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This is a temporary scheme open to all UK employers for at least three months starting from 1 March 2020. It is designed to support employers whose operations have been severely affected by coronavirus (COVID-19). Under the JRS, employers will be able to ask employee(s) to stop working, while keeping them on their payroll. These individuals are described by the scheme as “furloughed workers”.
Employers will be able to claim for 80% of furloughed employees’ (employees on a leave of absence) usual monthly wage costs, up to £2,500 a month, plus the associated Employer National Insurance contributions and minimum automatic enrolment employer pension contributions on that wage. Employers can use this scheme anytime during this period.
St George's aims to continue to offer full pay and benefits during furlough, but will be reviewing this situation regularly. Should the University's financial circumstances worsen we may need to reduce the amount paid, which would only occur after consultation.
The scheme is open to all UK employers that had created and started a PAYE payroll scheme on 28 February 2020.
In light of the Covid-19 crisis, like other universities, we have been required to quickly adapt to the new business conditions we find ourselves operating in. As a result, in order to ensure the long term sustainability of the University and its staff we will be taking part in the JRS Scheme and placing some staff on furlough.
The government has now confirmed that the JRS will support all those on the PAYE system (as of 28 February 2020) regardless of their employment contract. This means workers who are paid through PAYE will be covered, including those on zero-hour contracts or other flexible contracts.
Only staff who have been paid through PAYE on or before 28 February 2020 can be included in this scheme. Those employed after 28 February are excluded (i.e. cannot be furloughed or have a claim made in respect of their wages).
For our people who receive a regular salary, the 80% is calculated using an employee’s actual salary before tax (i.e. their gross salary), as of 28 February.
For staff whose pay varies, e.g. zero-hour or flexible contracts, and whom have been employed (or engaged by an employment business in the case of agency workers) for a full year, the 80% limit will be applied to the higher of:
If an employee has been employed for less than a year, the calculation of the 80% will be applied to an average of an employee’s monthly earnings since they started work at the university. If the employee started their employment in February 2020, the calculation of the 80% will be applied to pro-rata earnings from that month.
The University has also committed at this time to top up the salary/wages of furloughed workers so that no staff member is disadvantaged during these challenging times. This means that although the University is under no legal obligation to do so, we will be topping up the payments to those on furlough in excess of the Government subsidy i.e. paying the remaining 20%. The University has also decided to remove the cap of £2,500. This means that you will receive your usual monthly salary during furlough. However, although it is our aim to continue to offer full pay and benefits during furlough, we will be reviewing this situation regularly. Should our financial circumstances worsen we may need to reduce the amount paid, which would only occur after consultation.
There are two groups who will be considered:
If you fit within the latter group you will also be able to express an interest in being furloughed and this will be considered at the discretion of your manager.
All employees will be informed individually if they are affected.
Any staff, at all levels, are being asked to furlough where they are either unable to work remotely or where workload and demands have reduced such that fewer staff are required to undertake it. At present it is unclear that academics are eligible to be put on furlough and therefore we are not doing so. In addition, decisions for those who are funded by a grant can only take place once we have received more information from our grant funders. We will continuously review this situation as more information comes to hand and will provide updates as appropriate.
We are happy to accept expressions of interest for furlough. However, ultimately the decision is one for management based on resourcing needs.
At this stage it is unclear that academics are eligible to be put on furlough and therefore we are not doing so. However, we are keeping the situation under review and will confirm if the position changes.
We are currently getting more information from our grant funders. Once these discussions have taken place, decisions on furlough will be made. We will continuously review this situation as more information comes to hand and will provide updates as appropriate.
By nature of the contract, you are employed for a fixed term, at the end of which your employment ceases. For the time that you are under the fixed-term contract, you can be made a furloughed employee and placed on furlough leave. However, at the end of the contract (which would have ended anyway), the HMRC would not be able to issue a grant for someone who wouldn’t have normally been employed at that time. Therefore, furloughed employment cannot continue beyond the fixed-term contract end date.
The government has confirmed that this is possible and that each job should be treated separately. So, if an employee has more than one employer, they can be furloughed for each job, and the cap will apply to each individually. Although not specified in the guidance, this also implies that employees can be furloughed in one job, while continuing to work in another job.
Furloughed employees can also take part in volunteer work or training, as long as they don’t provide services to or generate revenue for the University.
Your line manager will communicate with you directly if the decision is taken to place you on furlough. This will be followed up by a letter confirming that you are being placed on furlough and that there are no changes to your terms and conditions.
The government has stated that the minimum length an employee can be furloughed for is three consecutive weeks. To ensure employers comply with that, they will only be able to submit one claim every three weeks.
Employees can be furloughed for longer than three weeks but each separate period of furlough must be a minimum of three weeks. For example, it would be possible for somebody to be furloughed for four weeks, return to work and then be furloughed again for at least three weeks.
We are committed to getting the University back to normal operations as soon as possible but we have to be guided by government advice. The government have announced that they intend to put the JRS provision in place for up to 4 months from 1 March 2020. Furlough must be for a minimum of three consecutive weeks for each individual but can be longer.
Given the uncertain nature of the virus, the Government have indicated this could be extended. Therefore, we’re unable to confirm a definite timescale at this stage. We will, however, keep this under review and monitor the needs of our business. The University will keep all furloughed employees updated.
Yes, employers can use the JRS scheme anytime during the initial three-month period which began on 1 March for those PAYE employees working at the University up to and including 28 February 2020.
Your line manager will let you know if your role is affected in the future and, depending on the nature of your work and workload, you and your colleagues in the same function may be rotated on and off furlough for periods of 3 weeks at a time.
Not at all. We are using the furlough scheme in order to take advantage of the JRS, which offers a government grant to cover some of the cost of staff salaries where workloads have reduced as a result of COVID-19. In some cases, staff are either unable to work remotely and have therefore become non-operational and there are other cases where some work continues but the workload and demands have reduced such that fewer staff are required to undertake it.
Being asked to go on furlough reflects changes in work demands and resourcing needs as a result of COVID-19, it is not a reflection on individual jobholders. We anticipate that resourcing needs will increase again once we return to business as usual.
No. The decision to furlough roles has been taken as a short-term measure to deal with the immediate operational and financial challenges that the University is experiencing.
No. If there is a need to make posts redundant in the future, decisions will be made on the future needs of the University and not on whether your role was furloughed or not.
We estimate that the loses we will make this academic year as a result of COVID-19 will be in the region of £2 million. Furlough offers the university the chance to claim back some of its staff costs from the government, where workloads have reduced. It is therefore very important to the university that it uses the JRS where possible and employees agreeing to furlough will assist our financial situation.
Due to the unprecedented nature, speed and urgency of the situation, no appeals process will be available. However, if you have any concerns about being placed on furlough, you should direct them to the Director of HR&OD, Jenny Winters, at jwinters@sgul.ac.uk
We hope that all staff impacted by this process will understand the need to make this temporary change to your employment status to protect against losses which would make us vulnerable.
We are not offering voluntary redundancy as an alternative to furlough.
No, not for the University. The furlough scheme is only to be used for those staff who are not working as a result of the current situation. You must comply with your terms of conditions of employment, which continue to apply throughout furlough. If you wish to work for another employer while on furlough you must gain agreement from your line manager. However, it is important to note that individuals on furlough must be able to return to work at St George’s, University of London, when requested to do so.
We will be keeping all staff informed of any developments and therefore expect you to check your email on a regular basis during furlough. However, you should not respond to emails or undertake any work for the University while you are on furlough.
While on furlough, please make clear on any out-of-office an alternative contact during the time you will not be working. For example, “I am away currently, if you wish to contact a member of the team, please email xxxxx@sgul.ac.uk”.
We would suggest something along the lines of “Thank you for your email. I am currently away from the office [or “on furlough” if you prefer] and this email address is not being monitored. Please forward your email to XXX@sgul.ac.uk and a colleague will be in contact.”
Yes, as long as you do not undertake work during the meeting. You should keep in contact with your work colleagues and manager while on furlough. This could be for a virtual coffee or chat. However, you should not undertake any work for the university while on furlough.
We will be keeping all staff informed of any developments by email and so expect you to check your email on a regular basis during furlough. Additionally, there may be circumstances when we may need you to return to work at short notice and we would therefore ask that you update your contact details in MyWorkplace. You should also keep in regular contact with your line manager and colleagues during a period on furlough but you must not engage in any university work.
You will not be able to continue to undertake any work for the organisation while furloughed.
You should not normally take up other engagements or appointments outside of St George’s, University of London, during your employment. If you do wish to do so during your furlough, please raise this with your line manager or Institute Director/Head of Department. If you do take up any alternative employment you will be need to be available to return to work for St George’s, University of London when requested.
Yes, the Government’s JRS allows for furloughed employees to engage in training, as long as in undertaking the training they do not provide services to, or generate revenue for, or on behalf of their organisation or a linked or associated organisation. You can therefore undertake online courses, seminars or other continuous professional development while on furlough.
No, these people are not being automatically furloughed and we don’t propose to furlough anyone at this stage solely because their personal circumstances prevent them from carrying out the role. The factors that we are considering are where work and functions cannot be undertaken remotely as well as functions where some work continues but the workload and demands have reduced. Personal considerations may be considered within those factors.
If you received the letter/text from the NHS about mandatory 12-weeks self-isolation, you will need to share this letter/text with the HR team. This letter confirms that you are in the high-risk group of vulnerable individuals and requires you to stay home for 12 weeks. Your line manager will work with you to establish ways in which your role can be done from your home. If the University establishes that your role can’t be done from home or your workload has reduced, you may be placed on furlough leave for at least three week and potentially up to the current end of the JRS (31 May 2020). The length of the JRS is still to be confirmed by the government and could be extended and we will be able to clarify this as soon as further information is received.
We will consider whether to furlough individuals returning from maternity leave in the same way as we would for any other employee based on whether their work and functions can be undertaken remotely or whether the workload and demands have reduced.
The usual maternity and other forms of parental leave and pay rules will continue to apply.
Any employees currently on sickness absence will be considered for furlough in the same way as any other employee.
Otherwise, sickness absence will continue to be managed and paid according to the existing normal sickness absence procedures. The entitlements are specified in the terms and conditions of your employment.
The University’s usual sick leave and pay entitlements apply to any substantive and fixed term colleague who is unwell due to COVID-19. If you have a genuine reason for self-isolation and you have informed your line-manager of that reason we would generally require that, if you are well enough to do so, you should work from home. If you are self-isolating and your work cannot be undertaken at home, you should discuss this with your line manager. You may, in some cases, be able to undertake alternative duties from home and your line manager will discuss this with you. If it is not possible to work from home during self-isolation, you may be put on furlough.
Any other absences are to be reported in line with the usual sickness reporting procedures.
Any employee not required to undertake work, who is serving their notice, may be furloughed for the remainder of their notice period. If they submit their resignation while furloughed, they will remain furloughed for the duration of their notice unless the furlough period ends. In this case, they will be expected to return to work for the remainder of their notice period. It is possible to waive the notice period, however this would need to be agreed with your Line Manager.
Yes. We have consulted the unions about our furlough scheme and will be maintaining a dialogue with them as the process to identify individuals to be furloughed progresses.