Part Time Furlough

jakeclarke

From 1st July 2020 businesses will be given the flexibility to bring furloughed employees back, part time.

BUT can I go from full time work (previously furloughed) down to part time under this scheme? Or does it only apply to those that are currently on furlough?

jimkelly

As you've been previously furloughed (or still are, or are yet to be before the cut off of June 10th for first time furloughers), then you are already eligible for the part time furlough scheme.

You don't have to be furloughed on June 30th specifically to be eligible, only that you were at some point for a 3 week period prior to that date on the 'original' furlough scheme.

"can I go from full time work (previously furloughed) down to part time under this scheme? - Yes.
"Or does it only apply to those that are currently on furlough?"  No, but see above.

[Deleted User]

You can be placed on flexible furlough if you were previously furloughed as that is the criteria. Your employer also has to want to place you on flexible furlough rather than have you work full time. It is unlikely they will want to do so as there will be a cost to them to furlough from August so it would make more sense to make redundancies to deal with the surplus workforce and keep you working full time (eg it will cost them more to have two employees part furloughed and working 20 hour weeks than one working a 40 hour week).

jakeclarke

Thank you, that is what I was hoping for. There is no clarification like that anywhere on the GOV website.

I understand more information will be given on June 12th but that could be too late for some, seeing as June 10th is the last time you can be put on Furlough (for the first time).

jimkelly

MadMattUK said:

It is unlikely they will want to do so as there will be a cost to them to furlough from August so it would make more sense to make redundancies to deal with the surplus workforce and keep you working full time.

Correct, for larger firms - but for small family companies, this should be a very good scheme for retaining skilled employees, by gradually bringing them back to (hopefully) full time working.

Also, if there is a glut of work one week, but then a quiet couple of weeks or even just a day or two then it should work very well.

jakeclarke

I work for a small family run garden centre with about 28 full time & 6 part time staff. Even though we are very busy right now, we predict August-November to be very quiet. Which is why we are hoping us full time staff (previously furloughed) can drop down to part time in those quieter months, Aug, Sep, Oct. We can use our holidays in November and expect to be busy in December for Christmas.