The Government’s 80% wage pledge

[beorhthelm]

it certainly intended to avoid redundancies, its formal name is Job Retention Scheme. some business may be justifying this practice as a way to reduce the total number. lose a number under furlough or fold altogether.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

The whole point of the scheme is to help people remain employed until the economy recovers, not subsidise redundancy payments.

If it is legal, it shouldn't be IMO, and is going against the 'spirit' of the scheme.

I imagine a lot of places are doing this tbh

 

[vegster]

I read somewhere that Sunak is going to cut the 80% furlough support down to 60% in August and expects companies to stump up the missing 20% to their workers. My lot are like a Duck's arse, I fully expect them to be making some " business decisions " immediately that happens.

 

[Weststander]

I read somewhere that Sunak is going to cut the 80% furlough support down to 60% in August and expects companies to stump up the missing 20% to their workers. My lot are like a Duck's arse, I fully expect them to be making some " business decisions " immediately that happens.

Over two months away, can your employer reopen their business by then? Assuming that most sectors other than indoors hospitality will have.

 

[vegster]

Over two months away, can your employer reopen their business by then? Assuming that most sectors other than indoors hospitality will have.

Sadly, the numbers of customers in the shop would have to be limited to about a quarter of the numbers that the business thrives on due to the distancing rules. They would have no qualms about sacking the majority of the staff and playing the " you are lucky to have a job " card to those who remain and will have to work twice as hard.

 

[Weststander]

Sadly, the numbers of customers in the shop would have to be limited to about a quarter of the numbers that the business thrives on due to the distancing rules. They would have no qualms about sacking the majority of the staff and playing the " you are lucky to have a job " card to those who remain and will have to work twice as hard.

As usual with your employment situation (unscrupulous employer, solely in it for the money), I’m genuinely sorry to hear that. Once post-covid settles down, do you have any tealistic alternatives that would take your fancy?

 

[vegster]

As usual with your employment situation (unscrupulous employer, solely in it for the money), I’m genuinely sorry to hear that. Once post-covid settles down, do you have any tealistic alternatives that would take your fancy?

Thanks old chap, I have been trying to get out for the last year or so, trouble is that I'm pushing 60 and not as qualified as most on the job market now... have just applied to Govia for gatekeepers job based between Hove and Bognor, done the application but have to take the dreaded online literacy/numeracy test in the next couple of days. I will be fine with the literacy, but I have hardly done any maths other than basic stuff for decades !

 

[Weststander]

Thanks old chap, I have been trying to get out for the last year or so, trouble is that I'm pushing 60 and not as qualified as most on the job market now... have just applied to Govia for gatekeepers job based between Hove and Bognor, done the application but have to take the dreaded online literacy/numeracy test in the next couple of days. I will be fine with the literacy, but I have hardly done any maths other than basic stuff for decades !

Good luck.

You were probably going to anyway, but get practising and test yourself Q&A’s. You’re never too old!

 

[vegster]

Good luck.

You were probably going into anyway, but get practising and test yourself Q&A’s. You’re never too old!

Yes, sadly been doing online multiplication and division tests online, it fry's my brain, I am an old Dog, and almost every trick is a new trick now !... thanks though !

 

[Si Gull]

Presumably no chance of the self-employed scheme being extended? Those who's work relies on people taking holidays are going to be in the sh!t soon.

 

[Justice]

It’s going to take ages to return to normal, I have had one weeks work since the lockdown started, annoyingly I had around £25k off work ready to go before lockdown and then one by one contracts cancelled and haven’t heard from anybody since. God only knows what will happen.

 

[Weststander]

Presumably no chance of the self-employed scheme being extended? Those who's work relies on people taking holidays are going to be in the sh!t soon.

Just extended for a further three months 1/8/20 to 31/10/20, at 70%, a single grant again.

(The current three months scheme made a single grant covering 1/5/20 to 31//7/20 at 80%).

 

[Si Gull]

Just extended for a further three months 1/8/20 to 31/10/20, at 70%, a single grant again.

(The current three months scheme made a single grant covering 1/5/20 to 31//7/20 at 80%).

Good news! I appreciate that we'll pay for all of this eventually but at least it helps now when we need it.

 

[doogie004]

A life line as a private hire driver had zero jobs in 7 weeks and diary is empty
No airports
No school runs they are vulnerable children not going back anytime soon
No resturants
Still going to b touch and go


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Weststander]

A life line as a private hire driver had zero jobs in 7 weeks and diary is empty
No airports
No school runs they are vulnerable children not going back anytime soon
No resturants
Still going to b touch and go


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Takes you through to the end of October. Hopefully by then, we’ll have an economy on the move. I know many folk who haven’t been hit financially who are chomping at the bit to eat out, travel, go shopping again.

 

[Dick Swiveller]

Seems a strange way of doing it. I would have thought it would have made more sense to make companies who can trade pay 20% from August onwards whilst paying in full for those that are forbidden from trading. Seems to risk companies going bust whilst allowing some companies to take the piss and claim relief that they don't need. Probably good news for me as I guess my company could cope with the 5% if we aren't allowed to reopen until Autumn as originally mooted but lots of pubs and clubs amongst many others may not have reserves to pay even 5% - the suggestion seemed to be they could take a loan.

Don't get me wrong, it is a very generous scheme and has helped me immensely and I get the need to limit the cost but this just seems a bit of an odd way to do it as they could lose companies they have spent 4 months protecting because they are in sectors not allowed to reopen.

 

[Weststander]

Seems a strange way of doing it. I would have thought it would have made more sense to make companies who can trade pay 20% from August onwards whilst paying in full for those that are forbidden from trading. Seems to risk companies going bust whilst allowing some companies to take the piss and claim relief that they don't need. Probably good news for me as I guess my company could cope with the 5% if we aren't allowed to reopen until Autumn as originally mooted but lots of pubs and clubs amongst many others may not have reserves to pay even 5% - the suggestion seemed to be they could take a loan.

Don't get me wrong, it is a very generous scheme and has helped me immensely and I get the need to limit the cost but this just seems a bit of an odd way to do it as they could lose companies they have spent 4 months protecting because they are in sectors not allowed to reopen.

With 5.9 million businesses in the UK and about 1.5 million of those employing staff, I wonder if it would simply be too protracted to find out who truly deserves the money, how would HMRC staff be able to vet mid-financial year results and cashflow for 1.5 million businesses? Sadly, lying chancers are exploiting it and will continue to do so, a price we’ll have to bear.

But I hope by the time this scheme ends in the autumn, they come up with something for the hardest hit sectors of hospitality, travel, tourism, gyms. UNLESS those businesses are fully and running by then.

 

[Dick Swiveller]

With 5.9 million businesses in the UK and about 1.5 million of those employing staff, I wonder if it would simply be too protracted to find out who truly deserves the money, how would HMRC staff be able to vet mid-financial year results and cashflow for 1.5 million businesses? Sadly, lying chancers are exploiting it and will continue to do so, a price we’ll have to bear.

But I hope by the time this scheme ends in the autumn, they come up with something for the hardest hit sectors of hospitality, travel, tourism, gyms. UNLESS those businesses are fully and running by then.

Well it is the last one of those that affects me. Word is that gyms may reopen in July but nothing concrete. I get your point but there are companies that will not have a choice to reopen. Cinemas and theatres, for example. I would have thought it was possible to identify those companies by sector. Retail don't get full relief because they can reopen soon. Theatres and cinemas get full relief because they are mandated to stay shut.

I can guarantee that my girlfriend's company will be one who "take advantage". She was furloughed for 3 weeks as they said they were closing but then didn't. She was recalled because she is 'flexible' and is essentially doing 3 peoples jobs - all of whom are paid more than she is. They have ramped up their business and are getting the work done by flogging fewer people and having the government pay the rest of their staff. I would be amazed if they recall everyone from furlough straight away, even if they get back to full income. It just annoys me that the same rules will apply to them as companies who are unable to trade and have no income at all.

 

[Weststander]

Well it is the last one of those that affects me. Word is that gyms may reopen in July but nothing concrete. I get your point but there are companies that will not have a choice to reopen. Cinemas and theatres, for example. I would have thought it was possible to identify those companies by sector. Retail don't get full relief because they can reopen soon. Theatres and cinemas get full relief because they are mandated to stay shut.

I can guarantee that my girlfriend's company will be one who "take advantage". She was furloughed for 3 weeks as they said they were closing but then didn't. She was recalled because she is 'flexible' and is essentially doing 3 peoples jobs - all of whom are paid more than she is. They have ramped up their business and are getting the work done by flogging fewer people and having the government pay the rest of their staff. I would be amazed if they recall everyone from furlough straight away, even if they get back to full income. It just annoys me that the same rules will apply to them as companies who are unable to trade and have no income at all.

On your last part, obviously that’s awful exploitative behaviour by the business owners/management, exploiting both your girlfriend and the public purse.

I genuinely can’t think of a solution that on Monday would ensnare the possibly 100,000’s of p taking businesses. They also have the power if caught to be spiteful and simply make most people redundant.

Looks like we’ll just have to stomach this behaviour, and some illegal practices, until the economy gets back on track.

 

[Dick Swiveller]

On your last part, obviously that’s awful exploitative behaviour by the business owners/management, exploiting both your girlfriend and the public purse.

I genuinely can’t think of a solution that on Monday would ensnare the possibly 100,000’s of p taking businesses. They also have the power if caught to be spiteful and simply make most people redundant.

Looks like we’ll just have to stomach this behaviour, and some illegal practices, until the economy gets back on track.

There is the simple "social distancing" clause as well - they will just say they can't bring everyone back because they can't space them out. They can also get away with it because where are you going to get another job if you tell them to stuff it? Especially if, like us, you don't know if other jobs in the household are secure.

The weird thing is that I thought the announced changes would be more "Tory". But they seem to be more generous than I thought whilst risking more unemployment than I thought. I would imagine there are a fair few small businesses that don't even have reserves of 5% of their payroll for the first month, let alone the additional 10% and then 20% after. Great incentive to get businesses back to work BUT only if they are allowed to trade.