HR Support post COVID-19
As you will have heard, the Government is planning a slow lifting of lockdown and it has extended the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (aka furlough leave) until 31st October 2020.
In order to help your business return to pre-COVID arrangements, we have devised a ‘Coming out of COVID’ HR package that will enable us to support you and your business with the following areas:
Furlough leave:
How to ensure you properly extend and/or end furlough leave. This includes help with template communications and identifying who is being selected so as to ensure there is no discrimination, and advising you on the changing scheme rules (once they are known) where the Government expects employers to ‘start sharing’ the cost. This is expected to take effect as of 1 August
Costs you can claim via the job retention scheme:
While the furlough scheme remains in existence, we believe you can reclaim certain liabilities as part of the wages, so you have the option of using the job retention scheme to significantly limit the cost to your business by:
a. Serving notice while on furlough:
If you are considering dismissals, we believe that redundancy consultations can be conducted during furlough leave and notice can be served. If you can ensure the notice expires before the job retention scheme ends, you could potentially reclaim 80%/£2,500 per month against this cost
There are considerations to be had and you must always bear in mind the requirements regarding collective consultation. Our HR experts will be able to guide you through a redundancy process supporting you with appropriate letters and methods of selection to ensure the process is smooth and fair
b. Requiring staff take annual leave:
You are entitled to insist on staff taking their accrued holiday during furlough. We can explain the implications of this and help draft template letters/notices to make it happen. In this case you will be able to claim via the job retention scheme 80% of the holiday pay but you will be liable for the remainder of the holiday pay
How to return safely to work and protect your business and employees:
Advising you on how to ensure you effect a safe return to work, including, measures you can adopt to ensure you meet the Government guidance and protect your workers’ safety.
All of the above will help you protect your business and save costs and is our view based on the current Government guidance.
As with all our HR Services, the Coming out of COVID package is a fixed-fee service based on the number of staff you employ and covers the period to 31 October 2020, when the job retention scheme is due to end.
If you would like our support in this complex, and ever-changing area of employment law please contact us on [email protected] or 0207 014 8060.
We are ourselves issuing regular updates via our website and e-mail cannons. If you are not receiving these and would like to be added to the list please e-mail [email protected] with the subject “Add me to your COVID-19 e-mails”.
