Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme Update
We understand that the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will continue until October, and will continue unchanged until the end of July.
It is further understood that from August, changes to the scheme will include allowing furloughed employees to be brought back on a part time basis. Such a period of transition is likely to be welcomed by businesses trying to get back up and running, following the easing of the lock down and will help the many employers who expect that any recovery is unlikely to happen overnight.
The Government will publish further detail about the changes at the end of the month, and we expect the 80% to be partially withdrawn from employers but not employees, i.e. an enforced “top up”. The ability to bring back employees so that part of their pay is borne by the employer and they are permitted to work, while leaving part of their pay furloughed presumably pro-rata to the hours worked, will enable businesses to phase in their re-start hopefully to match rising demand. That's the plan.