Coronavirus and football.

[Ram59]

Whether it does or doesn't, I tend to agree with it. Its anti competitive, not level playing field. However it cannot be an outright embargo, it has to be balanced against the size of the deferral - not quite sure how, but maybe escrow the deferred wages somehow

As with anything, it all seems well in theory. But in practise, you would penalise a small club running at break even, bit not having a big backer to cover the wages and so having to furlough staff. This club would be nowhere near the £13m loss per year allowed by FFP. Yet, a club losing £10m per year with a rich owner paying the wages won't be affected.

Is that right?

The first club is being run better, but will have a transfer ban.

[Geoff Parkstone]

That does raise a wierd question. If players get furloughed by a club, they - like any other furloughed employee - are not allowed to work for that employer.

Now since work, for a player, involves exercise and training, how can you rationalise this against the government allowing you to take exercise when at home?

In money terms, for the top couple of divisions at least, the 2500 furlough cap means that furloughing makes no material difference to wage cost. But for a National League team or "4th division" team, it very well might. So can these guys train??

[MadAmster]

That does raise a wierd question. If players get furloughed by a club, they - like any other furloughed employee - are not allowed to work for that employer.

Now since work, for a player, involves exercise and training, how can you rationalise this against the government allowing you to take exercise when at home?

In money terms, for the top couple of divisions at least, the 2500 furlough cap means that furloughing makes no material difference to wage cost. But for a National League team or "4th division" team, it very well might. So can these guys train??

Giving furloughed players a training schedule sounds like they would be "working" so they shouldn't be given one. However, most will have had one between lockdown and furlough. I would suppose that most would keep to that in order to be as fit as possible once they are allowed to return to "work" and in order to remain healthy. It's a grey area. Where does health and general fitness stop and "work" start. You couldn't really ban furloughed players from keeping fit anymore than you could, for instance, ban a furloughed IT worker from using the internet.

[AdiSalisbury]

Yes they can train (at home). They still have a responsibility to be able to perform they're duties on return, the club has every right to expect them to return ready to play.

[Geoff Parkstone]

So it's OK for, say, a furloughed office worker to do job related training?

Also when I have an HR supremo to hand, is it OK to read or even answer work emails when furloughed in order to be up to date when you return to perform your work?

[Andy_Faber]

So it's OK for, say, a furloughed office worker to do job related training?

Also when I have an HR supremo to hand, is it OK to read or even answer work emails when furloughed in order to be up to date when you return to perform your work?

I’m aware of people who are being furloughed and being INSTRUCTED by their bosses to ‘answer emails’, so effectively, do their job

[Geoff Parkstone]

My point precisely: but I've always advised clients to tell furloughed staff not to use work email account. It's loe hanging fruit for HMRC if and when they audit

[AdiSalisbury]

So it's OK for, say, a furloughed office worker to do job related training?

Yes.

Also when I have an HR supremo to hand, is it OK to read or even answer work emails when furloughed in order to be up to date when you return to perform your work?

The odd one here and there wouldn't do any harm. Beyond that, as with most these things, it's a judgement of reasonability. Effectively the Government don't want businesses using furlough to pay wages to staff that are still actively contributing to company performance. You'll never get a ticklist for this kind of thing, and it's not like there's a wealth of caselaw to read.

But for the football, you could easilly justify expecting players to remain fit and train at home. The current guidance is:

While you’re on furlough
Once you are on furlough you will not be able to work for your employer. You can undertake training or volunteer subject to public health guidance, as long as you’re not:

making money for your employer or a company linked or associated to your employer
providing services to your employer or a company linked or associated to your employer
If workers are required to, for example, complete training courses whilst they are furloughed, then they must be paid at least their appropriate minimum wage (NLW/NMW/AMW) for the time spent training, even if this is more than the 80% of their wage that will be subsidised.

Official Source

[AdiSalisbury]

So it's OK for, say, a furloughed office worker to do job related training?

Yes.

Also when I have an HR supremo to hand, is it OK to read or even answer work emails when furloughed in order to be up to date when you return to perform your work?

The odd one here and there wouldn't do any harm. Beyond that, as with most these things, it's a judgement of reasonability. Effectively the Government don't want businesses using furlough to pay wages to staff that are still actively contributing to company performance. You'll never get a ticklist for this kind of thing, and it's not like there's a wealth of caselaw to read.

But for the football, you could easilly justify expecting players to remain fit and train at home. The current guidance is:

While you’re on furlough
Once you are on furlough you will not be able to work for your employer. You can undertake training or volunteer subject to public health guidance, as long as you’re not:

making money for your employer or a company linked or associated to your employer
providing services to your employer or a company linked or associated to your employer
If workers are required to, for example, complete training courses whilst they are furloughed, then they must be paid at least their appropriate minimum wage (NLW/NMW/AMW) for the time spent training, even if this is more than the 80% of their wage that will be subsidised.

Official Source

My edit button has disappeared! Looks like I pasted over half my response, and can't be arsed to type it all again. Either way, I don't feel like an expert on furlough, we're all still trying to work it out. I'm sure it'll make a few lawyers rich(er)!

[Ram59]

So the FIFA medical committee chairman has come out and that no football should be allowed to go ahead before 1st September, at the earliest.

The Premier League doesn't seem to agree.