September 14, 2017
The reality of implementing flexible working requests has come under scrutiny from the TUC, after a survey of 1,000 young parents revealed significant challenges in arranging childcare around their working hours. The survey targeted young parents aged between 20-35 with regards to flexible working arrangements. The parents had at least one child aged between 1-16-years-old…
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September 1, 2017
In the sunnier months we tend to hear little about norovirus, but a recent suspected outbreak at the Athletics World Championships in London highlighted the ongoing, all-year-round risk the virus presents. Here we look at what it is and how to reduce the chance of infection. A common virus with nasty effects Norovirus is the…
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August 22, 2017
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…
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August 10, 2017
An Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has held that pay for voluntary overtime that ‘extends for a sufficient period of time on a regular or recurring basis’ counts as a worker’s normal pay and must now be included in holiday pay calculations. The case, Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council v Willets, it’s the first time an EAT…
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August 8, 2017
The government has lost a landmark ruling on tribunal fees, putting employers at risk of a rise in malicious or vexatious claims as employees regain “access to justice”. Employers face what some commentators are calling ‘a massive surge’ in employment tribunals as a result of the Supreme Court decision in UNISON v The Lord Chancellor…
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July 17, 2017
We’re about to hit peak holiday season in the UK, so how can employers manage an influx of holiday requests to minimise the risk of disgruntled employees? Understanding leave entitlement In most cases employees are entitled to 28 days holiday a year, often referred to as annual leave, details of which are specified in the…
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July 7, 2017
The UK’s care home sector has faced renewed criticism after a report found that up to 1-in-3 care homes are unsafe with staffing issues, resident falls and medication errors amongst the top issues. In a recent report featured in the likes of the BBC, Guardian, and the Telegraph, the Care Quality Council (CQC) announced “some…
View PostJuly 6, 2017
The Sentencing Council’s recent announcement of consultation on its proposals for how offenders convicted of manslaughter should be sentenced in England and Wales may have raised concerns amongst employers. In this special blog post we explore why the consultation has been called and the responsibilities of employers to protect all staff. Understanding the need for…
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June 27, 2017
Charlie Dimmock was famous for it. And while her gardening skills and engaging on-screen persona ensured her enduring fame and goodwill from the British public, she is perhaps as well-known for being the ‘bra-less’ TV personality. And while being bra-less was no problem for the producers of late 90s TV hit Ground Force, a recent…
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June 26, 2017
The Pensions Regulator (TPR) is rolling out spot checks across the country to ensure employers are complying with their auto enrolment (AE) duties. In a series of announcements over the past week TPR has deployed flying squads to London, Sheffield, Birmingham and Manchester to carry out short-notice inspections. And they go on to say they…
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June 2, 2017
Scrolling through social media and coming across a photo of a colleague out socialising is fairly common in this digital age. But when that colleague or employee is signed off as unfit for work it can throw up some difficult questions and challenging situations. In this blog we look at how employers can monitor and…
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May 7, 2017
When we think about working at height we think of dizzying towers and neck-straining altitudes but, officially, ‘work at height’ means any work that is carried out above or below ground where someone could fall and be injured. Even a height as minimal as the bottom rung of a ladder is deemed to be working…
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