The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

The Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, has today announced a four months’ extension to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS). Currently, at least, 7.5 million employees have been furloughed in the UK.

Furloughed workers across UK will continue to receive 80% of their current salary, up to £2,500 until at least the end of July. From August, the scheme would continue but with greater flexibility to support the transition back to work. Employers currently using the scheme will then be able to bring furloughed employees back part-time, the cost of which will be shared between the Government and the employer.

Wales

On Friday 8^th May 2020, the first minister, Marked Drakeford announced an extension of the stay at home lockdown until at least the 28^th May and made only modest changes to lockdown measures. Including:

• Enabling local authorities to begin the process of planning how to safely reopen libraries and municipal recycling centres.
• Allowing garden centres to open provided they comply with the physical 2m distancing rules.
• Allowing people to exercise more than once a day, but people should stay local. This means any exercise should start and end at home and not involve going a significant distance from home.

England

The government in England have marginally relaxed lockdown measures to make it easier for some business to return to work, including:

• From Wednesday 13 May, people in England who “can’t work from home” will be “actively encouraged to go to work”
• However, they should still avoid public transport if possible, because of social distancing

The government in England have also suggested that if infection rates continue to fall then they will relax several restrictions. These include the re-opening of non-essential retail and primary schools from the beginning of June and reopening leisure facilities and hospitality from the beginning of July.

What Employers Need to Consider

While further information is released by the government, employers should consider further how to:

• Manage returning to the workplace and the health and safety implications.
• Dealing with redundancies and related issues once the furlough scheme ends.
• Managing holidays, sickness, and other absences.

Below are the government guidelines to make sure that the workplace is a safe as possible:

• Construction and Outdoors –

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5eb961bfe90e070834b6675f/working-safely-during-covid-19-construction-outdoors-110520.pdf

• Offices and Call Centres –

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5eb97e7686650c278d4496ea/working-safely-during-covid-19-offices-contact-centres-110520.pdf

• Factories, Plants and Warehouses

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5eb965d5d3bf7f5d3c74a2dd/working-safely-during-covid-19-factories-plants-warehouses-110520.pdf

If you would like any help or support, do not hesitate to contact THS on 01633246666 or 07704016007. http://www.thshr.co.uk/hr-services/