Employers in Staffordshire are being urged to allow their staff to take on paid work during their furlough period to help support the national relief efforts during the coronavirus crisis.
Leaders at Staffordshire County Council have written a letter to businesses asking them to waive any provision that may be included in employees' contracts prohibiting them from taking a second job.
Under the Government's furlough scheme - which sees employees temporarily laid off but still paid 80 per cent of their wages - employees are permitted to undertake voluntary or paid work.
But some workers may have clauses in their existing employment contracts preventing them from taking on another paid job.
Now council bosses have made a plea to businesses to allow staff to work - and help care for vulnerable residents in their own homes as part of the authority's iCare Initiative.
The letter, which has been signed by Staffordshire County Council leader Philip Atkins and chief executive John Henderson, states: "We all have the opportunity to make a big difference to the lives of thousands of vulnerable Staffordshire residents, and to do this we will need to continue to work together.
"This government has set out an unprecedented comprehensive package of support for business through this difficult time. We have all become familiar with the term furlough, which is protecting large numbers of employees from being made redundant whilst we fight this dreadful virus.
"We recognise the extremely difficult challenges the private sector faces, but thousands of vulnerable people across the county rely on us for their care. We face an immediate challenge to ensure this care can continue as the Covid-19 situation worsens.
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"Furlough is not, as supported by recent government guidance, a reason to restrict people’s ability to work with us, either as a volunteer or through paid employment at this time.
"You will be aware that government has clarified its guidance on the furlough position and it is clear that employees can start a new job when on furlough.
"The guidance does say it has to be allowed under their existing employment contract. We would encourage you to waive any provision at this time that may be included in your employees’ contacts of employment prohibiting them from taking a second job.
"This would be a great effort in support of our iCare campaign and would release some of the most skilled workers and employees that we have across Staffordshire to do their very best in support of the national crisis.
"We would ask each one of you to promote iCare, encourage your staff to find out more about our campaign, and help them to volunteer or take a second job on a temporary basis if this is something they wish to do.
"Please support them to find a solution and to make a positive contribution towards our Staffordshire family, to help us to support those that need our help.
"The more people we can ensure receive care, the more we can keep them out of hospital and ease the pressure on the NHS."