Financial Support for Employees - COVID-19 / Coronavirus

With everything that is going on in the UK at the moment with the coronavirus pandemic, we thought we would try to group together as much information as possible regarding the financial support options for workers.

FURLOUGH

If your employer has to close or there isn’t sufficient work available, they may opt to furlough some or all of their employees as part of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, where employees will continue to receive 80% of their salary whilst not having to work.

To be placed on furlough, the employee or worker has to agree in writing with their employer that they’re not going to be working temporarily because of coronavirus.

Who can be furloughed?

Any of the following can be put on furlough, whether they work full time or part time; employees, workers, agency workers, those on zero-hours contracts and apprentices.

What is the process?

Employers must select people for furlough in a fair way to avoid any discrimination. An agreement in writing must be created detailing how much the employee or worker will get paid during their furlough.

The furlough must last at least 3 weeks and it is the responsibility of the employer to keep furloughed workers on their payroll whilst continuing their employment contracts.

If an employee disagrees with their employer’s decision about being selected for furlough or how much they’ll get paid, they should talk to their employer and try to come to an agreement.

What if I have more than one job?

Each job is treated separately, meaning you can either continue to work for one of your jobs or you can be furloughed for both jobs. If you are furloughed for both jobs, you will be eligible for financial support for each job.

What if I was made redundant?

If you were made redundant or left your job on or after the 28th February 2020, your employer can decide to re-employ you and then place you on furlough. This can be done even if the employer does not employ you again until after 19 March 2020.

In order to qualify, you must have been on the employer’s PAYE payroll on 28th February and included in a ‘Real Time Information’ (RTI) submission to HMRC on or before the 28th February 2020.

Minimum wage during furlough

If furloughed workers are paid 80% of their wages through HMRC’s scheme, this might mean they get less than the minimum wage. This is allowed as long as they’re not working.

But if someone does any training for their job during furlough, they must get the current minimum wage for those hours. For example, if an apprentice continues with their apprenticeship while furloughed.

LAY-OFFS OR REDUCED HOURS

If your employer does not have enough work you, they may need to consider temporarily sending you home or reducing your working hours. These options may help to avoid redundancies, but this should be a last resort for employers.

Unless it says in your contract or is agreed otherwise, your employer will still need to pay you for this time.

Employees who are laid off and are not entitled to their usual pay might be entitled to a 'statutory guarantee payment' of up to £30 a day from their employer.

This is limited to a maximum of 5 days in any period of 3 months. On days when a guarantee payment is not payable, employees might be able to claim Jobseeker's Allowance from Jobcentre Plus.

You can view more information about lay-offs and short-time working here.

HOLIDAY

Employers have the right to tell employees and workers when to take holiday if they need to. For example, an employer could shut for a week and tell everyone to use their holiday entitlement.

You can find out more about using holiday here.

SELF ISOLATION / STATUATORY SICK PAY

As of the 13th March 2020, employees and workers must receive any Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) due to them from their first day of self-isolation if it’s because:

- They have coronavirus

- They have coronavirus symptoms, for example a high temperature or new contagious cough

- Someone in their household has coronavirus symptoms

- They’ve been told to self-isolate by a doctor or NHS 111

If you have symptoms and live alone, you must self-isolate for 7 days. If you live in a household with others and you’re the first to get symptoms, you must self-isolate for 7 days and everybody else in the household for 14 days.

If anyone else in the household starts displaying symptoms, the person with the new symptoms must self-isolate for 7 days. This is regardless of where they are in the 14-day isolation period.

If you have to self-isolate and cannot work, you should tell your employer as soon as possible, along with the reason and how long you expect to be off for.

If your employer needs proof

Employees in self-isolation need to follow their workplace's usual sickness reporting process.

Employees can 'self-certify' for the first 7 days off work. This means following their workplace process but not having to get a note from a doctor or NHS 111.

Those self-isolating due to coronavirus for more than 7 days can get an online self-isolation note from the NHS website.

It's a good idea to check your workplace's policy on absence from work. Employers might need to be flexible if asking for self-isolation notes. For example, an employee with severe symptoms might not be able to get a note straight away.

TIME OFF TO LOOK AFTER SOMEONE

Employees are entitled to time off work to help someone who depends on them (a 'dependant') in an unexpected event or emergency. This could apply to situations to do with coronavirus.

A dependant does not necessarily live with the person, for example they could be an elderly neighbour or relative who relies on the person for help.

There's no statutory right to pay for this time off, but some employers might offer pay depending on the contract or work place policy.

The amount of time off an employee takes to look after someone must be reasonable for the situation. For example, they might take 2 days off to start with, and if more time is needed, they can book holiday.

If a dependant such as a partner, child or relative in the same household gets coronavirus symptoms, they should receive Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) as a minimum for this time.

SCHOOLCLOSURES

As schools in England, Scotland and Wales are now closed except for teaching some children of key workers, this will have an effect on care and working arrangements. This may be an anxious time for parents, and employers will need to be planning cover at work.

If employees need emergency time off for childcare or to make new arrangements, they can use time off to care for someone else (as mentioned above) or holiday, if their employer agrees.

Employers and employees can consider these steps:

- Talking to each other early on about time off that might be needed 

- Agreeing regular conversations so both can plan ahead

- Agreeing flexible working instead of taking longer periods of time off, for example working from home or changing working hours to allow for childcare 

If any agreement is made, it's a good idea for it to be in writing.

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