Furloughing and Diabetes

[AJLang]

There have been posts where people have asked if they can be furloughed because they have diabetes I.e. are in the higher risk group.
This press release from Citizens advice makes reference to diabetes and suggests that your employer can furlough you if you are shielding or higher risk to protect your health.

Vulnerable workers must be protected in roadmap out of lockdown

New evidence from Citizens Advice suggests some of the most vulnerable workers in society are having their health put at risk by their employer not furloughing them, despite being eligible for the government’s support.

www.citizensadvice.org.uk

 

[Robin]

Reading the article carefully, it doesn’t say anywhere that people with diabetes have the right to be furloughed, only those on the shielding group, or those caring for someone in the shielding group.
The reference to diabetes is when they talk about the fact that 70% of those shielding or with a condition such as diabetes haven’t been furloughed. It is, however, open to an employer to furlough someone if they have a health condition that stops short of shielding, if they can’t socially distance them effectively at work.
This is in addition to the original purpose of furloughing, which was to protect the jobs of people who would have otherwise been made redundant because the firm could no longer afford to pay their wages. (It would make sense, though, say an employer had to halve their workforce, to furlough the half with health conditions).

 

[Deleted member 25429]

My company have been brilliant supporting me working from home as long as I want to . No pressure to go back into the office . I’m very lucky