Re-entering furlough

Moopa_2

I'm an agency worker working through an umbrella company. In March I was furloughed for 3 weeks and then brought back to work, mainly to work on COVID related adjustments to work, my contract came to an end last week as I'd completed the COVID part of the work and the job I'd been hired to do was no longer required due to business changes due to COVID.  From reading the HMRC guidance I think I should be able to go back on the furlough scheme, I had been registered prior to June 10th, my agency is continuing Furlough through July and into August, however they have told me the scheme is closed and I cannot be put back on furlough. While I realise the onus is on the employer, would I be right to assume the only thing stopping them putting me back on to furlough is their choice not to? If there's something I've missed in the scheme preventing it then that's fair enough, however I'm happy to have the argument with them if that's not the case.

Jeremy535897

Whilst they may be able to furlough you, it will start to cost them more to do it from August.

Moopa_2

They are continuing to furlough staff through August. However I have just been told that they haven't refurloughed anyone due to the complex administrative nature of doing so, which seems like a strange excuse considering the entire organisation is just an administrative function for dealing with pay.

Jeremy535897

The trouble is they don't need an excuse. They don't have to furlough anyone.

Moopa_2

No, but it does seem unfair to impose these arbitrary rules which have not been communicated to their employees in any of their numerous communications. Suffice to say I will be putting a complaint in, though I'm not confident it will do anything

jimkelly

It's no more complex to furlough someone now than it was before.

If anything, it's less complex as they already know the procedure and also have the letter template ready on their systems for you.  They just need to update the dates.  It would take all of 2 minutes, plus adding you to the list when they claim.

As you say, the employer needs to have furloughed you previously for your ongoing eligibility for the scheme.

Moopa_2

Good news, after a bit of back and forth they've now agreed to cover it