LONDON – Bournemouth have furloughed staff while top executives and coaches have taken voluntary pay cuts to help ease the financial impact of the coronavirus crisis on the south-coast side, the Premier League club said on Wednesday.
The Premier League season has been suspended until at least April 30 due to the pandemic and clubs across the country have been hit by significant losses in match-day revenue.
Newcastle United put non-playing staff on leave and instructed employees to apply for the government's newly-created coronavirus job retention scheme and Bournemouth said they had to take similar drastic measures to protect the club's future.
"The club's chief executive Neill Blake, first team technical director Richard Hughes, manager Eddie Howe and assistant manager Jason Tindall have all taken significant, voluntary pay cuts for the entirety of this uncertain time," Bournemouth said in a statement.
The club can confirm chief executive Neill Blake, first team technical director Richard Hughes, manager Eddie Howe and assistant manager Jason Tindall have taken significant, voluntary pay cuts. #afcb🍒 https://t.co/IJ7A4h5nhp
— AFC Bournemouth (@afcbournemouth) April 1, 2020
"We have also advised a number of staff across all areas of the club that they will be temporarily furloughed, as a result of the ongoing pandemic."
Bournemouth said the furloughed employees, many of whom have been affected by the stadium's closure, would be on leave for at least three weeks under the government's coronavirus job retention scheme.
British finance minister Rishi Sunak announced earlier this month that furloughed workers can claim 80% of their wages up to 2,500 pounds ($3,099) per month as part of the scheme.
We have advised a number of staff across all areas of the club that they will be temporarily furloughed.
However, #afcb is committed to ensuring that all affected staff have their wages topped up to 100% with their benefits paid for by the club. https://t.co/IJ7A4h5nhp
— AFC Bournemouth (@afcbournemouth) April 1, 2020
"Furloughed staff will continue to have their benefits – including pension contributions – paid by the club," Bournemouth added.
The club said it was committed to "topping up each furloughed employee's wages to 100%" while reclaiming 80% from the government's scheme.