Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) guidance now available

Updated guidance has been published on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), which has been extended to 31 March 2021 across the UK. There is a collection of guidance on eligibility and how the claim process operates.

Employers can start submitting claims from 11 November, for periods from 1 November, with all claims for November submitted by 14 December. The scheme, which will be reviewed in January, pays 80% of employees' usual wages for hours not worked, up to £2,500 per month. The employer and employee do not have to have used the scheme before to claim.

The guidance on which employees are eligible confirms that 'Employers can furlough employees who are clinically extremely vulnerable, at the highest risk of severe illness from coronavirus or off on long-term sick leave. It is up to employers to decide whether to furlough these employees' and describes how the CJRS scheme interacts with the SSP rebate scheme.

The updated shielding guidance is here.