Can furloughed employees start a new apprenticeship?
Yes. By undertaking an Apprenticeship, the “apprentice” is not providing a “service” or “generating direct revenue” for the company. We are more than happy to support new enrolments for furloughed employees during this period.
We feel that keeping employees engaged & busy, maintaining & developing skills will hold you in good stead once businesses start to return to normality. Apprenticeship learning, as always, is an excellent way to do this.
What if you’re already enrolled on an apprenticeship?
Apprentices can be furloughed in the same way as other employees and continue to train.
You must be paid at least the Minimum Wage as appropriate, for all the time you spend training.
If workers are required to complete training courses whilst they are furloughed, then they must be paid at least their appropriate minimum wage for the time spent training, if this is more than the 80% of their wage, that will be subsidised.
You’re on furlough. What does this mean?
Once you are “on furlough” you will not be able to work for your employer.
You can undertake training, if you’re not:
- Making money for your employer.
- Providing services to your employer.
*Undertake (meaning) – commit oneself to and begin.
Are they eligible?
- Have completed year 11 at the end of the academic year.
- Have an employee with a contract of employment.
- Are expected to be contracted for the length of time of the programme.
- In the correct role to support the training.
- Have been a lawful UK resident for the last three years.
- Not currently attending school or college full time as a pupil or student.
- Not currently in higher education, including on a vacation period.
- Not an overseas national, subject to employment or training restrictions.
- Not in custody as a prisoner or on remand in custody.
How do Eden Training Solutions make this work?
Learning starts from day one with a remote enrolment session with all Eden apprentices.
Each qualification has adequate “theory learning” for the sessions to be comfortably completed remotely for the initial stages of the programme.
At Eden, we pride ourselves on our blended delivery models being bespoke and adaptable, which allows us to be flexible with our delivery, even in these challenging times through the use of innovative technology and on-line solutions.
What would we need from the employer?
We would need to speak with the employer to confirm that the students are furloughed, so we can ensure that we have evidence that they are “on furlough” with the intention to retain them in the business.
National Minimum Wage Considerations
(Furlough)
National Minimum Wage – Individuals are only entitled to the National Minimum Wage for the hours they are working. Therefore, furloughed workers, who are not working, must be paid the lower of 80% of their salary, or £2,500 even if, based on their usual working hours, this would be below NMW.
However, if workers are required to for example, complete training courses whilst they are furloughed, then they must be paid at least the NMW for the time spent training.
If this extends to more than the 80% of their wage, that will be subsidised by the employer.