So, we were promised some flexibility on the furlough scheme following the last announcement of its extension on the 12th May and I’m pleased to say that more detailed information is now available on how this will operate.

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If you want to know more information about the original ‘Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme’, please follow this link to ‘All Things Furlough…..!’ This update is purely to highlight the key changes for the extension of furlough leave from July to the end of October 2020.

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Under the original Scheme, your furloughed employees are not allowed to perform any work for you during furlough and as such those required to reduce their hours of work or pay were not eligible for the Scheme.

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Can you benefit from this new Scheme?

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Following the announcement on the 29th May you will, from the 1st July 2020, be permitted to bring furloughed employees back on part time working hours. However, it is important to note that this flexibility will only be available if you are currently using the Scheme and only for your employees previously or currently furloughed. Although there are some exceptions relating to employees returning from family leave.

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No new claims will be permitted from the 30th June, as such the deadline that any employees may be newly furloughed is the 10th June. The original Scheme will remain until the end of July, but for any workers being brought back part-time in July, only the non-working hours will be covered under the Scheme.

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