Dear employers,
You may be aware of the Government’s Job Retention Scheme, designed to support employers whose operations have been severely affected by Coronavirus (COVID-19). This is an unprecedented scheme designed to support employers financially and to avoid redundancies during this very difficult time.
The scheme includes the option of workers (including Apprentices) being ‘Furloughed’, which sees workers temporarily ceasing work, but receiving 80% of their normal salary. The Government will pay the employer for 80% of the worker’s salary (employers can opt to increase this to 100% if they wish). This scheme is an alternative to worker’s being ‘laid off’ or being made redundant.
Employers will need to identify workers to be ‘furloughed’ and submit details via a Government portal. Furloughed staff will then be placed on leave and are not allowed to undertake any work (except for voluntary work or work with another employer). The scheme will run for a minimum of 12 weeks from 1 March 2020 and may be extended if required.
More details about the scheme can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-you-could-be-covered-by-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme
Please read this information carefully and contact HMRC for further advice or assistance.
Kind regards,
Richard Morcambe
Executive Director – Apprenticeships and Business Growth, Chesterfield College Group