Redundancy Matrix & Selection Criteria
The redundancy process is fraught with legal risk. To avoid potential unfair dismissal claims, employers are required to follow a lawful process at each stage, including the redundancy selection procedure. Redundancy selection procedure Provided there is a genuine redundancy situation, the first stage will be to consult with affected employees. This will involve ascertaining if […]
Why managers need to be hot on gossip in the workplace
Why managers need to be hot on gossip in the workplace Gossiping at work may be intended as harmless among co-workers, but it has the potential to negatively impact working relations and workplace culture overall. In this guide for employers and managers, we look at what the law says on workplace gossip, and how gossiping […]
How to sponsor a global business mobility visa worker
Under the new Global Business Mobility Route, employers can send or bring overseas workers to the United Kingdom through five different visas. These routes are the Senior or Specialist Worker Visa, Graduate Trainee Visa, Secondment Worker Visa, UK Expansion Worker Visa, and Service Supplier Visa. Employers seeking to sponsor overseas workers on one or more […]
Payment in lieu of notice: PILON guide for HR
PILON Guide for employers Dismissing an employee or having an employee resign can cause complications, especially if it’s the result of a workplace dispute or disagreement. Sometimes it can be easier to end the employment before the employee’s notice period. This is where making a payment in lieu of notice, or PILON, can be useful. […]
Offboarding Process Guide
Employee turnover is inevitable in any organisation. Whether an employee leaves your company voluntarily or involuntarily, with an offboarding process in place, you can ensure you are protecting your organisation’s interests. If an employee’s exit is not handled properly, you risk damage to your operations and your reputation. Being prepared for when an employee hands […]
Making a settlement agreement with an employee
It is often in the best interest of employees and employers to resolve an issue through mediation, discussions or formal processes. However, where these practices fail, another option is available to end a working relationship — a settlement agreement mutually. When making a settlement agreement, the correct processes must be followed to ensure it is […]
Can I Dismiss An Employee Who Is Off Sick?
In very simple terms, you may dismiss an employee who is off sick, provided you follow the correct dismissal procedure. This means having fair grounds for dismissal, acting reasonably in all the circumstances and following a fair process. The following guide for employers on dismissal due to sickness absence looks at what amounts to potential […]
Employee working a second job – what can employers do?
People have second jobs for many reasons. They may need to earn additional income, want to monetise on a hobby or perhaps they want to change career and are looking to learn new skills or gain experience in a particular work environment. If you have learned that an employee is working a second job, it’s […]
Which type of sponsor licence do you need?
Under current immigration rules, UK-based businesses will in most cases need a sponsor licence from the Home Office to recruit non-UK resident workers who don’t otherwise have permission to work in the UK. There are different types of sponsor licences available, depending on the type of sponsored workers you want to hire. In this guide, […]
Examples of gross misconduct & sackable offences
Gross misconduct is behaviour or action which is so serious that it justifies an employer dismissing the perpetrator without notice or pay in lieu of notice. This is known as summary dismissal. For employers, it’s important to recognise the type of conduct that meets this threshold. If the misconduct is not sufficiently serious to be […]
Accident reporting at work guide for HR
Accident reporting is a fundamental aspect of monitoring safety in the workplace. A well-maintained record of accidents and incidents can help employers learn from errors, meet their legal obligations and ensure health and safety at work. The reporting of diseases, injuries and dangerous occurrences at work is taken seriously by the HSE. Failure to report […]
Hiring young workers
Employing young people can provide a number of advantages to a company, including the ability to satisfy staffing demands, build an employer brand, and construct a talent pipeline, as home-grown talent can be a cost-effective approach to replace any future skills gaps. In the UK, workers under the age of 18 enjoy special legal protections, […]
Do workers have to disclose criminal convictions?
It’s understandable that employers want to determine whether a job candidate is trustworthy and of good character before hiring them, and to be certain that workers maintain this standard during the course of their employment. Pre-employment checks play an important role in vetting candidates and reducing risk during recruitment. Even if criminal record checks are […]
How to deal with data subject access requests
Employees have the right to request and acquire a copy of their personal data kept by their employer or former employer. This is known as making a data subject access request (DSAR) under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). When dealing with subject access requests, employers have to ensure they comply with their compliance obligations […]
Minimum Wage Rates & Other Statutory Payments 2022-2023
Changes have now taken effect relating to statutory employment payments. Employers must ensure they have taken action to ensure compliance, including reviewing and updating policies and documents, and adjusting statutory employment payments in line with the new applicable rates. Increase in statutory sick pay The weekly rate of statutory sick pay has increased from £96.35 […]
Redundancy notice period guide for managers
Employers making workers redundant have to follow a fair and lawful redundancy process. As part of this, employers must ensure affected workers are given their legal entitlement to redundancy notice and pay. Failing to meet your obligations can expose your organisation to claims for unfair dismissal. In this guide for employers, we explain the rules on […]
When is a director an employee?
Whether a director is an employee is an important consideration for tax and employment right purposes, as well as other statutory requirements. Below we examine the question of employment status for directors in more detail, focusing on the rules used to determine if a director undertaking regular remunerated work for a company is an ‘employee’ […]
Employment case law update February 2022
Read on for our monthly digest for employers on upcoming employment law changes and key employment cases that have recently been decided. Employment status & holiday pay entitlement Smith v Pimlico Plumbers Ltd In Smith v Pimlico Plumbers Ltd, the Court of Appeal considered the impact of worker status on holiday carry over entitlement. The […]
Sponsorship Management System tips for HR
The Sponsorship Management System provides an online platform through which licensed employers can meet many of the requirements under the UK’s Immigration Rules when sponsoring migrant workers. The following guide for HR personnel, or those otherwise responsible for using this system, examines how the system works and what role it plays in the context of […]
When does overtime become contractual?
Overtime rules are not always straightforward, but it’s important for employers and managers to have a clear understanding to avoid workforce issues. The question ‘When does overtime become contractual?’ is one that commonly arises within a number of different employment contexts, from whether an employer has the right to insist on an employee working additional […]