As our readers will be aware, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), has been extended until 31 October 2020. There are a number of important changes to the way the scheme works that will start to come into effect from 1 July 2020, when employers can bring back furloughed employees to work part-time, for any amount of time and any shift pattern.
For any periods starting on or after the 1 July, the maximum number of employees that employers can claim for cannot be higher than the maximum number they claimed for in a previous period. For example, if the highest single claim for periods up to 30 June was for 100 people, then employers cannot claim for more than this number in later periods.
The government will continue to pay 80% of costs for normal hours not worked up to the £2,500 cap during the month of July. From August 2020, employers will be expected to start contributing towards furloughed employees wage costs by paying employers’ NIC and pension costs for any normal hours an employee does not work. There will be further reductions in government support to 70% of capped wages in September and to 60% in October before the scheme is closed.