IF YOUR EMPLOYER HAS FURLOUGHED YOU UNDER THE CORONAVIRUS JOB RETENTION SCHEME, THEY CAN CLAIM YOUR 80% OF YOUR FURLOUGH PAY UNTIL OCTOBER
THIS MEANS THAT, FROM JULY, THEY SHOULD STILL BE ABLE TO PAY YOUR FULL PAY, EVEN IF YOU ARE ON REDUCED HOURS.
if they are PAYing YOU LESS OR have MAde YOU REDUNDANT, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
In March 2020, the UK Government set up the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme that would provide financial support to any UK employer to continue paying 80% of employees' salaries or wages rather than laying off staff or making them redundant. The scheme covers the cost of wages backdated to 1 March 2020. It applies to all workers who are employees on the PAYE system and who have been asked to stop working but are kept on the payroll (furloughed).
The current scheme closes on 30 June 2020. If you not been furloughed before 10 June 2020, then it is too late for you to be furloughed under this scheme as the minimum furlough period is three weeks. (That does not stop your employer furloughing you if needed - it just means they cannot claim the money back from the government.)
A new scheme is starting on 1 July to help employers bring currently furloughed staff back to work on a gradual, reduced hours basis.
If you are being unfurloughed but are worried about safety in the workplace, you should discuss your concerns with your employer, who has a duty of care.
The current scheme closes on 30 June 2020. If you not been furloughed before 10 June 2020, then it is too late for you to be furloughed under this scheme as the minimum furlough period is three weeks. (That does not stop your employer furloughing you if needed - it just means they cannot claim the money back from the government.)
A new scheme is starting on 1 July to help employers bring currently furloughed staff back to work on a gradual, reduced hours basis.
If you are being unfurloughed but are worried about safety in the workplace, you should discuss your concerns with your employer, who has a duty of care.
CAN I BE LAID OFF INSTEAD OF UNFURLOUGHED?As many employers have had to close during the lockdown, it is expected that many may be forced to make staff redundant as social distancing measures continue to be put in place. Those on zero hours contracts may not see much work offered.
If your employer had decided to access the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, they were prevented from dismissing you or making you redundant, as the purpose of the scheme is to help them pay staff in the absence of sales or revenue. Whilst it not yet clear what will happen under the new scheme, one would expect that currently-furloughed staff, even if on zero hours contracts, should still see their jobs protected. However, it is completely up to the employer whether they decide to continue to claim from the government scheme. It is possible that your employer may be forced to make people redundant. From 1 July, your employer can bring unfurlough you for part of the time - any number of hours or shift patterns - and keep you furloughed for the rest. They will have to pay you as normal for the time you work and pay 80% of your wages for the time you are furloughed. They can claim back your furlough pay from the government. From 1 August, the amount that your employer can claim claim from the government (to help them support the cost of your wages) will gradually be reduced. However, you should continue to be paid 80% of your wages the time your are furloughed. You should also be paid your national insurance and pension contributions as normal. The difficulty for zero hours contract workers will be in determining the time when you are furloughed, as the nature of your employment is that you are paid for hours worked with no work guaranteed. However, in practice, you may have worked regular or the same number of hours before you were furloughed. Furthermore, how your furlough pay was calculated previously should be reflected in your new furlough pay. |
HOW SHOULD MY FURLOUGH PAY HAVE BEEN CALCULATED?If you were employed for 12 months or more when you were furloughed, your employer can claim the highest of either:
• your same month’s earning from the previous year • your average monthly earnings for the 2019-2020 tax year If you were employed for less than 12 months, your employer should claim for 80% of your average monthly earnings since you started work. If you only started with your employer in February 2020, they should work out your earnings pro-rata so far, and claim for 80%. 
Photo by Kate Trifo on Unsplash
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE FURLOUGHED?You are furloughed if your employer tells you that you are being kept on the payroll but will not be undertaking work for them. This is a requirement for an employer to receive support from the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. If you are furloughed by one employer, you are not prevented from working for someone else.
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