Information for employers wondering how to put people into "furlough" status, following the Government's announcement on 20th March that they will meet 80% of an employee's pay where the business is unable to provide them with work due to the current pandemic outbreak.
The Government launched the so-called Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme or CJRS which has become more commonly known as the Furlough Scheme on the 20th March 2020. It first published details about the scheme on 26th March and to date the scheme has had several more updates and off-shoots. See: www.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support for the very latest details.
In order to safely and legally put your employees into furlough leave, even if you DO have a lay-off clause in your contracts, it is essential that you put the intention to furlough in writing and get your employee’s consent.
The current template on the ACAS website does not go far enough nor is robust enough in my opinion. Contact me direct for a specific version tailored to your company.
