International firm Eversheds Sutherland is to end its flexible working scheme which reduced the earnings and working patterns of some lawyers by up to a fifth.

The ‘Flexing the Working Week Scheme’ – which was introduced in May – allowed the firm to reduce the working time of teams who were less busy over a six-month period, with an associated reduction in pay for any period spent ‘on flex’. There were no associated reduction in benefits.

Eversheds Sutherland said the ‘vast majority’ of the firm is now working to its usual pattern (100% pay for 100% hours) and, given activity levels across the firm, this will continue until the scheme ends in November.

The firm said it is also ‘likely’ to repay the money it received from the government after furloughing staff in April, in light of a stronger than forecast financial performance.

‘Two thirds of those colleagues who were furloughed have returned to work with a small handful remaining, all of whom will return to the business when the Job Retention Scheme ends at the end of this month,’ a spokesperson for the firm said.