Ending furlough

When a furlough agreement ends, the employer and employee go back to their earlier contractual arrangements, unless a change is agreed.

To end furlough, employers should give staff notice in writing.

The furlough agreement might say how much notice to give. If it does not, there is no minimum - but employers should give as much notice as possible.

Employers should:

• talk to staff about any plans to end furlough as early as possible
• encourage staff to raise any concerns or problems about returning to work

Download a letter template to end furlough 

Returning to the workplace

If an employer plans for staff to return to the workplace, they should consider:

• flexible working arrangements
• making reasonable adjustments
• keeping the workplace safe
• how the workplace might reopen

Find out more about planning to return to the workplace 

If people have been on furlough for a long time

Employers should be considerate to staff who are returning to work.

They should consider:

• employee wellbeing, including mental health
• giving employees time to adjust to being back in work
• offering training or refresher courses

If an employee has any concerns about returning to work, they should raise them with their line manager or employer.

Changes after furlough

Employers should discuss any changes with employees and their representatives (for example, a recognised trade union).

They should follow the usual processes for:

• changing an employment contract 
• redundancy 

Source: Acas website