If you have been furloughed you should be aware or have been informed by your employers that from the 1st July 2020 as part of the government’s plan to re-open the UK and to get the economy on track businesses will have the flexibility to bring furloughed employees back to work part time.
What is the furlough scheme?
The scheme is actually called the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and was began in March 2020. It allows employers to claim a cash grant of up to 80% of their wages after standing down their employees - this is capped at £2,500 a month. The money is claimed by the employer and distributed to staff; the employees do not have to do anything. The employers can then decide to make up the 20% difference. The idea of the scheme is to avoid employees being made redundant by partly funding their wages if it is unsafe for them to go into the workplace and if they are unable to work from home.
For anyone who do not know what is meant by the furlough scheme I will give a brief explanation as to who may be furloughed
Who can be furloughed?
All of the following can be put on furlough, regardless of whether they work full time or part time:
- Employees
- Workers including agency workers
- Anyone on zero-hours contracts
- Apprentices
You may also be furloughed if you are temporarily unable to work for the following reasons:
- You are 'shielding' (identified as vulnerable by the NHS because of an underlying health condition)
- Someone in your household is shielding
- You have childcare responsibilities
- You are caring for a vulnerable person in your household
This means that from the 1st July businesses will be able to bring back furloughed workers on a part-time basis. The companies will be able to decide the hours and shift patterns for staff. The government will continue to pay 80% of salaries for the hours that the employee is not working.
This scheme will remain open until the end of October as people return to work. Companies will decide the hours and shift patterns their employees will work on their return, so that they can decide on the best approach for them - and will be responsible for paying their wages while in work.
The financial implications for the UK are huge, to date the government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) has helped protect more than 9.3 million jobs and employers have claimed more than £25.5 billion to support wages.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak is quoted as saying that:
‘Our number one priority has always been to protect jobs and businesses through this outbreak. The furlough scheme, which will have been open for eight months by October, has been a lifeline for millions of people and as our economy reopens, we want that support to continue.
Giving firms the flexibility to bring back furloughed workers on a part-time basis will help them work gradually and help them plan for the months ahead.’
The government website provides comprehensive information for employers to check eligibility for the scheme. See the link below:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-job-retention-scheme
Businesses who no longer need the CJRS grants they previously claimed will now have the option to voluntarily return them.
Below is the Government plan for how the scheme will be rolled out for the next few months.
If you want detailed information please use the link below which has more detailed useful information:
https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/fundamentals/emp-law/employees/furlough
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1 Comment
Thank you, as informative as always