AIBU to ask you to email your MP about the workers already laid off as a result of COVID-19?

[MereDintofPandiculation]

The Chancellor offered protection of 80% of wages for employees who might otherwise be laid off. But nothing at all for those already laid off. In my area, a large employer contacted its staff yesterday to say they were being laid off today, the day of the Chancellor's announcement.

They are excluded from the Chancellor's provisions. He says "Employers will be able to contact HMRC for a grant to cover most of the wages of people who are not working but are furloughed and kept on payroll, rather than being laid off."

Those already laid off are entitled to Statutory Lay Off Pay. That is, £29 a day for no more than 5 days in a 13 week period - equivalent to £11 a week.

How is it fair that one group of workers should be retained on at least 80% pay, while another group find themselves set aside with nothing, having been laid off hours before the Chancellor's statement?

Few people are aware of the provisions for laying off. Please can you email your MP and draw their attention to this forgotten group of workers?

Well said .Employers have been jumping the gun .Their profits cannot possibly have been severely affected five days in .

He said from 28th Feb

It is backdated to employees on payroll as of end of Feb.

I’m so happy to have heard this as my H had to lay staff off. And yes, his business was affected quickly.

They haven't been forgotten. If they were on the payroll at 28 February they can be included.

@user1353245678533567 Can you explain this a little further? Is this something that the employer would need to initiate?

@user1353245678533567 And what would happen in the case of employees who had found alternative paid work (as they are entitled to do when laid off)?

Yes, what others have said. They've backdated it to the end of last month.

If they've found work then I doubt they'd be entitled.

YABU for making statements which are totally factually incorrect.

@user1353245678533567 Are you sure that is right? He's backdating the paying of wages to Mar 1st "The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will cover the cost of wages backdated to March 1st" but he earlier explicitly excluded workers who are already laid off "Employers will be able to contact HMRC for a grant to cover most of the wages of people who are not working but are furloughed and kept on payroll, rather than being laid off."

I read this as "If you have not already laid people off, you can apply for a grant to cover up to 80% of their wages, backdated to 1 March. But you cannot apply for a grant to cover the wages of people you have already laid off".

Or do you think he is using "furloughed" to mean "laid off" and by "laid off" he means "terminated their employment"?

Who initiates? Employer or former zero hours workers?

Yes, what others have said. They've backdated it to the end of last month. They've backdated the payment, but the Chancellor said "Employers will be able to contact HMRC for a grant to cover most of the wages of people who are not working but are furloughed and kept on payroll, rather than being laid off." which explicitly excludes people who are laid off.

It is backdated to employees on payroll as of end of Feb. goodwinter Can you give a reference to this? It's not in his speech.

Those on UC will get £1000 per year added to their UC claim so an extra £19 a week so a single person will get about £92 per week to live on instead £73 which I might add has not increased since 2008!

I truly hope that this is a massive wake up call for everyone who thinks that our benefit system is to generous

Apologies OP, I may have crossed wires on end Feb - looks like it's 1st March.

Speech transcript can be found here: www.gov.uk/government/speeches/the-chancellor-rishi-sunak-provides-an-updated-statement-on-coronavirus

Companies can hire back people they have laid off and keep them - effectively on unpaid leave - but with 80% of salary or 2500 pcm whichever is lowest.
That is what I read - but it's my hopeful interpretation so please don't jump on me if that's not correct. All will become clearer on Monday - look on uk.gov and check for employee help. Good luck everyone. Stay inside. Stay safe.

@goodwinter Thanks, yes I'd already read the speech transcript before my OP. The key bits are:

"Employers will be able to contact HMRC for a grant to cover most of the wages of people who are not working but are furloughed and kept on payroll, rather than being laid off."
"The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will cover the cost of wages backdated to March 1st*

The first quote seems to specifically exclude those who are laid off.
The second says the government will pay the wages of those covered back to March 1st; it doesn't say that it's backdating the scheme to all those laid off since March 1st.

Here you go OP:

It is understood that the wage subsidy will apply to firms where bosses have already had to lay off workers due to the coronavirus, as long as they are brought back into the workforce and instead granted a leave of absence

www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/business-51982005

Thanks, goodwinter, that looks hopeful. Guess we have to wait to see what the full guidance says.