Future of work | Could furlough last for two years?

Since the coronavirus pandemic gripped the UK, the Government has offered support to keep individuals in employment as businesses had to close their doors to curb the spread of the virus.

Known as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), it allowed employers to apply for a loan to pay for up to 80% of staff wages, however this relief for employers will only be available until the end of October this year.

However, Germany is expected to extend its pandemic furlough scheme to 24 months after Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany, indicated that she would be happy for the Kurzarbeit programme to continue.

According to the Guardian, the Chancellor’s spokesperson said that she was ‘positively’ inclined towards the suggestion to extend the support scheme, which allows firms to put their staff on part-time work to reduce their costs.