FAQs

The world of work is evolving rapidly, and with it, the rules governing flexible working in the UK are undergoing significant changes. The introduction of the Flexible Working (Amendment) Regulations 2023 and the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act 2023 marks a pivotal shift in the employment landscape. Here we provide an overview of these changes […]Read More… (Read more)

One in four women and one in six men will experience Domestic Violence at least once in their lifetime. It will probably have an impact on their mental health due to depression, sleep deprivation, inability to concentrate, loss of appetite and physical pain. There can be changes in the employee’s behaviour, increased lateness or absenteeism, […]Read More… (Read more)

Can I dismiss an employee with less than 2 years service without following the normal process? This is a question we get asked a lot, and the short answer is “yes… BUT”. There are some potential pitfalls and the employee still has some rights and protections. The ‘2 year rule’ is a bit of a […]Read More… (Read more)

While there is no legal requirement to provide paid breaks or suitable facilities, good practice encourages employers to do so safely.   Many new mothers want to continue to breastfeed when they return to work. As well as providing a supportive environment for mothers returning from maternity leave, employers must ensure they meet their legal […]Read More… (Read more)

Since 2018, I have been helping to deliver Sexual Harassment Prevention training as part of a wider project to create healthy, safe and respectful working environments within local charities. We have known for most of this time that a change is coming, but we finally know the details of those changes. The biggest change is […]Read More… (Read more)

Our clients often ask us if they need to provide a prayer room for their staff, what are their obligations and what can they say or not say? There are a number of factors which will determine your approach to the provision of prayer rooms. These may include: your equality, diversity & inclusion policies company […]Read More… (Read more)

The Government and King Charles III have announced that Monday 19th September will be a public holiday. The Queen’s funeral service will commence at 11am. While there is no obligation on employers to give staff, the day off work, the Government are encouraging employers to do so, where possible and practical. The holiday that your […]Read More… (Read more)

As Brits we are used to the occasional snow day, when children are sent home from school and train lines are suspended due to ‘the wrong kind of snow’. But what we are not so used is the scorching heat and soaring temperatures being recorded this summer. There are minimum working temperatures in the UK […]Read More… (Read more)

The ‘working world’ post COVID-19 pandemic does not quite look the same as it did two years ago and although the rigour and pressures of working life have returned in full force for many, the impact of the pandemic looks like it will persist for the foreseeable future, particularly in the form of our working […]Read More… (Read more)

Can you bring a dog to work? This is a topic which I am being asked to talk about a lot recently. I was quoted in the i-paper and now I’ve been interviewed for Radio 4’s You and Yours programme. Although this is a topic I have been talking about for years, usually on ‘International […]Read More… (Read more)

I’ve been away this weekend on business. It’s been the most incredible weekend, full of inspirational speakers, amazing people, catching up with friends who I haven’t seen for two years, and I was lucky enough to be manning an exhibition stand, where we were talking to people about our services. One of the things that […]Read More… (Read more)

When an employee is off sick or is still at work but has confirmed they have a medical condition which impacts on their ability to work in some way, it is possible for HR, the line manager or the business owner to request medical information. In an ideal world, your contract of employment will make […]Read More… (Read more)

Whether an HR policy is contractual depends on the policy, the organisation, the law and the contract of employment. In all cases, it should be easy for both staff and managers to determine whether something is contractual or not. The first place to look for contractual clauses is the contract of employment. The contract of […]Read More… (Read more)

In a business which wants to thrive, all your staff need to be pulling in the same direction. Most people assume that performance management is something which happens to an employee when they are failing to ‘perform’ at the required level. However, when performance is properly and pro-actively managed, there are a number of elements […]Read More… (Read more)

A written warning is a stage in a company’s formal disciplinary policy and procedure. There may only be one written warning stage, but there could be multiple stages of written warning. It is essential that a company clearly documents their disciplinary policy and communicates it to managers and employees. It may be a stand-alone policy, […]Read More… (Read more)

With more information readily available than ever before, employees expect transparency around salary not just at the outset but throughout their employment. So it’s well worth thinking through the questions your employees might ask about their pay before you get caught off guard. By preparing in advance for some of the more awkward conversations, you […]Read More… (Read more)

The recent furore over the proposed 1% pay rise for the NHS put salary reviews firmly under the spotlight. ‘It’s as much as we can afford to give’ was the excuse given by the Government for such a disappointing number, which caused an uproar, but the ability to secure a pay increase is always dependent […]Read More… (Read more)

There are lots of reasons why an employee may want to have a confidential conversation with someone, and HR can be a great starting place. In some cases, HR will be part of an internal department or an individual in the business with responsibility for HR. In other cases, it may be an outsourced HR […]Read More… (Read more)

They should be able to do so, but it depends on several factors: what you ask them for whether you accept their recommendations how much they really understand your business how often the law and best practice changes how they keep themselves up to date with changes Then, like with many things, it may not […]Read More… (Read more)

Unless the employee is actually in the HR department, HR should not actually be the ones making the decision about whether or not to fire an employee. The documents you need to look at in your business are the contract of employment and the employee handbook. It is essential that, if you have these documents, […]Read More… (Read more)

– – so I’m recording this video for you on a Wednesday evening when there is huge amounts of snow forecast for the next 48 hours. We’re already having clients on the phone saying what do I do about my staff who can’t come into work. What do I do about my staff who have […]Read More… (Read more)

  In this video, we’re going to be talking about annual leave, and very specifically about the ability to carry annual leave forward from one year to the next. Now, there are lots of reasons why people might want to do this, and there may be a business need for them to do it, or […]Read More… (Read more)

Uniforms are an equaliser and can be used effectively in many different settings. It could be to help customers easily identify staff members in a shop. Or doing a bit of marketing by walking around a busy exhibition wearing a branded t-shirt. Or perhaps it’s for a gardening, cleaning or painting job, where employees would […]Read More… (Read more)

Some companies have a combined dress code policy, that not only defines attire, but also looks at overall appearance and the way an individual represents the business. As part of this, employers may choose to include restrictions on the wearing of jewellery, but this needs to be carefully thought through and communicated to avoid complaints. […]Read More… (Read more)

Every employer should have a comprehensive, legally-compliant dress code policy in place, and communicate it clearly so employees fully understand what their commitments are. The employment contract should include full details, and they should be reiterated in the handbook, plus management should be aware of expectations, and how to enforce them. Some organisations say a […]Read More… (Read more)