Coronavirus Employment Update 9/4/2020

We have a number of employment news articles related to the Coronavirus this week including:

Updated Guidance on the Job Retention Scheme - Employees

This helpful guidance provides information for employees on furlough arrangements and includes who is eligible; amounts that will be paid; working for another employer while on furlough; what happens if an employee does not wish to be furloughed, etc.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-you-could-be-covered-by-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme#while-youre-on-furlough    

Furlough - Q&A - CIPD

https://www.cipd.co.uk/news-views/coronavirus/faqs/furlough?utm_source=mc&utm_medium=email&utm_content=cipdupdate_08042020.EdL3_Furlough_FAQs&utm_campaign=cipd_update&utm_term=1143814

What about Annual Leave?

We have had many questions over the last week or so about holidays during furlough.  While explicit answers are difficult to come by this document from Jones Cassidy Brett helpfully explores some of the key holiday issues:
https://www.legal-island.com/globalassets/pdf-documents/annual-leave-03.04.20.pdf 

The Establishment and Agencies (Fitness of Workers) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020
These regulations amend certain Regulations made under the Health and Personal Social Services (Quality, Improvement and Regulation) (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 in respect of nursing homes, residential care homes, nursing agencies, children’s homes, day care settings, domiciliary care agencies and residential family centres to effectively speed up recruitment processes.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2020/60/note/made 

Business Closures has Biggest Impact on Female and Younger Workers - according to the research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52176666

Updated Apprenticeship Guidance
The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) is implementing new measures, for the duration of the pandemic, to make it easier for apprenticeships to continue and complete in a different way if they need to, or to break and resume an apprenticeship later when that becomes possible.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-apprenticeship-programme-response/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-apprentices-employers-training-providers-end-point-assessment-organisations-and-external-quality-assurance-pro

Economic shock to NI becoming clearer:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-52161228 

NI Chamber & BDO Survey Reveals Major Economic Impact Of Covid-19:
https://mcusercontent.com/a8d0918df141d8b8b48b21e15/files/23773b78-35e9-49a3-aaa6-226613b64e39/200408_Final_QES_Report.pdf 

Lockdown to Last for Foreseeable Future:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-52216127 

Employment Risks for Pregnant Employees During Covid-19 Crisis:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/coronavirus-pregnant-women-work-guidelines-a9456291.html

International Covid-10 Employment and Benefits Arrangements:
https://www.internationallawoffice.com/files/Covid3.pdf   

European Commission Mobilises All Of Its Resources To Protect Lives And Livelihoods
The coronavirus outbreak is testing Europe in ways that would have been unthinkable only a few weeks ago. The depth and the breadth of this crisis requires a response unprecedented in scale, speed and solidarity.  The Commission is further increasing its response by proposing to set up a €100 billion solidarity instrument to help workers keep their incomes and help businesses stay afloat, called SURE.  More here:
https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?langId=en&catId=89&newsId=9637&furtherNews=yes 

COVID-19 – The Impact On UK Pension Scheme Funding:
https://riskandcompliance.freshfields.com/post/102g401/covid-19-the-impact-on-uk-pension-scheme-funding-and-potential-actions-which-em 

Martin Lewis explains coronavirus income support for self-employed people:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1avPs2nciAY

COVID-19 and Immigration:
Fraser Vandal, TLT considers the implications of the Governments recently issued guidance.
https://www.tltsolicitors.com/insights-and-events/insight/covid-19-and-immigration/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=covid-19%20and%20immigration 

£20 Million For Ambitious Technologies To Build UK Resilience Following Coronavirus Outbreak
Businesses could help boost the UK’s resilience to the long-term impact of the coronavirus outbreak and similar situations in the future, as a result of £20 million government funding announced.  Grants of up to £50,000 will be available to technology and research-focussed businesses to develop new ways of working and help build resilience in industries such as delivery services, food manufacturing, retail and transport, as well as support people at home in circumstances like those during the coronavirus outbreak.  More from gov.uk:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/20-million-for-ambitious-technologies-to-build-uk-resilience-following-coronavirus-outbreak?utm_source=bf3fff86-c472-42d0-83be-0e1f8261b47e&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=daily 

Welsh workplace two-metre rule 'not absolute ban':
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-52182486