Furlough

[Marvin59]

I am 59 with a history of heart attack and stents . Why is my employer refusing to furlough me as I feel I am high risk and should be isolating for 12 weeks

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

Hello and welcome to the forum! What do you do and could you distance yourself 2m from colleagues?

[Marvin59 in reply to MichaelJH]

I work in pharmaceuticals and mostly the 2 m distancing us followed

[MichaelJH Heart Star in reply to Marvin59]

Unless there are other underlying conditions I think your employer is within his rights. You might want to ask your GP particularly if your journey puts you at risk, e.g. crowded rush hour underground.

[Marvin59 in reply to MichaelJH]

Why are the bhf advising people with hesrt disease to self isolate. I feel a bit in limbo . I have to work but I am very anxious about leaving home

[MichaelJH Heart Star in reply to Marvin59]

There are different levels of heart disease. I would suggest you ring the BHF nurses in the morning to clarify your position.

[Marvin59 in reply to MichaelJH]

Thank you for your help . Really appreciated

[Rob6868 in reply to MichaelJH]

Does it matter what level your heart disease is then?

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Marvin59]

This is the BHF' s latest information. It explains the difference between self isolating and social distancing.

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

All those with an underlying health condition are at increased risk the Government have further defined a group who are at most risk.

This is a group of about 1.5 million people. It is this group who have been advised to self isolate for 12 weeks.

Those who are in the particularly high risk group are advised to social distance with extra care.

nhs.uk/conditions/coronavir...

Stay safe and stay well

[Rob6868]

I fall into yoir category with heart disease and at the beginning of all this my manager sent me home with the 12 weeks policy in place. But i questioned it and as the government started to update i was then told i could return to work as long as i kept my distance from other stsff and wore ppe and my manager put me on very early shifts so i was only in the building with the cleaners early morning but i would then leave as the main staff arrived. I took it upon myself weeks ago to start wearing masks and gloves at work and would often take part in cleaning the building doiwn.. Sadly i don't believe it will stop this virus. But i have to try! Since then i have now been put on furlong and am now at home on the 80% pay.. Thats where i am now. Mote worrying is the fact that the death rate will now double daily and i firmly believe we are heading into Italy zone because the government left all tbis too late despite being warned in 2016.so now all us lot that were still working etc before they finally decided to lock the kdown will be the ones that pop up as new cases. My partner has actually started to cough this evening after suddenly feeling unwell yesterday. I vant run and hide now or live in a different part of the house as its too small.. Im stuck and have to hope its not what i think it is.. There will be many people tonight in that situation. Its so so frightening staring this in the face.. The invisible enemy.

[Becksagogo]

I'm in a quandary as to what I am supposed to do. I have had open heart surgery two years ago and I have had two tavis; one last year and one this year (6 weeks ago). My GP and my heart failure nurse suggest I am at risk but I haven't had "the letter" advising me what to do. I live alone and now have no one to do my shopping so I go to Tesco on a Friday when it's old person and at risk hour. I am petrified that I will pick up this virus but have no other option. What are others doing ?

[potter-scfc]

I am classed as High risk my works did a risk assesment and said i was able to work, I am also on dehydracodeine and oramorph for a seperate pain issue which lowers the immune system, I work for the NHS in mental health.?

[Sunnie2day in reply to potter-scfc]

Did you get The Letter? The employment lawyer SkyNews had on the other day said if you got The Letter and your employer is still insisting you come into work (rather than work from home), you have a case and should pursue it.

[potter-scfc in reply to Sunnie2day]

no letter just classed as high risk but bhf guide lines not listened to at work

[Sunnie2day in reply to potter-scfc]

You can try to be put on the official list by contacting the medic directing your care and treatment and requesting placement.

Unfortunately, while the BHF published list follows UK Government lists perfectly, the only official list employers want to know about is the one from the UK Government - have you tried printing off the Government list and showing it to your employer?

[Hidden]

Your employer is perhaps putting money ahead of your life and wellbeing?

[Lyndaloo494]

I expected a letter, thinking so would people with diabetes, Asthma etc. However looking online at letters NHS are sending I think we are "vulnerable" and self isolation recommended. But the letters are going to "high risk" people who need to shield which is different. It's very confusing though

[Hidden]

I feel exactly the same!

I have been off 2 weeks of which they are paying me, then I have been told I have to use 2 weeks of holiday which is fair enough, but from then on, nothing! Don’t think will be entitled to SSP as not in the extremely high risk category!

At the beginning of all this we were advised to self isolate for those 11 weeks, and as things were getting worse I felt it best thing to do. I had been getting people at work saying that I shouldn’t be there and others saying my life was more important.

Now I feel like work are pressuring me to come back and they are doing nothing to help! I’m scared and don’t want to be placed in a situation where I could possibly die! The Gov and NHS website changes all the time about what we should be doing, it’s so confusing.

I have been told by work that to “furlough “, the whole business needs to close down, but that’s not how I read it! It is for vulnerable people and those that have no work but will rejoin workforce once this awful situation is better! The government are paying so why are our bosses being selfish and not using the scheme. It’s like we are being punished!

[Jessie1972 in reply to Hidden]

Your whole company doesn’t need to be furloughed for you to be as my work colleague has been furloughed but they won’t with me as I didn’t get a letter. I have asthma which I take Fostair 200/6 which is on the high risk list not vulnerable and hypertension on Ramipril which also lowers immune system. My head chef told me yesterday that they can’t implement the 2 meter distance but they are all ok so I will be, they have offered me 4 weeks off unpaid or I can take 2 of those weeks as annual leave. Because the NHS team spoke to my GP bearing in mind they won’t let me talk to my GP, they made the decision to tell me to stay home if the advice is that on Websites. Then my company should agree to more than 4 weeks, I disclosed my medical conditions when I started over a year ago so they now I’m not lying. I also had flu 3 years ago and had pneumonia which gave me asthma and took me 3 months to get over it. So I’m concerned that if I get this I will be at risk of death! One thing for sure though when this is all over I WILL be looking for another job.

[Rusty73]

The trouble is, I am an employer and the guidance is terrible. If your employee self isolates you are under no obligation to pay them. If you send them home you are. You are only allowed 2 weeks of sick pay for the covid19 but no recognition if they are looking after others in the house. They are entitled to time off for this but out of holiday pay. Most people haven’t got 12 weeks holiday pay. The furlough is actually a decent situation for both, although only 80% of your pay it is paid in arrears to employers monthly so for a small business it’s a lot of outlay when you have no work coming in.

Your health is the most important thing to you. Maybe if your sick pay in contract is full pay you could get in touch with your doctor and tell them how you are feeling and be given a sick note off work. You are in your right to ask to work from home which isn’t always possible. I only have high blood pressure and I’m worried so you must all be very scared. My mom had valve replacement but is on RA drugs that suppress her immune system so she is shielding. It’s a very specific list of people that got letters.

Unless you are the only person that can do your job I don’t understand why your bosses won’t put any of you on furlough

Wash everything- I disinfect clothes. Shopping everything. 🙈

[Dickydon]

Simply put, your employer is putting his profits before the well being of his employee. Seek advice from your union if a member. Failing that get your doctor or haven’t you had the letter from the government stating you need to be isolated for 12 weeks? I’ve had one and same age as well.

[ThyroidThora]

Hi,

I think it's cos you are probably classed as a Key Worker because you work in pharmaceuticals. Perhaps, you could talk to your GP for some clarification on whether you should self isolate and if so, ask for the necessary paperwork from your GP. As I believe it you can only be furloughed if there is no work for you to do as in the case for my daughter who works in the fitness industry. Because the gym has been closed by the government the company cannot afford to pay her wage because she cannot work and all the members of the gym cannot use the services and so, their memberships have been suspended. The company she works for cannot afford to pay her wage because they're not getting any revenue from customers. I think your employers cannot furlough you because you have got work to do and the government haven't shut you down.

I hope this clarifies things for you and your employers will try to help you in this difficult time.

Good luck, TT x.