Manager Accused of Bullying at Work?
What should an employer do if a manager is being accused of bullying at work? What do we mean by bullying at work? Employees are protected by law from bullying. Yet bullying in the workplace is most commonly cited as coming from those in a position of seniority such as managers. There is no legal […]
Reasonable Adjustments for Mental Health
Employers have a legal duty of care towards their employees. This requires them to do all they reasonably can to support the health, safety and wellbeing of their workforce in the workplace. This duty relates not only to physical aspects but also to the mental health and wellbeing of employees. Employees suffering from a qualifying […]
Managing Redundancy During Maternity Leave
Employers should approach any redundancy process with caution. This demands giving full consideration to the legal implications of making employees redundant, while minimising the impact on morale and the performance of your workforce. Redundancies can, however, become further complicated in circumstances where the law affords the worker additional protections, such as if the employee is […]
Phased Retirement (Guide for Employers)
In an age where people are living longer and healthier lives, and wanting to stay in work beyond a pensionable age, employers should be looking for ways to facilitate a fuller working life for their employees, which could include phased retirement. Phased retirement refers to ways in which an employer can provide older workers with […]
Employing An Apprentice (Employer FAQs)
Employers choose to hire apprentices because they can train these individuals in the specific skills needed by their organisation, resulting in a better qualified and motivated workforce. The Government is also trying to ensure that apprenticeships are an attractive option for employers by incentivising them financially to take on more apprentices. However, employers have to […]
Piece Work & Paying Per Task
Different types of working arrangements are being considered and adopted by employers as organisations respond to changes in the market. In some cases, this involves a combination of new and traditional practices that meet both the individual needs of the worker and the operational needs of the business. Piece work, in particular when performed at […]
Staggered Hours (Flexible Working Guide)
With flexible working on the rise, arrangements such as staggered hours can offer both the employer and employee advantages. We look at what is meant by staggered hours and the key legal and HR considerations for employers adopting this approach, either on a temporary or permanent basis. What are staggered hours? There are various different […]
Probation Review: Tips For Managers
The reality is, the person who performed best at the interview may not necessarily turn out to be the best fit for the job. The probation period offers employers – and employees – a defined timeframe in which to decide if the ‘fit’ is right and the employment relationship is mutually agreeable. The purpose of […]
How To Prepare For An Employment Tribunal Preliminary Hearing
The importance of preparing for an employment tribunal preliminary hearing is not to be underestimated. While not designed to bring a workplace dispute to a conclusion, the preliminary hearing is intended to help parties prepare for the final hearing, and decisions can still be made that could affect your ability to defend a claim. The […]
Unlawful Deduction of Wages (Employers’ Guide!)
Part II of the Employment Rights Act 1996 sets out various statutory provisions that protect workers from unauthorised or unlawful deductions from their wages, including where an employer has underpaid the Minimum Wage. In practice, these rules limit when an employer can make deductions, require clear contractual or statutory authority, and give workers a statutory […]
Employment Tribunal Time Limits
The following table provides an outline guide to employment tribunal time limits, as applicable under key pieces of legislation. Note that time limit extensions may in some cases be allowable under the relevant legislation, for example where the requirement for ACAS early conciliation applies or the tribunal considers an extension to be ‘just and equitable’. […]
Home Working Risk Assessment (Employer Guide)
Given the current work from home requirements due to the COVID-19 outbreak and the phased return to work post-lockdown, home working is expected to become more widely adopted. For employers, this means giving full consideration as to how home working will work on a longer term basis, and what this means in terms of assessing […]
Should I Furlough My Employees?
Businesses forced to close to reduce the spread of coronavirus and those that are still operating but seeing no or very little work are now looking to lay offs, asking workers to take unpaid leave or to furlough employees to reduce their outlay on salaries. Can you force employees to take unpaid leave? Despite the […]
Bereavement Leave (How Much Time Off Work?)
As an employer it is important that you provide both a compassionate and legally compliant approach to employee absence from work following the death of a loved one so as to minimise the impact on the bereaved individual and your business. Yet the law relating to bereavement leave is by no means clearly defined. What […]
SSP1 Form (Employer Guide)
Understanding how Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) works is an important part of being a responsible employer, especially during the current COVID-19 pandemic. If you want to find out more about SSP and when to use the SSP1 form, the following guide covers the rules on employee entitlement, notice, self-certifying and fit notes, as well as […]
Protected Characteristics in the Workplace
The Equality Act 2010 was introduced as the primary piece of legislation for the enforcement and prevention of discrimination. Its powers extend to the workplace, supporting anti-discrimination in all areas of employment. The Act covers the specific ways in which certain personal characteristics known as protected characteristics are safeguarded, and looking specifically at employment, sets […]
Coronavirus: Making Workforce Changes
Employers are having to make difficult workforce decisions in response to the coronavirus outbreak. [toc] While the Government introduces emergency schemes to avert widescale layoffs and redundancies, employers need to be aware of the employment law implications of making changes to a worker’s contract terms. We look at some frequently asked questions from employers relating […]
Coronavirus: Caring For Dependants (Employer Guide)
Update to article following Government guidance on 4th April: Furloughing workers to care for dependants On 4 April, the Government issued specific guidance expanding the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to allow employees to be furloughed to carry out caring responsibilities. The guidance states that workers unable to do their jobs because of caring responsibilities resulting from […]
Coronavirus: Working from Home (Employer Advice)
The UK Government has placed the country on official lockdown from 23 March 2020. Under the new rules, members of the public must not leave their house except to: Travel to and from work if impossible to work from home Shop for essentials, as infrequently as possible Exercise outdoors once per day, alone or with […]
Should You Offer Voluntary Redundancy?
When an employer considers the possibility of making compulsory redundancies in their workforce, they should always investigate any available alternatives to that course of action first. One of these alternatives is voluntary redundancy which may reduce the number of compulsory redundancies that an employer needs to make. It may even be that sufficient voluntary redundancies […]