If you have been watching the latest government lockdown updates and have discovered that your business could be reopening within the next couple of weeks, you’re probably starting to think about how you reassemble your team and relaunch your business. If you aren’t you definitely should be. All businesses should be having conversations about bringing staff members back from Furlough, continuing homeworking where appropriate, and managing staffing levels and working hours.

We’ve had a lot of clients asking us questions about how to bring their team back from Furlough and the technicalities related to it, so we’ve compiled the most frequent questions and answers here.

How much notice do I have to give in asking my Furloughed staff members to return to work?

Legally, there is no minimum length of notice required, but we would argue that you have to give sufficient time for your staff members to put adequate plans in place. With news that only some schools are reopening and then only to certain year groups, that grandparents still can’t look after grandchildren, and social distancing still fully in operation it would be unfeasible to expect your team to drop everything and be at work tomorrow.

It’s also worth remembering that your staffing requirements may have significantly altered. With effective social distancing in place you may not be able to have all of your team back and working in your premises while keeping them safe.

Can I change my team’s working hours?

In short, yes you can, you can reduce or increase hours as needed. However, you must be aware that you are then entering into a new contract with them and should ensure that any changes are documented.

The Furlough scheme, as it currently exists, will continue to pay 80% of furloughed staffs’ wages until August. From August, businesses will be expected to contribute if they are still using the scheme.

For some employers, now is the time to consider discussing part time hours with Furloughed staff members. Others may now be considering redundancies. In all cases it is important to weigh up the costs and to look ahead to see if reducing staffing now could be a hinderance in the future. Yes, business will more than likely be down upon reopening with social distancing, but if you have skilled employees who have been trained by the company and who could be of use in the future, does the cost of retraining new staff outweigh the cost of keeping your existing team on your books?

My Furloughed staff members have taken on other jobs whilst Furloughed. What should I do?

At the start of lockdown there were lots of calls for Furloughed workers to go and take essential work, which many did. Thousands applied to work in supermarkets and on farms. The majority of contracts were short term and many may now be coming to an end. However, employers still have contracts with their Furloughed employees, so they should be expected to return to work. If they decide that they would rather stay where they are, they must provide you with their contractual notice and follow normal procedures. Again, this is why planning is important.

What do I do if some of my team are still shielding or have suffered a bereavement?

There isn’t any statutory right to bereavement leave unless someone has tragically lost a child, however, it is important to be sympathetic to the needs of your team members. Ensure that you offer them Occupational Health and Mental Health support where needed, check in with them, and invite them back to work when you are both happy. The same can be said for staff who are still shielding. If it is possible to keep them Furloughed for a period of time which allows them to feel safer, and it isn’t detrimental on the operation of your business, do so.

If you require any help, advice, or assistance in planning your staff members’ return to work, ensuring that your premises are set up for social distancing, or are considering contract changes and redundancies, get in touch with our team.