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Coronavirus: Your workplace questions

Steve Bridger

| 0 Posts

Community Manager

26 Mar, 2020 16:59

At this difficult time, we'd like to offer people managers (and others) who are not CIPD Members an opportunity to ask questions about their specific workplace challenges.

We hope that collectively, the Community will feel able to chip in with guidance and signpost support and resources where these exist.

Thank you. 

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  • Steve Bridger what CIPD resources are being put behind this new open forum at this time of unprecedented crisis? I assume the plan isn’t just to rely on the usual suspect to chip in?

  • Steve Bridger

    | 0 Posts

    Community Manager

    27 Mar, 2020 08:12

    In reply to Keith:

    Hi Keith,

    We decided to start this single 'open' thread. No one is obliged to chip in, of course.
  • In reply to Steve Bridger:

    So do I take from that the CIPD is just leaving it up to members to support any non members with questions at this time? Seems a little unfair on already hard pressed colleagues.

    Disappointed in the CIPDs response to this
  • I will start it off then :)

    We have 27 people that we hired after the 28th of feb so they wouldnt be on our payroll until the 29th of March as we are a monthly payer, We had to furlough on the 25th unable to claim for these people. The gov site has been updated yesterday to say the following:

    If your employee is on unpaid leave
    Employees on unpaid leave cannot be furloughed, unless they were placed on unpaid leave after 28 February.

    I dont get this one because it also says:

    Employees hired after 28 February 2020 cannot be furloughed or claimed for in accordance with this scheme.

    I would appreciate if anyone in the community has a better understanding of this. We want to try and get these people a source of finance without having to make them redundant.
  • Hoping to get some guidance out to manager about how to manage employees remotely. Is there any links people could share of useful guidance/ content please?
  • Hi all,

    I'm very new to all this, and currently studying with MOL for my HR Diploma.

    I work for a company providing third party labour to a very large global distributor.

    We have 9 employees working on a site near to London, so far I have been able to put them up in a hotel, but these are now closing.

    One can travel home, but I am being asked by the directors to book the remaining 8 employees into 2/3 Airbnb's.

    I do not feel comfortable doing this as we are effectively creating 2/3 new households, and sending them into sites to do jobs where they cannot maintain a 2 metre distance.

    Does any one have any thoughts on this?

    I have tried to explain this to them, but just state the works are essential (replacing some fencing that is already in place on site, for new).
  • Hi all,

    I'm very new to all this, and currently studying with MOL for my HR Diploma.

    I work for a company providing third party labour to a very large global distributor.

    We have 9 employees working on a site near to London, so far I have been able to put them up in a hotel, but these are now closing.

    One can travel home, but I am being asked by the directors to book the remaining 8 employees into 2/3 Airbnb's.

    I do not feel comfortable doing this as we are effectively creating 2/3 new households, and sending them into sites to do jobs where they cannot maintain a 2 metre distance.

    Does any one have any thoughts on this?

    I have tried to explain this to them, but just state the works are essential (replacing some fencing that is already in place on site, for new).
  • In reply to Gordon Devlin:

    I have a similar position having taken someone on early March who wont be paid until the end of March. What do I do with this person?
  • In reply to Anwen Howells:

    Also, ....

    www.makeuk.org/.../covid19-faqs-17032020

    looks to be very comprehensive guidance from an impeccable source
  • Accruing Annual Leave during Furloughed Period:
    Clearly the accrual of annual leave is an additional cost that employers will have to take into account if at the end of the furlough period the outcome is redundancy - could anyone confirm that I have this correct? I appreciate the government has put in measures to allow people to carry over leave for two years, but in the event of a redundancy, would the only option be to pay accrued AL at 100% wage? Thanks.
  • I have a client question I seem unable to get an answer for, either from HMRC (can't get through, nothing specific enough online), Citizen's Advice, Acas or the CIPD factsheets and threads so would appreciate input from the network - and forgive me if this has already been asked and answered:

    Is it possible for workers to be furloughed due to Covid-19 and to also be able to claim Universal Credit? Or does one exclude the other?

    It's a question that impacts quite a large proportion of a couple of clients' workforces, so I'd like to be able to point them towards answers if I can.

    Many thanks in advance, and hope all of you are safe and well.
    Kim

  • In reply to Kim:

    [deleted]
  • In reply to Lucy:

    Have you tried the Low Incomes Tax Reform Group website?

  • I would appreciate some advice please. My employer works in the restoration of classic cars so he is technically a 'garage' and therefore in the essential businesses but this is the only work we do. I do not feel we should be open under the current restrictions but he is threatening all the staff that they will lose their jobs if we close.
    We have two staff members who are in the vulnerable category and have been told to shield themselves. He is refusing to furlough them so they have both been forced to go off on sick pay.
    I would appreciate comments or advice on this. I know, myself what I think should happen but would like to hear from others. Thanks
  • Marek

    | 0 Posts

    CIPD Staff

    30 Mar, 2020 16:01

    In reply to Kim:

    Hi Kim, they should not be mutually exclusive - an employee on furlough can claim Universal Credit if they qualify. Here's the gov.uk employee guidance: www.gov.uk/.../covid-19-guidance-for-employees