Trainees who were on furlough
We received a lot of questions on a variety of issues from trainees who were placed on furlough as part of the UK Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, which ended in September 2021. Please see below for the most frequently asked questions that remain.
If you have further questions and would like to discuss anything specific relating to your personal situation, please get in touch with the team at legaleduc@lawscot.org.uk.
If I was placed on furlough, will my traineeship be extended?
It is possible for a trainee to be absent for up to six months of the training contract and, at the end of your training contract, it is down to the professional judgement of your supervising solicitor/training manager to decide if your absence from the training contract can be disregarded or needs to be added to the end of the training contract.
This will come down to a judgement on whether or not you have met the PEAT 2 Outcomes and therefore the standard of a qualified solicitor.
If I had to take time off for reasons such as sickness or bereavement, in addition to furlough, will my traineeship be extended?
In addition to six months off work due to furlough, trainees may also be able to miss a further one month from their traineeship due to exceptional personal circumstances such as illness or bereavement.
This would bring the maximum period of time missed during a traineeship to seven months without a traineeship having to be extended.
Additional
Confidential trainee helpline
If you have a question about any aspect of your traineeship, our team is on hand to offer you guidance and support. Call us on 0131 226 7411 (option 3).