But, anybody employed by us from 28th Feb is getting furloughed pay.

 

[Arkwright]

Your bosses are correct.

If you have no more than £16,000 in savings, you should make a claim for Universal Credit, depending on other household income.

I've never claimed before. My wife is in full time employment. Does savings include monies in a pension? Got a bit in saving but not £16th. Sorry to be thick but how do you claim?

 

[Weststander]

I've never claimed before. My wife is in full time employment. Does savings include monies in a pension? Got a bit in saving but not £16th. Sorry to be thick but how do you claim?

Pension investments don’t come into the calculations.

I’m not an expert, I only learnt about this in the last week myself, you contact the DWP or HMRC online. Needless to say there are long telephone etc queues just now, someone said on LBC the other day that they were in telephone queue all day long. You can check online with their calculator first.

Make sure the website definitely ends with .gov.uk - there are tossers just now trying to defraud claimants.

Good luck.

 

[Arkwright]

An update from my MP Claire Courtino who kindly rang me back.

I can not claim Furlough via my current employer as I wasn't on the books at the start of March, booooo!

However I can claim Furlough via my previous employer as I was on the books at the 28th February, hoorah!

I hope this helps anyone else who has changed jobs since the 28th February.

Thanks [MENTION=21158]Weststander[/MENTION] and [MENTION=17302]SeagullinExile[/MENTION] for your advise much appreciated.

 

[Giraffe]

An update from my MP Claire Courtino who kindly rang me back.

I can not claim Furlough via my current employer as I wasn't on the books at the start of March, booooo!

However I can claim Furlough via my previous employer as I was on the books at the 28th February, hoorah!

I hope this helps anyone else who has changed jobs since the 28th February.

Thanks [MENTION=21158]Weststander[/MENTION] and [MENTION=17302]SeagullinExile[/MENTION] for your advise much appreciated.

Where did you see this? I am interested as to how this would work as your previous employer is not going to pay so how do you get the money? My understanding is that the money only comes from the Government to the company if they claim. They will only claim for the employees they furloughed. They didn't furlough you. I can't see your previous employer claiming for you, and they are not going to pay for you, so I don't see how this can be correct.

 

[Lurker]

I am no expert, but my son is concerned about his job at the moment and asked me today about how Furlough works and my wife resigned from her job as of yesterday when her month's notice ran out, so she too is looking into whether she can be 'furloughed'.

We looked at the Martin Lewis website, which does go into it in a bit of detail, so it might be worth you having a read? (there is also a you tube video of him talking about it).
If I understood one part of it correctly, furlough requires agreement from both the employee AND the employer or it won't happen, so my wife has no chance.

As Giraffe has mentioned above, it's difficult to see why your former employer would agree to the additional admin burden if there is absolutely nothing in it for them, but these are not normal times so hopefully I'm being unnecessarily pessimistic.
One thing Martin Lewis does confirm is that the key date is the 28th February, and it is who your employer was on that date, so I'm afraid I think your current employers were quite correct to advise that they cannot furlough you.

Good luck, hope it works out for you.

 

[SK1NT]

I got a friend a job at my company and he was to start on the 6th April. So he handed his notice in with his current employers at the end of Feb. However since my employers have reluctantly rescinded the offer to him and on top of that have furloughed half our company (i may be furloughed next month).

My friend asked to stop his resignation with his current employers, which said nope, i guess this is fair enough as they now know he wants to leave. My friend is now unemployed as of Friday. I do feel awful but no one could foresee the current situation. At least my company paid him a weeks salary even though he never did a days work for us.

Some really shitty stories coming out of this virus. It seems that hardly any industry is safe. I am hearing about friends and family being furloughed all over the place in very different industries... however whilst famiily and friends remain healthy (and NSC) money isn't the biggest worry.

 

[Bry Nylon]

As Giraffe has mentioned above, it's difficult to see why your former employer would agree to the additional admin burden if there is absolutely nothing in it for them, but these are not normal times so hopefully I'm being unnecessarily pessimistic.

This is true and it isn't just the additional admin burden. The former employee would have to pay you - and then claim the money back from the government retrospectively. Hopefully thay have both the appetite and the funds to do this. As I undertsand it, this is a potential solution but there is no complusion for them to do this.

Good luck.

 

[vegster]

I started a new job on the 16th March and worked ten days before both my employers self isolated with side throats and high temperatures. I'm currently fit and well but both my bosses (husband and wife) are still poorly and talking about taking a minimum of three weeks off.
Today I spoke to my boss and she thinks that I am not entitled to Furlough as I wasn't in employment on the 1st March (well I was just not with them).
While I'm employed by these two I run the Post Office in the shop, apparently the PO said could I temporarily go and work elsewhere, which isn't the answer. I am unable to open the OK as insurance says two people have to be on site.
So in a nutshell am I entitled to be Furloughed or am I only entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP). It's all a bit of a mess, I'm a bit disappointed with my new employers but currently the main thing is that they get better.
Any advice is gratefully appreciated, thanks.

Not 100% on this but because you are still effectively " On trial" you may not have too many rights, my lot, who are mercenary bastads will happily sack people on week 12 of a three month trial if takings are a bit down with no comeback no matter how hard you have worked. one girl was sacked for " Not being exceptional enough " … despite the wages paid being very unexceptional.

 

[pb21]

Where did you see this? I am interested as to how this would work as your previous employer is not going to pay so how do you get the money? My understanding is that the money only comes from the Government to the company if they claim. They will only claim for the employees they furloughed. They didn't furlough you. I can't see your previous employer claiming for you, and they are not going to pay for you, so I don't see how this can be correct.

Also whoever furloughs you has to be able to demonstrate that you are being furloughed because the coronavirus situation has meant that you can't work, or there is no market for your work.

Your previous employer wouldn't really be able to do that.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Your bosses are correct.

If you have no more than £16,000 in savings, you should make a claim for Universal Credit, depending on other household income.

It's naughty I know but even if you do have £16k plus in savings you can still claim UC / JSA - just don't tell them. And I support this action because quite frankly £16k in savings is not a lot.

 

[Arkwright]

Where did you see this? I am interested as to how this would work as your previous employer is not going to pay so how do you get the money? My understanding is that the money only comes from the Government to the company if they claim. They will only claim for the employees they furloughed. They didn't furlough you. I can't see your previous employer claiming for you, and they are not going to pay for you, so I don't see how this can be correct.

When I spoke to my MP she was very clear that I can only claim Furlough via my previous employers due to the dates, she works in the Treasury and was very insistent that I claim.
I have since spoken to my previous boss and payroll and they are happy to claim on my behalf (I did leave on good terms) presume that the claim will be on my salary as at the 28th February and not new salary. Deductions will be made on National Insurance and I think Private Pension.
I have since contacted an accountant friend and he has agreed that this is the only way to claim if you have changed jobs, I think it is also on the Martin Lewis website.
Hope this makes sense, it's all very new to all of us.

 

[Weststander]

An update from my MP Claire Courtino who kindly rang me back.

I can not claim Furlough via my current employer as I wasn't on the books at the start of March, booooo!

However I can claim Furlough via my previous employer as I was on the books at the 28th February, hoorah!

I hope this helps anyone else who has changed jobs since the 28th February.

Thanks [MENTION=21158]Weststander[/MENTION] and [MENTION=17302]SeagullinExile[/MENTION] for your advise much appreciated.

Hi, I’ve checked a few solicitors websites, and that is exactly correct. The key was being employed on the 28th (not 29th) February.

It then relies on the goodwill (at zero cost to them) of the former employer to rehire.

Good luck.

 

[Arkwright]

Not 100% on this but because you are still effectively " On trial" you may not have too many rights, my lot, who are mercenary bastads will happily sack people on week 12 of a three month trial if takings are a bit down with no comeback no matter how hard you have worked. one girl was sacked for " Not being exceptional enough " … despite the wages paid being very unexceptional.

What you say is exactly what my current employer stated, actually it made me feel a bit awkward. Strangely when I spoke to my old boss he asked me if I wanted my old job back but they are also closed for the foreseeable.
My old payroll has agreed to claim my Furlough. It's been a long day trying to sort this mess out, hopefully with the assistance of my MP I'm sorted.

 

[Weststander]

It's naughty I know but even if you do have £16k plus in savings you can still claim UC / JSA - just don't tell them. And I support this action because quite frankly £16k in savings is not a lot.

Hi, I’m genuinely not against that. I also think it unfair that someone who’s possibly sacrificed to save, loses out.

But I know that HMRC and all banks/building societies share information on deposit accounts/cash ISA’s. This has gone on for many years and is not a breach of data protection or human rights.

 

[Weststander]

What you say is exactly what my current employer stated, actually it made me feel a bit awkward. Strangely when I spoke to my old boss he asked me if I wanted my old job back but they are also closed for the foreseeable.
My old payroll has agreed to claim my Furlough. It's been a long day trying to sort this mess out, hopefully with the assistance of my MP I'm sorted.

Fantastic news, a lovely touch by your old firm where they didn’t need to.