Please email: hr@royalautomobileclub.co.uk if you have any questions.

STAFF Q&A

A list of questions and answers can be viewed here, which will be added to over time. This includes further information about furlough leave. If you have a query which isn’t covered by the Q&A please ask your line manager or email: hr@royalautomobileclub.co.uk

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STAFF UPDATE – THURSDAY 26 MARCH 2020

Dear Colleagues,

Following Miles’ update on Monday, and the UK Government’s decision to enforce the ‘stay at home’ policy for the immediate future, the Club has further reviewed our ability to provide services to our members until the pandemic passes. This has a direct bearing on our requirement for staff to attend work while we are closed.

Member Services

The Government has now directed us to stay at home where possible to help limit the spread of the coronavirus. As such, we have reached the difficult decision not to reopen our golf courses, tennis courts and provide other member services, for the time being. It is vitally important for us to protect the health of our staff and members and to follow the Government’s advice at all times.

Impact on Staff

Whilst temporarily closing clubhouse operations means that, for most staff, they are not able to perform their normal job, other tasks still need to be carried out. For example, the Woodcote Park estate and golf courses will still need to be maintained, both clubhouses will need to remain safe and secure, and some minimum essential administrative tasks need to be conducted until we are able to reopen.

For this reason, the Club Management Committee, with the support of the Board, has decided to operate with a small core of actively working employees, initially for the next two months. It is important for you to understand that all our staff are important but, in order to safeguard your long-term employment and income, we will ask the majority of employees to take ‘furlough leave’.

What does ‘furlough’ mean?

Furlough leave means that, although you remain an employee of the Club, you are not required to attend or carry out work. As announced by the Government last Friday, the scheme aims to encourage employers to retain employees during the pandemic – which is the Club’s overriding intent. Managers (supported by the HR team) will advise staff tomorrow, Friday 27 March, if they are required to work – or if you are now to be put on furlough leave for the months of April and May. This will be determined practically on skill sets and job roles.

If I am ‘furloughed’, do I still get paid?

As communicated last Thursday, all staff will continue to receive full pay for the month of April, regardless of whether you are working or not. Pay for the month of May and beyond will be reviewed in mid-April and further communications will follow at that time. At this stage we have limited information about the scheme and more information will be shared with you as we receive it.

If I am asked to work, will I receive full pay and will I work my full contractual hours?

As mentioned above, all staff will receive full pay for the month of April. We are now reviewing pay for the month of May for staff who are actively working and will communicate further with you in mid-April. We are currently working on rotas and working hours for those that will be required to work and will advise you of this in due course. The situation is, of course, fluid and we are grateful for your flexibility.

Will you conduct the annual salary review in April?

After careful consideration, and with the intention of ensuring job security for employees in the long term, there will be no salary increase in 2020.

Next Steps

As mentioned above, we will be communicating with all members of staff tomorrow to explain your individual situations and I would like to reiterate our appreciation of your support, patience and cooperation. We appreciate that you will have many questions at this time and we have begun to collate a ‘questions and answers’ sheet that we will post on the staff information page on Friday 27 March. As questions are raised, we will update the log.

We will continue to provide you with updates via email as often as possible, when new information is available. Please regularly check this page for up-to-date information.

With best wishes,

Mary

Mary Carter-Lee
Head of HR

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If you have any urgent questions, please contact your line manager or email the HR Team at: hr@royalautomobileclub.co.uk.

Thank you for your continuing understanding and support.