Here to Help: Introducing IRIS’ Furlough Assistance

Furlough leave and the Job Retention Scheme have become enormous topics among employers due to the COVID-19 pandemic with more than 140,000 UK businesses applying for furlough this week.

But as the situation is evolving so rapidly, aspects are constantly being re-drafted, re-calculated and extended at a moment’s notice.

As a result, keeping up with these changes while managing the unfamiliar processes can be quite overwhelming, consuming a huge amount of time and resources.

The complications of furloughing

On the surface, furloughing initially seems simple enough, you furlough an employee rather than making them redundant and then claim back via the government.

However, due to the speed everything is changing and the actual calculations required, it quickly becomes far more complicated with common challenges such as:

Employee contracts: Furlough leave calculations can vary significantly when dealing with full-time employees, varied weekly hours and zero-hour contracts.

Furlough deadline extension: Chancellor Rishi Sunak recently announced that the scheme is extended until the end of June and will be extended further if required.

Deductions: When calculating your furlough payments, you must consider National Insurance pro-rata payments and Employer Pension Contributions.

IRIS’ Furlough Assistance Service

We understand the pressure furloughing has placed on businesses and to support we’ve launched our new Furlough Assistance Service.

The Furlough Assistance Service can help with training and guidance on a one-to-one basis, so you and your team stay updated with the most recent information and changes.

In addition to the training, we can also build custom reports in your IRIS software to help you quickly calculate your furlough payments on an ongoing basis and support with filing your claims via the HMRC portal.

To book an appointment click here, but please bear in mind that we have limited availability and this service is offered purely on a first-come-first-served basis.

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.