The government has announced that parents currently on extended leave, who return to work in the coming months, will be eligible for the government’s furlough scheme, even after the 10 June cut-off date.
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), which has been extended until 31 October, will be closed to new entrants from 30 June, meaning employees must have been furloughed by 10 June in order to spend the minimum three-week period on furlough.
The Scheme will be phased out from July with the introduction of ‘flexible furloughing’ allowing employers to bring employees back to work part-time whist continuing on furlough for the hours they are not required to work.
To enable the introduction of part-time furloughing from 1 July, claims by employers will be restricted to those employees who have been furloughed by the deadline of 10 June.
However, the government has confirmed that parents who return to work in the coming months, after extended leave, such as statutory maternity, paternity, shared parental, adoption and parental bereavement leave, will be permitted to be furloughed after this date. This will only apply to parents who work for an employer who has previously claimed under the CJRS.
This is another welcome announcement by the government which will allow parents, following a long period of absence, to receive the financial assistance and support they and their families will need in returning to work following the pandemic.
We will provide a further update when more detailed guidance is released on 12 June.
For more information on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and how we can help you, please contact our Employment Team on 0345 646 0406 or fill in our online enquiry form and a member of our Team will be in touch.