Health & Safety Unfair Dismissal

A return to the workplace for many staff may raise health and safety concerns in light of the ongoing pandemic. In some cases, employees may even refuse to return to the workplace during this worrying time. The coronavirus presents a unique and unprecedented context for existing health & safety rules, which require employers to take […]

Latest UK COVID Restrictions & Business Travel

New immigration COVID restrictions are now in effect in England as the Government moves to suppress transmission of the coronavirus.   Travel corridors closed  All quarantine-free travel corridors for people arriving into the UK have been closed indefinitely, and all arrivals from anywhere outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man must now present […]

Top 5 HR Trends 2021

The working environment going into 2021 is vastly different to that of the start of 2020. What are the HR trends employers should be considering to support workforce management, performance and positive engagement into 2021?   1. Remote working In response to lockdown rules, 2020 saw universal effort and upheaval to establish employees for remote […]

Business Traveller UK Quarantine Exemption

Unless you qualify for an exemption, if you are travelling to the UK for work from a non-travel corridor country, you will be subject to COVID-19 restrictions. In most cases, this includes self-isolating for 10 days on arrival and completing a passenger locator form. The quarantine period was reduced from 14 days to 10 days […]

COVID 19 & Good Workplace Hygiene

With COVID 19 presenting continued risk to public health, maintaining good workplace hygiene remains a top priority for employers to ensure the health and safety of their workforce and of anyone visiting their premises, and in helping to prevent the spread of the virus. By providing clean and safe premises, employers can also help to […]

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (HR Guide)

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) will now run until 31 March 2021. Extended Job Retention Scheme The Chancellor has effectively reverted the scheme back to the August provisions, namely, that the Government will cover 80% of furloughed employees’ wages for businesses affected by the COVID-19 restrictions. Employers will be required to pay national insurance and […]

Job Support Scheme FAQs

The Job Support Scheme will replace the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. The CJRS has been extended until 31 March 2021. The JSS was developed by the Government to provide critical financial support to businesses during what is expected to be an extremely challenging winter for many sectors of the UK economy. Under the new Job […]

UK Visa Extensions Due to Coronavirus

In response to continued disruption resulting from the pandemic, the Home Office has announced changes affecting visa holders in the UK with leave due to expire after 31 July 2020.   New ‘exceptional indemnity’ provision  Under new guidance issued on 29 July 2020, there will be no automatic visa extensions beyond 31 July 2020. Previous temporary measures […]

UK Visa Appointment Centres Start To Reopen

UKVI has confirmed it is resuming application services on a phased basis, as follows: UK centres The following UKVCAS (Sopra Steria) centres have reopened:   Service Point     Open on Belfast     22 June Birmingham (Core)     1 June Birmingham Premium Lounge     1 June Cardiff Bay (Core)     22 June Chelmsford     1 June Edinburgh     22 June Exeter     1 June […]

UK COVID Travel Corridor Countries

The UK government has confirmed a list of 60 countries that have been approved for travel and are to be excluded from the UK’s COVID-19 quarantine rules. Under the exemption, people travelling from any of the countries on the travel corridor countries list will not have to self isolate for 14 days on arrival in […]