Flexible furlough

[pentel]

I have read up a lot about the introduction of flexible furlough and have a concern.

We have furloughed our staff, initially all of them for at least 3 weeks, mostly for more. After that period we have been bringing staff in as and when required, refurloughing them in blocks of at least 3 weeks.

We currently have all the staff in as we have a large job going through but that will finish at the end of next week and then we will be back to needing less staff and the intention is to refurlough as before.

The introduction of flexible furlough will be really helpful as different staff have different skills and we could do with all of them working part time, so all good so far.

My concern is the requirement to have been furloughed for 3 weeks prior to the introduction of flexible furlough.

Is this 3 weeks the 3 weeks immediately before the introduction OR 3 weeks at any time?

Can anyone point me in the direction of a definitive answer to this?

 

[BeauLacey]

Its only closed to completely new entrants to Furlough in July

Is this 3 weeks the 3 weeks immediately before the introduction OR 3 weeks at any time?

3 weeks any time. If you have furloughed them once, they can be furloughed again until the scheme ends in October (currently)

 

[dotcomdude]

Can anyone point me in the direction of a definitive answer to this?

Can't give you a definitive answer, but I believe they will have to be furloughed for at least 3 weeks up to the 30th June to qualify for the part-time furlough in July.

The scheme is designed to ease people back into work and provide some flexibility for employers to test the water as they go.

 

[Talay]

Has anyone done the maths on flexible furlough ?

 

[Newchodge]

As long as an employee has been furloughed for 3 consecutive weeks, at some point, by 30 June, they can continue to be furloughed after that date.

If you are looking at flexible furlough I would start planning now. Make sure you can dempnstrate the number of hours in a normal working week for each employee, as you will have to include that in your claim - normal 35 hour week, work 7 hours in week 1, furlough 28 hours. Work 15 hours week 2, furlough 20 hours etc. It looks as if furlough periods will be by the week, rather than the current 3 weeks.

Proper guidance is promised for 12 June.