We have a number of employment news articles related to the Coronavirus this week including:

Job Retention Scheme Goes live:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52346685

JRS Popularity

HMRC Tweeted on Tuesday of this week that the Job Retention Scheme launched on Monday achieved the following:

• 185,000 firms submitted claims
• 1,300,000 employees reported as furloughed so far
• Total value of £1.5bn

https://twitter.com/HMRCgovuk/status/1252616495407992834?mc_cid=18b23520d5&mc_eid=49e0693a0c

A Fifth of Workers in UK Furloughed:
https://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/news/articles/fifth-workers-furloughed-average-ons-figures-show?utm_source=mc&utm_medium=email&utm_content=pm_daily_17042020.Fifth+of+workers+furloughed+on+average%2c+ONS+figures+show&utm_campaign=7295441&utm_term=568745

Step by Step Guide to Claiming:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-job-retention-scheme-step-by-step-guide-for-employers

Guide to Calculating 80% of an Employee's Wages:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/work-out-80-of-your-employees-wages-to-claim-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme

Updated Guidance for Employers:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme

Updated Guidance for Employees:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-you-could-be-covered-by-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme

Excellent Summary of Updates From TLT Solicitors:
https://www.tltsolicitors.com/insights-and-events/insight/the-job-retention-scheme-furlough-further-guidance/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=jrs%3a%20qualification%20date%20change%2c%20holiday%20during%20furlough%20and%20treasury%20direction

Government Launches New Coronavirus Business Support Finder Tool 

A new ‘support finder’ tool will help businesses and self-employed people across the UK to quickly and easily determine what financial support is available to them during the coronavirus pandemic. The finder tool on GOV.UK will ask business owners to fill out a simple online questionnaire, which can take minutes to complete, and they will then be directed to a list of all the financial support they may be eligible for.  Find our more here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-launches-new-coronavirus-business-support-finder-tool?utm_source=72ee83f6-faee-4c8e-989f-b7acc873bc8c&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=daily

The Statutory Sick Pay (General) (Coronavirus Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 

These Regulations amend the Statutory Sick Pay (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1982. The effect of the amendment is that Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is extended to a person who is deemed to be incapable of work because the person is advised to stay at home to shield themselves as they are extremely vulnerable and at very high risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19) because of an underlying health condition.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2020/66/contents/made

Six Ways The Lockdown Has Changed The UK:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-52229828

Social restrictions to last for ‘rest of the year’:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-52389285

Rules That Have Been Relaxed To Help Businesses During The Coronavirus Pandemic

A list of the rules that have been temporarily relaxed to make it easier for businesses to continue working through the disruption caused by coronavirus (COVID-19).
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/rules-that-have-been-relaxed-to-help-businesses-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic?utm_source=b0484a68-8e76-4ec6-bcd1-2b3ec4947d46&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=daily

Covid-19 Guidance on Interim Payment Scheme for Solicitors

A qualifying condition for a solicitor to apply under the Proposed Covid-19 Interim Payment Scheme is that in any case in which a barrister has been certified, the barrister has been added to a case.  Failure to comply with this requirement will mean that an application under the Proposed Covid-19 Interim Payment Scheme will be refused.
https://www.justice-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/justice/proposed-covid-19-interim-payment-scheme-barristers-guidance.pdf

Covid-19 Guidance for NI Courts:
https://www.justice-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/justice/covid-19-guidance-for-courts-message-from-lcj-march-24.pdf

NI Engagement Forum Publishes Guidance and Priority List

The Forum is chaired by the Labour Relations Agency (LRA) and consists of representatives from business organisations, trade unions, local councils, government, the Health and Safety Executive NI, Public Health Agency and Food Standards Agency.  It drew up a list of priority business sectors and developed guidance on safe working practices during the current COVID-19 crisis. The Minister presented these to the Executive today, which agreed to publish both papers.
https://www.economy-ni.gov.uk/news/minister-publishes-engagement-forum-guidance-and-priority-sector-list

Clarification on Workplace Safety Guidance & Priority List from NI Engagement Forum (Incl. Narrative)
https://www.ictuni.org/news/2020/04/21/workplace-safety-guidance-priority-list-from-ni-en/

Guidance available here:
https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/content/coronavirus-workplace-safety-guidance-and-priority-sector-list-published

Priority Sectors List:
https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/sites/default/files/Priority-Sectors-List_0.pdf

COVID-19 Pressure Points: Impact of COVID-19 on class actions (UK):
https://hsfnotes.com/litigation/2020/04/22/covid-19-pressure-points-impact-of-covid-19-on-class-actions-uk/

Why the Pandemic May Make the Gender Pay Gap Wider:
https://www.marieclaire.co.uk/life/work/gender-pay-disparity-after-lockdown-695044

Economy Minister announces how vocational qualifications will be awarded

Economy Minister Diane Dodds has announced how vocational qualifications will be awarded to learners in Northern Ireland and stressed that the majority should be awarded by the end of August.

There may be some exceptions:

"A calculated result will not be suitable for all vocational qualifications, such as those used for occupational competence or licence to practice. Where calculation is not possible, consideration will be given to adapting assessments and/or delivery models where this would not undermine the validity and reliability of the result. Only in cases where this is not possible, should delay be considered."
https://www.economy-ni.gov.uk/news/economy-minister-announces-how-vocational-qualifications-will-be-awarded