Questions and Answers

As I can now reopen my workplace, I am planning to take some of my staff off furlough. How much notice do I need to give an employee to bring them back from furlough?

When providing notice of a period of furlough coming to an end, what information should I provide to my staff?

I may have to lay off a significant number of my staff as a result of the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus. I understand that I can obtain financial help from the Government. Can you summarise the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention (“Furlough”) Scheme for me?

We are a small business and need to purchase some PPE for our essential workers. Does CE marking mean it is genuine?

I run a PSV under a Section 19 permit. Does it need to be PSVAR compliant — and do my drivers need Driver CPC?

My staff do not have the entitlement to leave on bank holidays written into their contracts.  This year I wish the business to close for a week over a bank holiday period.  How should I go about this?

What happens if an employee needs time off work to look after someone?

I am experiencing financial difficulties within my company. The time has come, I have now decided to cut costs, introduce short-time working to reduce the wage bill and get the business back on its feet again. All the staff have a clause in their contract of employment entitling me to lay them off work or to introduce short-time working. Is there any more that I should know?

My business is going through a bad spell. I can’t meet the present wage bill. Can I just put the staff on short-time working until the financial and economic situation improves? There is nothing in the staff’s contract of employment about this.

What is the difference between a lay-off and short-time working?