Furlough contract change just before

hel311

I came back from maternity at the beginning of February but signed a new contract to reduce my hours for childcare. Do I get furloughed based on my new hours or old hours from last year? 

Jeremy535897

If you are paid the same amount every month, they will look at your wage for the last pay period ending on or before 19 March 2020. If you are a variable pay employee, they will look at your average pay over 2019/20 or, if higher, the amount you were paid in the equivalent period last year. Your actual pay while on maternity is used, rather than what you would have been paid if not on maternity, when calculating the pay for a variable pay employee.

hel311

Thank you Jeremy. This time last year I was just going on maternity and my contract was for 38 hours a week. I went back to work at the beginning of February 2020 and signed a new contract then to do 30 hours a week. So I should be getting it based on last year at 38 hours? 

Jeremy535897

If you are going to be doing 30 hours a week in future, you will be a fixed rate employee. If you were paid on or before 19 March 2020 based on 30 hours a week, your furlough will be based on 30 hours a week. If you are a variable pay employee, which might be because your hours will vary for example, your furlough will be based on the average pay, including maternity pay, in 2019/20, or your maternity pay a year ago, whichever is the higher.

One change in your contract from 38 hours a week to 30 hours a week on its own does not make you a variable pay employee.