The governments Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme announced on 20th March 2020 (with backdated options to 1st March 2020) originally indicated that employment had to commence up to 28th February 2020, excluding any new employment starters from the scheme.
In an attempt to prevent (or so claimed) fraud, an extra condition of having to have been reported on Real Time Information (RTI) Full Payment Submission (FPS) was also required. This resulted in all new starters who missed the February payroll cut-off from qualifying under the government scheme. An announcement a number of weeks later extended the cut-off to 19th March 2020, the day before the original announcement of the scheme.
For those on weekly pay, the extension will have benefitted. However, for those paid monthly, even when employed before 28th February, unless paid and reported by 19th March 2020, those changing jobs did not qualify the employer for the government grant.
A campaign (and Facebook page) has been launched under the banner #NEWSTARTERJUSTICE to lobby and campaign for a sizeable workforce who are not covered by furlough. it aim is to have the government accept verifiable job offers and even commencement of working as entitlement to furlough.
PAYadvice.UK 5/5/2020