The Government has said that staff must be furloughed for a minimum of three-weeks.  If your employer asks you to return to work before the end of a three-week period, they will no longer be able to claim through the scheme and you would be entitled to your normal pay for the time you were ‘furloughed’.    

An employer may decide to furlough staff on a rotation basis.  This is allowed by the scheme.  Any employee must be furloughed for a minimum of three weeks before they can be rotated.  Some employers may think this is a good option where they have a reduction in work but have not closed their business.