Zero hours contracts and Covid 19

Bately

Would anyone be able to clarify if the below will apply to those on zero hour contracts please? Most of the guidance I've seen would suggest it does, but I would appreciate it if someone was able to help. In one of my jobs I have a number of friends who work upwards of 30 hours a week regularly, but they are on zero hours contracts. I'm a little worried about what this will mean for them.

The Government has pledged to pay the wages of those not working

On Friday 20 March the Government announced a package of measure to help people affected by the pandemic - incluidng a sweeping pledge to pay 80% of employees' wages if they are not working due to coronavirus.

The Government said it will cover 80% of the wages of 'retained' employees - ie, those who would otherwise have been laid off due to the knock-on effects of the coronavirus pandemic. The amount paid will be capped at a maximum of £2,500/month per employee, and the money will be issued through grants which can be paid out to any employer.

Jeremy535897

Your employer has to apply to join the coronavirus job retention scheme, and then select you as an employee to be furloughed (do no work at all for the employer). There seems to be no exclusion for zero hour contracts, but the amount you would receive from being in the scheme is likely to depend on your pay for February.

philng

Jeremy535897 said:

Your employer has to apply to join the coronavirus job retention scheme, and then select you as an employee to be furloughed (do no work at all for the employer). There seems to be no exclusion for zero hour contracts, but the amount you would receive from being in the scheme is likely to depend on your pay for February.

February? Where have you got that information from? Seems unlikely to me.

Jeremy535897

It's a hypothesis that is based on the scheme taking effect from 1 March, but let's wait for the details.

General_Grant

philng said:

Jeremy535897 said:

Your employer has to apply to join the coronavirus job retention scheme, and then select you as an employee to be furloughed (do no work at all for the employer). There seems to be no exclusion for zero hour contracts, but the amount you would receive from being in the scheme is likely to depend on your pay for February.

February? Where have you got that information from? Seems unlikely to me.

Money  Box on Saturday reported this as the outcome of a telephone conversation Paul Lewis had had with government source.

Jeremy535897

Thanks General_Grant. I had forgotten where I saw/heard it. Been rather busy on the forum!