Furloughing staff - 30 June cut off date

Can we bring back a staff member during June and still use the flexible furlough?

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I am slightly confused about the 30 June cut off date for furloughing staff.  I understand that 10 June is the last date that a staff member can be furloughed to be eligible for the scheme going forward.  But does this mean that staff can't be brought back from furlough in those three weeks without losing all future entitlement?

For example, a client furloughed most of his staff on 1 April.  He wants to bring back a couple of people at the end of June for a specific job, then offer them a flexible furlough arrangement for July and August.  As they have already had more than three weeks on furlough is this fine?  Or does having them at work in that crucial 10-30 June period mean they are out of the scheme for good?

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By fawltybasil2575
04th Jun 2020 10:08

@ confuseddotcom (OP).

You are absolutely fine, as the employees have ALREADY been furloughed for the required minimum period of 3 weeks (21 days).

The only relevance of the 10 June date is that, for any employee who has NOT already been furloughed for the minimum 3 weeks, then 10 June 2020 is the latest date at which they need to be furloughed to enable them to have been furloughed for the MINIMUM 21 days period (since there are 21 days from 10 June 2020 to 30 June 2020).

To repeat, in your case, all is well - the staff who have been already furloughed for at least 21 days can be brought back to work NOW, and they will be eligible to be furloughed from 1 July 2020.

Basil

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By armstrongbell
04th Jun 2020 23:32

Is it also OK to bring back a previously furloughed employee now but furlough them again after 10 June but before 30 June? This would give less than 3 weeks furlough before 30 June? There is talk about it being a "new scheme" from 1 July or "version 2" and no detailed guidance until 12 June.

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Replying to armstrongbell:
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By fawltybasil2575
05th Jun 2020 00:29

If you are referring to an employee who has been brought back to work on or after 11 June 2020, after a furlough period of 21 days or more, then that employee will “qualify” for a furlough claim under the new furlough scheme.

If however that employee has only been furloughed for less than 21 days, when brought back to work on or after 11 June 2020, then that employee will NOT so “qualify”.

In other words, bringing an employee back to work, AFTER 10 June 2020, has NO EFFECT on whether the employee will “qualify”.

Basil.

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By turchyna582
05th Jun 2020 15:29

Not exactly the same problem, but it relates to the furlough calculation for 30 June; given that claims 'straddling two different months' will not be permitted.
Having filed two successful claims for periods (5 weeks to 1st May and then 4 weeks to 29 May); I am now working on anticipated figures for the next claim.
I would have been happy to file for 4 weeks to 26 June (being my own submission cycle); but now expect to add the remaining 4 days of June so as to coincide with the start of the new flexible work (i.e. non furloughed) possibilities commencing 1 July.

My query concerns the calculation of ERS NI contributions and ERS Pension contributions. Given that employees will still be paid weekly and contributions calculations based upon weekly earnings above the ST threshold (nic) and LE (pensions) threshold - then for the purposes of the June, July, August, September and October submissions, should these thresholds be pro-rata to account for the additional days claimed (but not necessarily paid at the end of claim period date?

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