Too many employers are refusing to take advantage of the JRS scheme

The government has today announced that it is extending the period of its Job Retention Scheme (JRS) by a month.

The JRS is the scheme by which employers can furlough their workers and receive 80% of their wages from government

Mike Clancy, general secretary of Prospect, responding to the extension of the Job retention Scheme period, said:

“With lockdown extended and many industries facing a prolonged period of difficulty, it is welcome that the government has lengthened the period of the Job Retention Scheme.

“There are still too many employers refusing to take advantage of the scheme, even though their industries have completely shut down, leaving employees relying on an overstretched and much less generous benefits system through no fault of their own.

“The government needs to remove the remaining uncertainty around the scheme by clarifying that HMRC will only refuse genuinely fraudulent claims. Employers who need to and can furlough staff should do so, even if this means re-hiring staff after short-term contracts have expired.”