Zero hour contract and being Furloughed

steve1

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I work for a car hire delivery firm and we have had our hours reduced from 5 days a week to now 2 days per driver my question is if anyone knows that will my company pay me the government bailout scheme of 80% of my normal wage . If I’m on a 2 day week I’m lead to believe I’m only entitled to the 80% if I’m not working at all but still on the payroll
 
I work for a car hire delivery firm and we have had our hours reduced from 5 days a week to now 2 days per driver my question is if anyone knows that will my company pay me the government bailout scheme of 80% of my normal wage . If I’m on a 2 day week I’m lead to believe I’m only entitled to the 80% if I’m not working at all but still on the payroll
If you are furloughed then you aren't expected to or be requested to work at all. The reduction from 5 to 2 days based on zero hours is a naughty move by the employer it seems.
 
Great question!

Sorry for your situation :(

Jim
 
we have had our hours reduced because no one is hiring cars at the moment and people are off hiring so we are still open as normal but obviously my hours now are cut to 2 days a week and I understand that as I’m currently working 2 days a week I might not be entitled to to the help
 
If you are furloughed then you are not allowed to do any work for your employer at all, if they put you onto 2 days a week you will get nothing except the 2 days pay. Nasty move by your employers if you ask me.
 
That really sucks :(

I'd hope they are trying to work out how to figure this all out.
 
Thanks maxwell that’s my feeling as well keeping drivers on reduced hours and then not being able to benefit from being furloughed and the governments 80% bail out
 
....is this classified as "key workers"?
 
Thanks maxwell that’s my feeling as well keeping drivers on reduced hours and then not being able to benefit from being furloughed and the governments 80% bail out
Info I was sent today after being furloughed
 
In a similar situation. We are being forced to take 4 weeks unpaid leave over the next two months. As it stands, this doesn't qualify for help from the government.

Apparently the Union is looking into it, so it may change. It seems a dodgy agreement, as we're the only group that has agreed to any cut of any kind at the moment.....

.....though the company has basically fired many employees over in the States - which means they've lost their health care, just as this is striking!
 
In a similar situation. We are being forced to take 4 weeks unpaid leave over the next two months. As it stands, this doesn't qualify for help from the government.

Apparently the Union is looking into it, so it may change. It seems a dodgy agreement, as we're the only group that has agreed to any cut of any kind at the moment.....

.....though the company has basically fired many employees over in the States - which means they've lost their health care, just as this is striking!

Absolutely Disgusting behavior :mad:

Name and Shame them!!!
 
It was my understanding that you only got the 80% from the government if you're not working at all - as others have said, it look like a bit of a dodge by your employer.

If there are a few of you doing the same work pattern, it would be better if they furloughed a few of you (who could get the gov. money) and employ the others full time.
 
It isn't necessarily nasty of the company. They may think they are doing you all a favour by still providing some work, without realising the effect that has or is causing. Did anyone approach them to explain the consequences of that move? If they then still go like 'tough titty' I would suggest you ALL withdraw your hours at once.
 
As a business owner it’s still a little confusing, I rang all our staff last night to put them on furlough and have told them I’ll pay them 80% weekly but have no idea when the government will reimburse or set up the scheme properly.
 
Absolutely Disgusting behavior :mad:

Name and Shame them!!!

I can’t name and shame, as it would be seen in a poor light by the company ‘bringing them into disrepute’ :rolleyes: - plenty on here know who my employer is.

I have woken up this morning to see that the unemployed over in the States have been given 30 days of medical cover - so now what? They try and catch this thing ASAP, or keep their fingers crossed they get lucky!

It isn't necessarily nasty of the company. They may think they are doing you all a favour by still providing some work, without realising the effect that has or is causing. Did anyone approach them to explain the consequences of that move? If they then still go like 'tough titty' I would suggest you ALL withdraw your hours at once.

This is the situation we find ourselves in, some would be better off being fully furloughed and getting the government help. Others are slightly better off taking the half pay - but it then puts them at risk, by carrying on working. We’ve already had a number of crew with CV19, with several in hospitals around the world. And the PPE we‘re issued with? A small bottle of hand sanitiser to share.

While I accept that our industry is critical to keeping the country, and health service even, going, many of us are unhappy with the measures taken by the company.

If we actually knew that we were carrying life saving equipment, rather than someone’s random Amazon delivery, it might make us feel better, but we don’t. All we know is that we’ve been told air-freight is ever more critical, and we have to accept that - and of course air freight is critical to keep other businesses afloat too - if absolutely everything ground to a halt, there would be no economy to rebuild when this is all over!

Apologies for taking the OP’s thread off course.

I feel he/she is in a difficult position, as, if they are on a zero hours contract, then what would their normal salary look like? Does the government scheme cater for people on zero hours? I’ve always hated zero hours contracts with a vengeance, they’re used by the like of EasyJet and Ryanair to screw new pilots and allow them to effectively lay people off and ramp up capacity at their whim - great for a company, an absolute shit show for the individual!
 
How many drivers are there?

If a good number, could your employer not be persuaded to keep some on at 5 days a week and put the rest on 80% temporary redudancy.

Or would that generate mire disquiet - it’s not fair, I still have to work but Bob gets to stay at home playing XBox on 80% pay.

Cheers,

Nigel
 
As a business owner it’s still a little confusing, I rang all our staff last night to put them on furlough and have told them I’ll pay them 80% weekly but have no idea when the government will reimburse or set up the scheme properly.

Yes, same here (although not the owner). We've put one guy on furlough, but the actual scheme and how to apply for it has not come in yet. It's ok for us, but for businesses who can't actually afford to pay the wages now, this scheme really needs to go live asap.
 
Same again....the system is still to be put in place and nobody knows how it will work or when it will be ready.
 
The 80% pay from the government is not automatic you only qualify if you employer approaches HM revenue and sets it up...

I've been keeping an eye on this but there doesn't seem to be any update on the portal where we are supposed to register employees.
I'm in a bit of a dilemma (aren't we all?) as I would ideally like to close down next Monday but I don't want to do anything that will hinder my employees getting the 80% or hindering myself with claiming back the 80%.
We also fall into the key worker category because of our main contract, but this work has been stripped right back and the amount of work we are doing wouldn't even cover one employees wage.
I don't want to put people on ssp if I can help but I don't want to jeopardise anything by telling them to stay at home and then finding out at a later date that we haven't met the criteria for 80% scheme.

Anyway, main thing is trying to get on top of the corona virus.
 
So, even employer/employee scheme is full of holes.

Can't wait for the self-employee scheme. Five million of us and five million different circumstances!
 
I've been keeping an eye on this but there doesn't seem to be any update on the portal where we are supposed to register employees.
I'm in a bit of a dilemma (aren't we all?) as I would ideally like to close down next Monday but I don't want to do anything that will hinder my employees getting the 80% or hindering myself with claiming back the 80%.
We also fall into the key worker category because of our main contract, but this work has been stripped right back and the amount of work we are doing wouldn't even cover one employees wage.
I don't want to put people on ssp if I can help but I don't want to jeopardise anything by telling them to stay at home and then finding out at a later date that we haven't met the criteria for 80% scheme.

Anyway, main thing is trying to get on top of the corona virus.

How I understand it is that you can put people on furlough straight away and pay their wages or just 80% if you want, you will then get the 80% back in a few weeks but by end of April at the latest.

This is fine if the employer can afford to do this. If they can't then it will be a tricky time until this money comes in.
 

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