Employment Law

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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? […]

The ramifications of Coronavirus on UK businesses will be wide ranging and the next few months will be turbulent. Almost all businesses, big or small, will feel the impact however those that rely heavily on footfall traffic, cross-border supply chains and face-to-face customer interaction could face serious financial disruption. Whilst there is a lot of […]

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 […]

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.  […]

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 […]

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 […]

The recent Court of Appeal Judgment in The Harpur Trust v Brazel, though relating to a problem which particularly besets the education sector, offers food for thought (in relation to holiday pay) for seasonal businesses that engage staff on permanent contracts rather than hiring freelance staff on an ‘as and when required’ basis. The Case […]

Covert recordings of meetings has become a more prominent issue for employers in recent years, due to the ease with which people can now make recordings on their smart phones. At Blacks, we frequently come across cases where individuals have covertly recorded disciplinary and grievance hearings and who now wish to rely on it in […]