Can you force employees to have the Covid vaccine? What about disciplinary action if they refuse the vaccine? And is your workplace deemed ‘safe’ if employees don’t have the vaccine? We’ve compiled a list of your frequently asked questions, answered by our in-house HR and employment law experts. Can I stipulate that my employees have…
View PostFebruary 26, 2021
Paternity Leave: FAQs
Is your business is going through a baby boom? Is navigating the ever-changing types of leave available to parents giving you a healthy dose of baby brain? Fear not. We’ve pulled together our ultimate employer guide and FAQ’s especially for you. Paternity leave is an optional leave of absence that partners may take in order…
View PostHow to Engage in Conversations about Race in the Workplace
Conversations about race can evoke strong emotions. But they can also help people to connect. Together, we must explore lived experiences, understand the historic and current context of race, and encourage commitment to work towards a more fair and equitable society. So, how should employers, HR teams, and people managers approach conversations about race? What…
View PostFebruary 25, 2021
Are Employers Misusing the Furlough Scheme?
Are employers misusing the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) to “fire and rehire” employees on lesser terms? Whatever your views on the CJRS, there is little doubt the scheme has gone some way to easing financial hardship for many businesses and employees alike, and preventing mass unemployment. However, some employers have been misusing the scheme…
View PostFebruary 24, 2021
Breaking News | Europe Set to Certify UK Data Protection Provisions
The European Commission has just published its preliminary ‘adequacy’ decision about data protection. It expects to confirm that UK data protection law is regarded as equivalent to the EU’s own (GDPR). This is really good news and will be a major milestone for any organisation with clients in the EU or EEA area. It’s equally…
View PostGender Pay Gap Reporting 2021: A Six Month Extension
Due to the impact of COVID-19, the Equality and Human Rights Commission have announced an extension to the Gender Pay Gap Reporting deadline for 2021. Employers now have until 5 October 2021 to publish their gender pay gap data. This gives organisations some much-needed breathing space following a busy year of Job Retention Scheme implications,…
View PostJanuary 28, 2021
The Four-Day Working Week: a Resolution to the Gender Pay Gap?
The four-day working week was hot on the agenda back in 2019, but it’s taken a backseat in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the rise of homeworking and the increasing desire for flexibility, is it time to dust off the idea? The four-day working week comes with plenty of benefits for employees as…
View PostJanuary 5, 2021
Can You Force an Employee to get the Covid Vaccine?
The roll out of the Covid-19 vaccine in December marked what the health secretary, Matt Hancock, referred to as a historic moment in overcoming the pandemic. But what does this mean for employers? As we know, employers have a duty, as far as reasonably practicable, to ensure the health and safety of their employees and…
View PostJanuary 4, 2021
Employment Law Changes & Important Dates in 2021
2021 will see the introduction of life post-brexit, as well as new off-payroll working (IR35) rules, gender pay gap reporting, increased statutory rates of pay… the list goes on. This blog post lists some of the key events and all-important dates to look out for this year. Post-Brexit Immigration System From 1 January 2021, EEA…
View PostBrexit 2021: Implications for Your Workforce
The United Kingdom ceased to be a member state of the European Union on 31 January 2020. However, in accordance with the Withdrawal Agreement, it continued to be treated like any other member state. It did so until ‘IP completion day’, which was 31 December 2020. As of IP completion day, the free movement regime…
View PostDecember 22, 2020
FAQs: Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (Late January Update)
Updated 21 January 2021 Furlough Scheme Extension Updates Q: What are the new updates to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS)? A: The government announced a further extension to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme on the 17th December 2020 following several unprecedented changes in recent weeks. On the 31st October 2020, England entered new lockdown…
View PostDecember 21, 2020
Is Being Dismissed for Anti-LGBT Remarks ‘Belief Discrimination’?
An important belief discrimination case was decided by the Employment Appeal Tribunal in October 2020. The recent Development in Belief Discrimination was between Mrs K Higgs v Farmor’s School. Mrs Kristie Higgs was employed at Farmor’s School in Fairford, Gloucestershire for seven years before being dismissed in 2018. Her dismissal for gross misconduct came after…
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