Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and Furlough Leave
In March 2020, the Coronavirus Job Retention (Furlough) Scheme (CJRS) was set up by the Government to support UK employers who were severely affected by coronavirus (COVID-19). It is a temporary wage support measure that is designed to support jobs and help employers facing difficulties in paying wages rather than laying off staff or making them redundant. The closure of the CJRS has now been postponed until 30 September 2021.
The Government originally intended to replace the CJRS with the Job Support Scheme (JSS) as of 1 November. The JSS has now been postponed and looks unlikely to be introduced at all.
The £1,000 Job Retention Bonus, which was due to be paid in respect of employees retained after furlough until the end of January 2021, has been withdrawn. Chancellor Rishi Sunak has said that a retention incentive will be “deployed at the appropriate time” instead.
Please note that this information is subject to change and so it is important to keep checking back for the most up-to-date information.
Updated guidance on the extended CJRS can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/extension-to-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme/extension-of-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme
Part of the qualification process for the CJRS will require the employer to designate affected employees as ‘furloughed workers’, and to notify employees of this change. The following document is available in the Employment Document folder:
A Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme Furlough Leave Agreement , which can be used to seek employees’ agreement to the Company placing them on furlough leave.
- What does it mean if an employee is 'furloughed'
- What is Flexible Furloughing?
- What can employees do while on furlough?
- How long does furlough leave last and what happens at the end?
- Can employees furlough themselves and what about casual and zero-hours contracts?
- Can you rotate furlough leave, what about employees on sick leave?
- How do employers access the CJRS scheme?
- Temporary Changes to right to work checks
- Holiday Related Questions (Furlough)
- New ACAS Guidance on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures during Coronavirus
- Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme
- Entitlement to Statutory Sick Pay has been extended to Test and Trace