In this special HR Uprising Podcast episode, Lucinda talks to HR Expert Tom Blake about the details of the recently announced Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. They also discuss the facts and fiction surrounding furloughing, along with the right up to date clarifications from HMRC.

 

Certainly, we hope to clear up any confusion around this specialist topic on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme! With guidance on current clarifications, and emphasising the need for documentation, you should have the tools you need to get to grips with furloughing.

 

Please note that this show was recorded on the 30th March 2020. Therefore, please refer to the most up to date HMRC guidance for any changes or further clarifications.

 

Key Takeaways
Furloughing is a status that can be applied to employees instead of making them redundant.
The Furloughing programme is for zero work, it does not cover reduced working hours.
This is a grant which will be available to be repaid at the end of April.
The employer continues to pay 80% of the salary which is capped at £2500. This money is subject to tax and National Insurance.
You can be furloughed if you have no work, not because you have childcare duties.
If you are self-isolating out of choice and there is work still available to you then you cannot be furloughed. Instead, you may receive Statutory Sick Pay (SSP).
There is still a need for clarification as to whether individuals who have been identified by the NHS as at risk and are therefore required to ‘shield’ but cannot get to work can be furloughed. At the time of this recording, it is unclear as to whether this should be SSP or eligible for furlough.
Above all, document any decision you are making and date it along with your interpretation of the rules that are in place at that time. Therefore, you have a pack of information that can be referred back to if HMRC query it in 12-18 months' time.

 

Best Moments
'Martin Lewis is a personal finance expert and I believe that is where his expertise should stay, he is not an employment expert.’
‘This doesn’t trump Employment Law’
‘I’m not normally this nice to HMRC but I think we have to give credit where credit is due’
'In my experience, HMRC has accepted the position I have taken as an employer 9/10 times if I have documented and dated the decisions I am making at that time.'

 

Valuable Resources
Join the HR Uprising LinkedIn Group
Host of The HR Uprising Podcast, Lucinda Carney, is also the founder and CEO of Actus Software, where you can find additional free HR Resources: https://actus.co.uk/free-performance-management-resources/
Download Tom’s synopsis of the rules to date: https://www.blakeconnolly.co.uk/
HMRC on Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme

 

About The Guest

Tom Blake is a Global HR Director and Executive Coach. With an extensive background in complex multinational organisations, he certainly understands the pressures that businesses face in an ever-changing and complex world. Therefore, one of his key focuses is on helping organisations understand how to interpret complex employment legislation. He also enables organisations to develop through delivering executive leadership development. Currently, his focus is on helping businesses implement the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
Tom Blake on Linkedin
Tom Blake on Twitter

 

About The Host

Lucinda Carney is a Business Psychologist with 15 years in Senior Corporate L&D roles and a further 10 as CEO of Actus Software where she worked closely with HR colleagues helping them to solve the same challenges across a huge range of industries. It was this breadth of experience that inspired Lucinda to set up the HR Uprising community to facilitate greater collaboration across HR professionals in different sectors, helping them to ‘rise up’ together.

 

"When we look up we rise up”

 

Contact Method
Join the HR Uprising LinkedIn community - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13714397/
Email: Lucinda@advancechange.co.uk
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucindacarney/
Twitter: @lucindacarney
Instagram: @hruprising
Facebook: @hruprising
YouTube: Channel

 

In this special HR Uprising Podcast episode, Lucinda talks to HR Expert Tom Blake about the details of the recently announced Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. They also discuss the facts and fiction surrounding furloughing, along with the right up to date clarifications from HMRC.
&nbsp;
Certainly, we hope to clear up any confusion around this specialist topic on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme! With guidance on current clarifications, and emphasising the need for documentation, you should have the tools you need to get to grips with furloughing.
&nbsp;
Please note that this show was recorded on the 30th March 2020. Therefore, please refer to the most up to date HMRC guidance for any changes or further clarifications.
&nbsp;
Key Takeaways
<ul>
<li>Furloughing is a status that can be applied to employees instead of making them redundant.</li>
<li>The Furloughing programme is for zero work, it does not cover reduced working hours.</li>
<li>This is a grant which will be available to be repaid at the end of April.</li>
<li>The employer continues to pay 80% of the salary which is capped at &pound;2500. This money is subject to tax and National Insurance.</li>
<li>You can be furloughed if you have no work, not because you have childcare duties.</li>
<li>If you are self-isolating out of choice and there is work still available to you then you cannot be furloughed. Instead, you may receive Statutory Sick Pay (SSP).</li>
<li>There is still a need for clarification as to whether individuals who have been identified by the NHS as at risk and are therefore required to &lsquo;shield&rsquo; but cannot get to work can be furloughed. At the time of this recording, it is unclear as to whether this should be SSP or eligible for furlough.</li>
<li>Above all, document any decision you are making and date it along with your interpretation of the rules that are in place at that time. Therefore, you have a pack of information that can be referred back to if HMRC query it in 12-18 months' time.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Best Moments
<ul>
<li>'Martin Lewis is a personal finance expert and I believe that is where his expertise should stay, he is not an employment expert.&rsquo;</li>
<li>&lsquo;This doesn&rsquo;t trump Employment Law&rsquo;</li>
<li>&lsquo;I&rsquo;m not normally this nice to HMRC but I think we have to give credit where credit is due&rsquo;</li>
<li>'In my experience, HMRC has accepted the position I have taken as an employer 9/10 times if I have documented and dated the decisions I am making at that time.'</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Valuable Resources
<ul>
<li>Join the <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13714397/">HR Uprising LinkedIn Group</a></li>
<li>Host of The HR Uprising Podcast, Lucinda Carney, is also the founder and CEO of Actus Software, where you can find additional free HR Resources: <a href="https://actus.co.uk/free-performance-management-resources/">https://actus.co.uk/free-performance-management-resources/</a></li>
<li>Download Tom&rsquo;s synopsis of the rules to date: <a href="https://www.blakeconnolly.co.uk/">https://www.blakeconnolly.co.uk/</a></li>
<li>HMRC on Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme</a></li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
About The Guest
Tom Blake is a Global HR Director and Executive Coach. With an extensive background in complex multinational organisations, he certainly understands the pressures that businesses face in an ever-changing and complex world. Therefore, one of his key focuses is on helping organisations understand how to interpret complex employment legislation. He also enables organisations to develop through delivering executive leadership development. Currently, his focus is on helping businesses implement the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
<ul>
<li>Tom Blake on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomblakehr/">Linkedin</a></li>
<li>Tom Blake on <a href="https://twitter.com/TheHRGuy_%2520%2520%2520">Twitter</a></li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
About The Host
<a href="https://hruprising.com/about-lucinda-carney/">Lucinda Carney</a> is a Business Psychologist with 15 years in Senior Corporate L&amp;D roles and a further 10 as CEO of Actus Software where she worked closely with HR colleagues helping them to solve the same challenges across a huge range of industries. It was this breadth of experience that inspired Lucinda to set up the HR Uprising community to facilitate greater collaboration across HR professionals in different sectors, helping them to &lsquo;rise up&rsquo; together.
&nbsp;
"When we look up we rise up&rdquo;
&nbsp;
Contact Method
<ul>
<li>Join the HR Uprising LinkedIn community - <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13714397/">https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13714397/</a></li>
<li>Email: <a href="mailto:Lucinda@advancechange.co.uk">Lucinda@advancechange.co.uk</a></li>
<li>LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucindacarney/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucindacarney/</a></li>
<li>Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/LucindaCarney">@lucindacarney</a></li>
<li>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lucinda_hruprising/">@hruprising</a></li>
<li>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/HRUprising/?modal=admin_todo_tour">@hruprising</a></li>
<li>YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCElHrzfM0DVcvS7FuoQtOhw">Channel</a></li>
</ul>
&nbsp;

Welcome to the HR Uprising Podcast. 

This engaging podcast explores HR ‘hot’ topics and challenges through conversations with relevant experts and real-life HR; O.D. or L&D professionals.

HR Uprising is about creating an inclusive forum that enables us to share and learn from experts and everyday professionals. HR Uprising is all about learning through collaboration; taking evidence-based action and helping colleagues to have the confidence and skills to rise-up through their organisations by delivering real, lasting business value.

Hosted by Lucinda Carney a Business Psychologist; Experienced HR Change Agent; Entrepreneur; Speaker and Coach. There are two types of show format the ‘In focus’ episodes where Lucinda delves into a specialist topic in some depth and the ‘Conversations with’ series where we interview experts and people like you. Our hope is that shows are both informative and fun. 

You can access more information on each Podcast including resources or links mentioned in the show at our website www.hruprising.com. 

If you are a forward-thinking HR; L&D or O.D. professional who has a success story or challenge that others can learn from and you would like to be featured in future podcasts you can get in touch through one of the routes below.

Connect with us here: 
Join the linkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13714397/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucindacarney/
Twitter: @hruprising
Instagram: @hruprising
Facebook: @hruprising

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