Govt Shelves Predictable Hours Act for Rights Under New Employment Rights Bill
The Department for Business and Trade has confirmed that a new law, which was set to grant workers the right to request predictable working hours, has been abandoned in favour of upcoming legislation. The Labour government has decided to shelve the Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Act 2023, despite the Bill receiving Royal Assent on […]
New Guidance on Hybrid Working & Disabled Workers
On 5 September 2024, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) published comprehensive guidance for employers aimed at supporting disabled workers in hybrid working environments. With the rise of flexible working arrangements, particularly in the post-pandemic era, hybrid working has become a popular model that combines remote and workplace-based arrangements. While hybrid working offers numerous […]
Employment Case Law Update August 2024
Read on for our monthly digest for employers on upcoming employment law changes and key, recent employment tribunal cases. Equal Pay Thandi and Others v Next PLC A group of predominantly female store-based workers brought a claim for equal pay against their employer, Next, arguing their roles were of equal value to those of […]
Time Off for Dependants: UK Employer Guide
Employers have to give their employees a reasonable amount of unpaid time off work to deal with emergencies, such as caring for a relative who is ill. Mishandling requests to take off work for dependants can result in morale issues, and potentially tribunal claims, making it important to deal with these issues fairly, lawfully and […]
Using CCTV as Evidence at a Disciplinary UK
Some employers may be surprised to discover that video footage captured by CCTV can constitute personal data under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This means that there are certain rules that must be followed when processing this data, especially in the context of using this footage as evidence of an employee’s misconduct. The following […]
How to Spot a Fake CV
During the hiring process companies of all sizes – from small businesses to multinational corporations – can fall victim to applicants with fraudulent CVs. With employers across sectors struggling to fill vacancies, and HR departments reluctant to conduct reference checks because it can be time consuming, CV fraud is on the rise and becoming a […]
Self Certification Form: Employers’ Guide
In this guide for managers, we explain the rules on when employees can self-certify for sickness absence, the role of self-certification forms and share best practice advice on managing sickness absence at work. Self certification Self certification gives employees the right to be off work for up to seven days of illness without […]
Employer Refuses Early Conciliation
Where a workplace dispute cannot be resolved internally, an employee may lodge a complaint before the employment tribunal. However, the parties will first be given the opportunity to engage in what is known as ACAS early conciliation. The question is: can an employer refuse early conciliation, or is this a process that they are required […]
Discounting Disability-Related Sickness Absence
When an employee takes too much time off sick, you would usually follow your organisation’s disciplinary procedure, issuing warnings and, if attendance doesn’t improve, potentially dismissing them for incapacity. But while ill-health incapacity is potentially a fair reason for dismissal, employers must also ensure they are not unlawfully discriminating against someone on the grounds of […]
Confidentiality in the Workplace
It’s an unfortunate reality for business owners that employees are a potential source of commercial risk. While it’s rare that a breach of confidentiality at work will occur intentionally, even an honest mistake can result in severe consequences. This makes it business-critical to take certain measures to protect your commercial interests, such as using confidentiality […]