Pandemic | Gordon Ramsay embroiled in furlough furore

Since the coronavirus pandemic hit, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, unveiled the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) which is a temporary package to support employers and employees throughout this difficult time.

The scheme, which currently sees furloughed workers paid 80% of their monthly wages by the taxpayer – which can be up to £2,500 per month – was recently extended until the end of October 2020.

Last Friday at the daily Downing Street press briefing, Sunak announced that employers must start contributing towards the furlough scheme from August and laid out several flexible adaptations for the current operation of the scheme, including the ability for employers to bring staff back for a few days a week.

The CJRS was intended to support businesses that have temporarily closed due to the pandemic, and to prevent large-scale redundancies.