‘Retrograde step’ | Staff asked to pay back furlough money

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) has proven to be a lifeline for hundreds of businesses and their staff in the UK, as it has allowed many employers to keep staff and secure jobs amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Yet, it has been alleged that some workers are being asked to contribute to furlough payments from their own wages.

According to The Stage, offstage workers are being asked to sign contracts requiring them to repay their employer furlough contributions from their own pay packet once shows can resume in the UK, industry bodies have said.

The plans to ask workers to pay these fees has been described as a ‘retrograde step’ that could also cast doubt on the future of these professionals within the sector.