Our busy, complex lives are increasingly becoming a series of risk management exercises. Think about it: when we leave home in the morning nearly all of us will make sure we lock up. We then unlock our cars and drive away, carefully avoiding any situations that might result in a collision. Many people give up smoking and moderate their diets in the belief that the sacrifice involved will deliver longer term benefits to their health and longevity. Whatever our own personal precautions and priorities, we…
Whether you’re a football fanatic with the three lions flag or, like me, you think the best thing about the world cup is that most fans have left the country for a few weeks, as an employer the world cup is often a time of added worry and strife. To be on top form through the tournament, consider this hat-trick of examples where taking the wrong option could lead to an employment law own goal. 1. Requests for time off Adam has worked for you…
In the modern age we can sometimes think we have left racism in the past, that we now live in a ‘post racial’ society. Tony Blair apologised for the slave trade in 2007. The US elected a black president in 2008. And just this year (2018) the Prime Minister appointed Sajid Javid to the post of Home Secretary – the first Asian and first person from a Muslim background to hold one of the ‘Great Offices of State’. But amid such progressive headlines stories of…
Disability discrimination can be a tricky subject, particularly the issue of what is and is not a disability and whether or not, you, as an employer, actually know about an employee’s disability. This is a case about whether or not the employer had “constructive knowledge” of an employee’s disability. The case started back in 2008 and therefore concerns the now-repealed Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), but has implications under the Equality Act (which replaced and extended on the DDA). The case directly hinges on the duty on…
With the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) coming into force on 25 May 2018, many employers may be worried that they do not fully understand all the new rules surrounding the Personally Identifiable Information (PII) about an individual they hold and process. The new legislation will have a huge impact on employers, particularly on their Payroll (and HR) departments. If the new rules aren’t followed, businesses could face eye-watering fines. To make it easier, we’ve highlighted some of the potential risk areas your business…
The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Working at Height has just closed the evidence-gathering stage of the UK’s first ever inquiry into the number of serious injuries and fatalities resulting from falls from height and falling objects in the UK workplace. With 18% of those who died at work in 2016/17 killed due to a fall from height, this case serves as an important reminder that such incidents are not restricted to the construction industry. Background An employee at meat production company York House…
Poor attitude, poor behaviour, poor standards of work and high levels of absence are the most common issues our clients have with their employees. One underperforming employee could be costing the company as much as 20% of their annual salary, and having just one underperforming employee can lower moral within the rest of the workforce, affect your relationships with customers and damage the company reputation. So here are five simple steps to help you manage under performing employees and reduce the impact they can have…
With the number of sexual harassment cases currently in the news, you may be under the impression that such claims and allegations only occur in Hollywood, the media or Parliament, but think again. These cases may well be prominent, and have highlighted issues that may or may not be prevalent in the workplace, but is your business or organisation protected? And do you have the right support/policies in place? A UK-wide problem Recent media exposure of film directors such as Harvey Weinstein, actors such as…
Disgruntled, frustrated and even furious are feelings most employees will experience at some point in their careers. Yet, when they bring such feeling to the attention of their superiors, many managers panic for fear of falling foul of employment law or other repercussions. Often, all the employee wants is to be listened to or given an opportunity to speak. If managers are prepared and deal with the issues in the correct way they can be solved quickly and effectively, meaning employees are unlikely to raise…
Following the recent ruling removing tribunal fees for claimants, we're taking an in-depth look at four key questions the ruling raises. In this first blog from Employer Services Manager Andy Weir, we look at early trends in the market that could point to longer-term changes as a result of the decision: 1. When should we expect to see the ‘flood’ of new cases from this ‘burst dam’ (if it happens at all)? This question is very difficult to answer at this point, yet as recently…
