Originally written by Helen Watson on Small Business
With the Job Retention Scheme (JRS) coming to an end and the Job Support Scheme (JSS) taking its place, employers wanting to take advantage of the new scheme will need to enter discussions with staff about working reduced hours and cutting pay.
#1 – Review the employment contract
Any change to an employee’s hours of work and pay will amount to a contractual change of their current terms and conditions of employment. Despite the new government scheme being introduced, this does not give a unilateral right to change an employee’s terms and conditions of employment. It is important to review their current terms and any contractual rights to amend terms, on a temporary or permanent basis, before consulting with the employee about the proposed changes.
#2 – Consider whether reduced staff hours are appropriate
Employers should consider whether reduced staff hours are appropriate bearing in mind that the JSS is designed to support “viable” jobs only. To be eligible for the scheme, an employer must be able to provide at least a third (33 per cent) of the employee’s normal contracted working hours. If this is not possible, then other options may be more appropriate, such as