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Following news that Chancellor Rishi Sunak has extended the UK furlough scheme until April 2021, NLT Training Services is urging business not to forget about the training needs of furloughed staff.

With a vaccine now being rolled out and the furlough scheme due to end in April, now is the time to refresh the skills of employees, some of whom may have been out of the workplace for 12 months or more.

Government guidance allows for furloughed employees to undertake training on the basis that they are not making money for their employer or a company linked or associated to their employer) or providing services to their employer.

Where training is undertaken at the request of their employer, furloughed employees are entitled to be paid at least their appropriate national minimum wage. If the furlough payment does not cover the training hours, employers will have to pay the additional wages. To check the full guidance and see if you are eligible please visit here.

Sarah Temperton, Chief Executive of NLT Training Services commented: “Although many businesses may be in limbo at the moment, a light is on the horizon that we may all be able to return to work later in the year. To ensure businesses hits the ground running when restrictions are lifted, we are urging employers to access the training needs of their furloughed staff now.

“Business in 2021 is all about being flexible and thinking on your feet – why not use this time to get ahead?”

To support staff returning to work, NLT offers two e-learning courses – Returning to Retail and Returning to the Office – are available to purchase online now. Additionally, the CCNSG National Safety Passport is now available as a one-hour ‘Test only Renewal’.

The new online multiple-choice course, which is for existing Safety Passport holders, enables attendees to limit their time in a training room minimising their Covid exposure.

ECITB grant support may also be available towards online training through the Membership Services Portal. It’s website states ‘Furloughed staff using the Government’s Coronavirus Job retention scheme may still be able to undertake training so long as certain conditions are met (see guidance here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-you-could-be-covered-by-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme).’

To help employers manage the return of their staff to the workplace, the CIPD has produced a free guide which addresses risk assessments and health and safety measures as well as managing mental health. Download the free guide here.

For more information about the training offered at NLT Training Services, and for the full range of training courses offered, please browse our full course catalogue here. Or, if you have any questions or additional training needs, please get in touch here.