We are doing the same. I haven't seen any templates anywhere so we are writing our own and running it through our employment lawyer.

We are doing the same, so templates would be fab

In reply to Stefanie:

Hi all,

I found this website really useful!

www.makeuk.org/.../covid-19-furlough-letter-to-employee

Why reinvent the wheel :)

Kind Regards
Christine

Hello Community Colleagues. Is there anyone else out there that has an issue with contract sites? We have a few staff that work over multiple sites. One that is remaining open (so no furlough) and one that will close (so furlough an option). Oh what to do??? Any suggestions?

Try this link ahrconsultants.co.uk/.../Coronavirus-job-retention-scheme-toolkit.pdf

In reply to Sylvia:

Thank you - much appreciated

While it is clear that while furloughed holiday entitlement will accrue normally, what is not clear is how that should actually work in practice. Can a company force those furloughed to take holiday? If a holiday year bridges the furlough period is any accrued holiday entitlement automatically lost?

If holiday accrues, at the end of the furlough period an organisation could be hit by a tsunami of holiday requests not only from those furloughed, but those who worked and didn't take any holiday, as who would book holiday when there is only self-isolation on offer?

Some businesses are addressing the issue by stating that although holiday does accrue, accrued holiday must be taken during the furlough period i.e. "Whilst you are in the furlough period, you are required to take any holiday entitlement which has accrued and is outstanding as at today’s date and all holiday leave that accrues during your furlough period."

From a business perspective, accrued holiday if not addressed could be very damaging to a business that is trying to recover.

It may not be "fair", but in these extraordinary times business have a clear choice, either have accumulated holiday used during the furlough period and have it covered financially through the job retention scheme, or allow it to accumulate unchecked and be faced with funding it in full and a headache to administer, all while trying to recover.

The current furlough period is expected to be 3 months, but if it is extended to say 6, the problem doubles.

In reply to Martin:

Just an update to my previous postings, I am now seeing numerous of requests from employees canceling previously booked holiday, and some even wanting to re-book it for August/September. People seem to think that after this is all over things are just going to return to normal, when it is almost guaranteed that there will have to be a new normal.

Talk of employees being able to carry over holiday entitlement for two year sounds fair, but should they then leave they will need to be compensated for the accrued holiday and for some recovering companies that could represent an enormous uncontrolled burden.

Most organisations would perhaps be wise to use the means that are at their disposal to rid themselves of the threat that accrued holiday represents and then, from a position of strength, give back what they can afford once the dust has settled.

Many businesses are like ships taking on water, some have already sunk, some in the life boats trying to save the livelihoods of as many as they can, so what is right and fair, may not be affordable.

In reply to Martin:

We have many operational staff that have been furloughed and as an employer have decided to pay the 20% so that they continue to receive 100% pay.

The main complaint that we are receiving is from those that continue to work won't get "a nice long paid period for nothing and get holiday on top"!

The government advice is currently too vague and does not provide a balanced approach as most employers will have both non furloughed and furloughed employees. We need to be fair to both.

There could be a equality claim lurking if the furloughed time off significantly benefits one group more than another.

In reply to Christine:

Hi there, are you aware of any template for ending a period of furlough and bringing the employee back to work?

In reply to Jacqui:

The link that Sylvia posted above has a template in it

ahrconsultants.co.uk/.../Coronavirus-job-retention-scheme-toolkit.pdf

In reply to Jacqui:

The link that Sylvia posted above has a template in it

ahrconsultants.co.uk/.../Coronavirus-job-retention-scheme-toolkit.pdf

In reply to Jacqui:

The link that Sylvia posted above has a template in it

ahrconsultants.co.uk/.../Coronavirus-job-retention-scheme-toolkit.pdf

Did you ever put together or find a letter incorporating the two any guidance on your choice of wording would be great. Did you go for instructional ‘you will take holidays’ or optional/choice hoping enough would take this up?

In reply to Hanna:

Hi Hanna we have not used compulsory holidays but we have a sell holiday scheme for 5 days and we have agreed that employees can take 10 days into next year as long as they are taken by end June 2021