At the end of September, UK will see an end to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, otherwise known as the furlough scheme. Many individuals will remain unsure as to how this affects them with their roles.
In a previous blog, we reminded furloughed employees of their continuing rights, such as accruing holiday entitlement, statutory sick pay (SSP), maternity and other parental rights and so on.
Although the furlough scheme is ending, employers will still have to continue to follow employment laws if they are unable to retain an employee; whether this will be a dismissal or redundancy, such as giving a notice period and undertaking a consultation process. For many firms undertaking more than 20 redundancies within a 90-day period, the consultation process should have started.
Although, employers have been encouraged to give notice to furloughed employees about their return to work, they are not legally obligated to do so. If you have not heard from your employer yet, it is advisable to contact them as soon as possible.
The government is expected to see a small rise of unemployment when the scheme ends, and it is important to apply for any support scheme/s as soon as possible if you are facing redundancy or a possible dismissal. Whilst some industries have more employees on furlough, such as travel, creative and arts and entertainment, other industries have a high number of vacancies which gives hope to those who may need to look for an alternative role.
If you have been contacted by your employer and have been notified of a possible dismissal or a redundancy, you may wish to seek legal advice, or if you’re unsure as to how changes to the scheme may affect you or if you require advice on any aspect of employment law, then please contact our employment team on 0116 208 1495.
