Agreeing to Flexibly Furlough Employees

Please Note: The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme ended on 30 September 2021. Claims for September must be submitted on or before 14 October 2021. Any amendments must be made on or before 28 October 2021.

Since 1st July 2020, employers are able to bring employees back to work for any amount of time, and any work pattern, under the flexible furloughing rules.


Should you wish to flexibly furlough employees, you will need to agree this with the employee (or reach collective agreement with a trade union) and keep a new written agreement that confirms the new furlough arrangement. You’ll need to:

• make sure that the agreement is consistent with employment, equality and discrimination laws
  
  
• keep a written record of the agreement for six years
  
  
• keep records of how many hours your employees work and the number of hours they are furloughed (i.e. not working).

A template agreement letter is available here .


Please note: you do not need to place all your employees on furlough and you can continue to fully furlough employees if you wish. Employees cannot undertake any work for you during time that you record as them being on furlough.