Furloughed workers can now return part-time

Following the announcement in June, employers have eagerly been awaiting 1 July 2020 as this marks the official date for furloughed workers to begin returning thanks to eased restrictions.

If workers wish, they can now return part-time while still receiving financial aid from the Job Retention Scheme (JRS) for the hours not worked.

Updated Guidance

The government clarified a few key points on their Job Retention Scheme support page, stating that:

1) Employers can only claim for employees who have previously been furloughed for at least three consecutive weeks between 1 March 2020 and 30 June 2020.

2) Employees being brought back part-time can work any amount of time, and any work patterns.

3) Claims can still be made for the hours furloughed employees don’t work, compared to the hours they would normally have worked.

What other changes are on the way?

As mentioned in the June announcement, from August employers will begin to pay ER NICs and pensions contributions.

Then from September onwards, the employers will also begin to pay a portion of the salary relief.

For more information on this, check out our blog that maps out the changes over the coming months.

Further guidance and support

As further guidance is issued, we’ll be sure to update you, in the meantime, check out our Next Normal hub that features all our latest content and support on adapting to the recent changes.

Also, IRIS Payroll customers can rest assured that we’re working hard to deliver functionality in our software making this process as simple as possible.

Stephanie Coward

Managing Director, HCM

Stephanie Coward is Managing Director for HCM at IRIS, where she leads the strategy, innovation and growth of the organisation’s HR and payroll portfolio. She is responsible for positioning IRIS as a trusted partner to HR professionals and ensuring its solutions support the evolving needs of modern workforces.

With more than 25 years’ experience in the technology sector, Stephanie brings deep commercial and operational expertise, with a passion for improving the employee experience through technology.

Stephanie is committed to advancing IRIS’ HCM offering and helping organisations build more resilient, empowered workforces.