| answer text |
<p>Schools will continue to receive their budgets for the coming year as usual, regardless
of any periods of partial or complete closure. Schools have autonomy over these budgets
and their employment arrangements and decisions on staffing are made at the local
level.</p><p>If supply staff employed via employment agencies are unable to work due
to COVID-19, their employment agency can place them on furlough and use the Coronavirus
Job Retention Scheme to claim for 80% of their wages, including during school holiday
periods, provided that the eligibility criteria are met. Further information on the
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme</a>.
The eligibility criteria is available to view her: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-which-employees-you-can-put-on-furlough-to-use-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-which-employees-you-can-put-on-furlough-to-use-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme</a>.</p><p>Employers
can now flexibly furlough their employees for the hours the employee would usually
have worked in that period, whilst also being able to work outside of the hours they
are furloughed. Employees can work for any amount of time, and any work pattern but
they cannot do any work for their employer during hours that employers record them
as being on furlough. Information on this is available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme#flexible-furlough-agreements"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme#flexible-furlough-agreements</a>.</p><p>The
decision to furlough an employee, fully or flexibly, is entirely at the employer's
discretion as it is dependent on a range of factors that the employer is best placed
to determine, for example, the amount of work available for employees.</p><p>Further
guidance on workforce planning can be found here: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/950510/School_national_restrictions_guidance.pdf"
target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/950510/School_national_restrictions_guidance.pdf</a>.</p>
|
|
