UK in lockdown: What we know so far
Last night the nation listened as the Prime Minister set out stricter measures to try to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Boris Johnson made it clear that we are to leave our houses only for essential food shopping and the collection of medication, to exercise, and, assuming you cannot work from home, to travel […]
Read moreFurlough: Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
On Friday afternoon the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, announced an unprecedented package of measures to support the UK economy through the COVID-19 crisis. The government aims to help employers to retain their staff when they may otherwise have had to make them redundant. At the time of writing we have scant information on how the Coronavirus […]
Read moreGDPR Compliance: Implications of working from home for employers
Following the Prime Minister’s announcement this week, many employers have followed government advice to allow employees to work from home to reduce the spread of Covid-19. However, employers should be aware that despite this advice, they still have a responsibility to comply with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). We have listed below some points for employers […]
Read moreSchool closures: home working, flexible working & parental leave
The majority of UK schools – and nurseries – will be closed by the end of this week in order to reduce the spread of Covid-19. But what are working parents’ rights to change their way of working or to take time-off? Boris Johnson has confirmed that schools across the UK will shut by the […]
Read moreCoronavirus: Lay-offs and short time working
With the anxiety surrounding Coronavirus escalating, employers are becoming increasingly concerned about business continuity. Will they be able to pay staff if sickness absence or self-isolation substantially affects cash flow? If, as is widely speculated, schools are closed and large public gatherings banned, and this causes business closures, will employees still have to be paid? […]
Read moreCoronavirus: What should employers do?
With the number of cases of the Coronavirus increasing in the UK, employers must decide how best to protect their businesses and their workforce from the illness and what to do should any member of staff contract the virus. Generally, the Coronavirus – of which COVID-19 is a variant – is little worse than a […]
Read morePhilosophical Belief Discrimination: Protection in the Work Place
Two employment law cases have hit main stream media in recent weeks. Both cases involved employees who felt that they had been discriminated against by their employer because of their beliefs. Belief: Sex is Biologically Immutable The first case, brought by Maya Forstater, hit the headlines due to the controversial Tribunal judgment about her beliefs. […]
Read moreChanges to Employment Law 2020
2020 looks like it’s going to be another eventful year for employment law. Here is a summary of some of the new legislation that we can expect next year: Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay The Parental Bereavement (Leave and Pay) Act 2018 has now gained Royal Assent and is expected to come into force in […]
Read moreTransgender Employment Rights
All businesses should treat their customers with respect, courtesy, and in a way which doesn’t breach their human rights or discriminate against them. However it’s also important businesses are inclusive employers. Whilst having a diverse workforce has been shown to boost productivity, it’s also essential if an employer wishes to follow good employment practices and […]
Read moreYou’ve Got A Friend In Me!
As long as long as I’m a colleague or trade union official… We glibly talk about the “the right to be accompanied” at disciplinary hearings however under Section 10 of the Employment Relations Act 1999 (ERA) an employee has the right to be accompanied to disciplinary hearings if the hearing could result in the employee […]
Read moreHow to Prepare a Modern Slavery Statement
In 2016 the International Labour Organization published statistics showing that at any given time, 24.9m people are in forced labour. Modern Slavery Current UK legislation requires transparency among businesses and organisations in respect of their policies concerning the prevention of modern slavery. Modern slavery encompasses: Slavery, servitude and forced/compulsory labour Human trafficking What do businesses […]
Read moreWorkplace dress codes: What not to do
Workplace dress codes are becoming increasingly controversial with a number of high profile cases and changes to company policies having recently appeared in the media. For example, Virgin Atlantic recently announced that its female cabin crew are no longer required to wear makeup. This is only the latest in a series of businesses updating their […]
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