News

You will no doubt be aware that the new flexible furlough scheme will be starting on 1st July 2020. I have summarised the main changes in https://cheringtonhr.com/news/592 and since then it has been announced that returning reservists can also be included along with those who have been away on maternity and other forms of statutory family leave.

It is a sad fact that despite the introduction of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), many businesses emerging from lockdown will not survive. Those that do get through the crisis will look very different as they review their cost base and reduce their income predictions because of the Covid-Secure restrictions. This has already led to a wave of significant redundancy announcements in sectors such as aviation and the arts. Even local authorities are warning that they may have to declare bankruptcy.

HMRC says that it believes the vast majority of companies will have used the furlough system correctly, but there are some stories of employers making employees work during a fraudulent claim for the furlough grant.

We have been focusing on problems caused by Covid-19, but this is another issue waiting in the wings that needs to be addressed before it is too late.  If you have traditionally relied upon recruiting EU nationals in the past, the changes that will follow when the Brexit transition period is over may mean that you need to change your approach to finding new staff.

Last year fewer than half of those entering the UK were Europeans.  A report published by the Migration Observatory suggests that the declining trend is likely to continue as it has done since the Referendum.  What can you do about to prepare for this change in the pool of available applicants?

The Government has announced that those individuals who were considered extremely vulnerable and who had been advised to shield (i.e. quarantine themselves indoors, away from others and until very recently not to venture out for any reason) will no longer be required to do so from 6th July 2020 when they will be able to meet more people from outside their household. Then from 1st August the restrictions will be lifted further so that employees affected will be able to return to work.