From 1 July onwards the government will be introducing a flexible furlough scheme which will apply to all those who were placed on the existing scheme on or before June 10th.

Under the scheme, employers will be able to bring in workers already on furlough on a part-time basis. It will be up to the employer to decide the hours and shift patterns they want people to work to suit the needs of their business. Your employer will pay your full wages for the time you are in work and the government will pay 80% of your wages for the hours where you are not needed.

For example, if you are currently on furlough and being paid for 35 hours and your employer asks you to work part-time for 20 hours, you will receive full pay from your employer for the 20 hours and be paid 80% of your wages by the government, for the 15 hours you are not working. If your employer does not require you to work part-time, you can still remain on the full furlough scheme and still receive 80% of your wages.

Under the government’s flexible furlough scheme, your employer must get your agreement to return to work on a part-time basis and keep a written copy of the agreement. As part of that written agreement, you should make it clear that you are only agreeing to reduce your hours, and any changes to your normal working patterns, for the duration of the furlough scheme and that once the scheme is withdrawn, you wish to return to the original terms and conditions of your contract of employment.

If your employer asks you to return to work part-time, and you are unable to work due to childcare or other caring commitments, you can request to remain on full furlough. It is also worth noting that discrimination laws still apply to the government’s furlough scheme. Finally, remember the furlough scheme is voluntary and you can take redundancy as an alternative.From 1 July onwards the government will be introducing a flexible furlough scheme which will apply to all those who were placed on the existing scheme on or before June 10th.

Under the scheme, employers will be able to bring in workers already on furlough on a part-time basis. It will be up to the employer to decide the hours and shift patterns they want people to work to suit the needs of their business. Your employer will pay your full wages for the time you are in work and the government will pay 80% of your wages for the hours where you are not needed.

For example, if you are currently on furlough and being paid for 35 hours and your employer asks you to work part-time for 20 hours, you will receive full pay from your employer for the 20 hours and be paid 80% of your wages by the government, for the 15 hours you are not working. If your employer does not require you to work part-time, you can still remain on the full furlough scheme and still receive 80% of your wages.

Under the government’s flexible furlough scheme, your employer must get your agreement to return to work on a part-time basis and keep a written copy of the agreement. As part of that written agreement, you should make it clear that you are only agreeing to reduce your hours, and any changes to your normal working patterns, for the duration of the furlough scheme and that once the scheme is withdrawn, you wish to return to the original terms and conditions of your contract of employment.

If your employer asks you to return to work part-time, and you are unable to work due to childcare or other caring commitments, you can request to remain on full furlough. It is also worth noting that discrimination laws still apply to the government’s furlough scheme.

Finally, remember the furlough scheme is voluntary and you can take redundancy as an alternative.