• A Sick ‘Note’ Rant

    A Sick ‘Note’ Rant

    If you have the right antennae on, then you soon begin to see the HR side to many of the stories hitting the news. You begin to form opinions, shift your behaviour, change your mindset, or after informed consideration, ignore it as it doesn’t impact you. The item which has got my attention in the…

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  • Coronavirus

    Coronavirus

    On 2nd February I wrote to all our clients to provide some basic advice on the management of the Coronavirus in their workplace. With the Department of health today describing the outbreak in the UK as a “serious and imminent threat” to public health, the overall risk to the population now classified as “moderate”. Since…

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  • Leave for breaking up?

    Leave for breaking up?

    Traditionally, each year, the first week of January is renowned for the highest number of divorce filings in the year. This is not a decision which people take lightly and coping with a breakup is far from easy. They say that moving house, marriage, divorce and death are the four greatest stresses anyone will go…

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  • Sickness vs Annual Leave

    Sickness vs Annual Leave

    How you should treat employees who are off sick during their annual leave comes from the Working Time Regulations and is based on the principle that employees in the UK have a legal right to 5.6 weeks of paid time off work each year. The spirit of the law here is important, not just the…

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  • Show you care

    Getting the benefits package right for your staff is important for their motivation and engagement, but it can be even more important for your business. When a member of staff goes off sick, there is an impact on productivity and in some cases other members of the team will need to step in to ensure…

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  • Does your sick pay policy have a purpose?

    Do employers pay sick pay because: a) They have tob) They feel it is the right thing to doc) They want staff to feel supported and valuedd) They want employees back to work quickly The answer is that each employer will make sick pay payments for different reasons depending on the culture of the business,…

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  • Are you ready for fit notes?

    Did you know that the next time your staff are off sick, they no longer need to bring you a sick note. From April 6th, you need to ask them about a Fit Note. These are still issued by the GP, usually after seven calendar days of absence, but instead of just informing the employer…

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  • How are you preparing your business for swine flu?

    Do you and your client have a strategy for managing an outbreak of swine flu? Does your sickness policy encourage people to stay at home and work from there rather than come into the office if they are feeling ill? Do you pay for the first 3 days of sickness absence before SSP kicks in?…

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