PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Employment: Coronavirus (7 December 2020)

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure that employers are not neglecting their duty of care and their responsibility to article 14 of the Human Rights Act 1998 when deciding which of their employees receive furlough during the covid-19 outbreak.

Asked by:
Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat)

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is a comprehensive, flexible and generous package of support for businesses. Any use of the scheme is a business decision to be made by employers.

Should businesses make use of the CJRS – or indeed choose not to use it – employees retain all their usual employment rights, including protection against discrimination of any form. All employers must honour all their legal obligations, and the Government will continue to use normal channels to ensure laws such as the Human Rights Act 1998 are respected.

Answered by:
Paul Scully (Conservative)
10 December 2020