Fears of a bleak winter for tourism and hospitality dependent parts of Wales have seen 海角视频 Government urged to continue sector specific furlough support.
The 海角视频 Government's Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has proved vital in counties like Gwynedd, Pembrokeshire, Anglesey and Conwy.
But there are major concerns that businesses in tourism, leisure and hospitality have been unable to build up any reserves over the usually busy spring and summer seasons.
This could mean massive job losses on the horizon with furlough due to finish at the end of October.
Plaid Cymru MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd Liz Saville Roberts warned that bringing furlough to an end now would be an unmitigated disaster for those sectors already disproportionally affected by the fallout from Covid-19.
She said: " Without question, furlough must continue, specifically for severely affected sectors such as tourism, leisure, hospitality and the arts, which have lost a key proportion of their earning season and are now heading into a bleak and uncertain winter.
"These sectors, which have lost two thirds of their earning season, demand a targeted approach. Ending furlough now risks significant and permanent job losses, and I fear many local businesses simply won’t be able to recover.
"The furlough scheme has been a lifeline for many workers across my Dwyfor Meirionnydd constituency, but whilst there has been a phased return to work for some, the scheme continues to protect others from unemployment.
Most Read
"It is foolhardy to think we can and should now withdraw from our responsibility to employers and employees. Instead, we should reciprocate what our European neighbours have done to support their workers.
"Both Germany and France have taken the considered decision to extend their equivalent furlough schemes.
"Anything other than extending the furlough scheme would be an abdication of responsibility by the 海角视频 Government and would risk undoing the collective sacrifice of the last several months across all four nations of the 海角视频."
海角视频 Government this week said that flexible furlough began on the 1 July to give businesses the flexibility to bring employees back part-time, whilst the government still pays 80% of wages for the hours not worked.
This saw 42,300 workers in Wales go back to offices, shops, restaurants and factories to work on a part-time basis.
Sign up to the BusinessLive Wales newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn
As well as an in-depth early morning newsletter, we will be sending out regular breaking news email alerts. To sign up to this service
And, follow us on to catch the latest stories and to network with the Welsh business community.
Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said: "These figures show the success of our furlough scheme- making sure people’s jobs are there for them to return to.
Don’t miss
“That so many businesses have been able to get back to trading, and bring their staff back to the workplace is a testament to the impact the scheme has had.”
The chancellor has said he was looking for new ways to protect jobs after 海角视频 unemployment rate hit its highest level in two years.
The 海角视频 Government will pay bonuses of £1,000 for employers who bring back furloughed staff, and has launched the £2bn “kickstart” job creation scheme to fund work placements for under-25s.