4 November, 2020 Open access
4 November, 2020 Open access
Joseph Rowntree Foundation says government must set out clear, long-term plan covering different COVID-19 scenarios so that employers can plan effectively
The last minute announcement to extend the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) came too late for the many who had already lost their jobs, according to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF).
While acknowledging that the decision to extend the CJRS will provide an essential lifeline for many workers, the JRF suggests that the timing of the Prime Minister's statement - on the day the Scheme was due to come to an end - reduced its ability to protect jobs as employers had anticipated a continued reduction in trading capacity and less generous support to retain jobs through the winter, and had therefore already laid staff off.
Arguing that the Chancellor’s failure to provide clear policy for different coronavirus (COVID-19) scenarios has led to confusion, hampered businesses’ ability to plan, and undermined confidence in his own announcements, the JRF puts forward three urgent priorities to provide certainty for businesses and protect jobs -
For more information, see Last minute extension of furlough undermines its effectiveness from jrf.org.uk
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