The government has provided some clarification on the relationship between furlough and annual leave.
The Easter bank holidays falling shortly after the introduction of the scheme raised practical issues for employers who were furloughing their staff. This is reflected in the most popular FAQs on XpertHR in April.
HM Revenue and Customs has now included information on annual leave for furloughed employees in an updated version of its guidance on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS). However, the question of whether an employer can require employees to take annual leave during a period of furlough remains uncertain.
The top 10 HR questions in April 2020:
1. Can an employee take annual leave while on furlough leave?
2. Which employees can be furloughed under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme?
3. Can an employee be furloughed if they are on maternity leave, or other family-related leave?
4. How should employers deal with bank holidays that fall within a period of furlough leave?
5. Does annual leave accrue during a period of lay-off or furlough?
6. Can an employer require employees to use their annual leave during the coronavirus outbreak?
7. What is the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme?
8. Can an employer rotate which employees are furloughed during the coronavirus crisis?
9. Does placing employees on furlough prevent the employer from making them redundant?
10. Which wage costs are covered under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme?
