Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to support businesses with employees who may be reluctant to come off of furlough arrangements and return to the workplace as covid-19 restrictions are eased.

As clearly stated in the CJRS guidance, employees will need to be able to work for the employer that has placed them on furlough if their employer decides to stop furloughing them or start flexibly furloughing them.

If the employer decides to take an employee off furlough and has followed the correct contractual procedures and it is reasonable to expect the employee to return, then the employee may be in breach of contract and subject to disciplinary action if they refuse to work.