It’s no secret that King Charles’ passion for sustainability and social responsibility has led him to establish various charitable organisations. Charities like the Prince’s Foundation and the Prince’s Trust are aimed at creating a better world for people of all backgrounds. The Turquoise Mountain foundation, one of his most prominent efforts, has made significant strides in protecting heritage and communities worldwide while promoting economic development. With the founding of Duchy Originals in the 1990s, King Charles prioritised improving soil fertility, biodiversity, and human health, setting…
There is no doubt that the cost-of-living crisis will have an impact on the HR and employment law issues organisations need to address and manage. Employers and employees are under increased pressure due to the substantial increase in costs. But what if that increase in pressure leads to breaches of procedures or misconduct, do employers have to take the cost-of-living crisis into account? Performance management Employers could be faced with an increase in misconduct or gross misconduct issues. Issues could include an employee fraudulently obtaining…
HMRC have said that they are being more reactive and proactive this year in NMW compliance. With a dedicated Proactive Enforcement team, it's a reminder to all employers to make sure your wages are water-tight. They are sending ‘nudge’ letters, reminder letters, offers of ‘health checks’ and actively visiting business of all types in these regions over this year. What's new? HMRC have told various advisory businesses that they are planning to re-visit a number of previously investigated large businesses (that have had investigations /…
At least 40% of businesses have harnessed artificial intelligence within their organisation. Usage is rapidly increasing. So, when using Chatgpt in HR & payroll, are we at a momentous crossroads or jumping off a cliff? We're using ChatGPT in HR, payroll and every other facet of life currently, but it wasn't always the case. Thirty years ago (assuming you were rich enough), you consulted your 20 volumes of the Encyclopaedia Britannica. This offered 500,000 topics in 40 million words. We took AA roadmaps on holiday…
A recent case highlights the importance of clearly worded employee contracts, and the implications for a business if it can be interpreted in more than one way. A case has reached Tribunal which shows just how complicated holiday calculations are if the employee is not simply salaried with no additional pay / varied hours. In this situation, an employee disputes their basic hours - which could mean their employer has breached National Minimum Wage regulations. About the case In January this year, L Lloyd vs…
It’s teeny-tiny, hold it in the palm of your hand, kinda have to squint to see it sometimes. When we think discounts, we think bigger is better. Well, not in this case. Check out our app update that’s going to have you saying, “less really is more.” The Sunday roast countdown has begun. You’re blitzing through the aisles of Sainsburys, supermarket sweep style, charging towards the lights of the self-checkout. A sigh of relief, you’ve made it. As you frantically hurl spuds at the scanner…
Employment relationships are all about mutual trust, confidence and loyalty. Sometimes though, you may want to back instinct with evidence. Monitoring staff is nothing new. However, with increasing home/hybrid working, business use of social media, and readily available monitoring devices and systems, more organisations than ever are considering it. Here’s some aspects we frequently encounter. CCTV CCTV can reassure staff about security and safety. But using it to monitor work can cause problems. You can, but staff normally need to be aware of its use…
This year, there are some additional complications to bank holidays including dates reverting back after changing last year and an additional day. So, here are four important things you need to know about bank holidays for 2023. Most of the UK has eight permanent bank holidays each year: New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, May Day, Spring Bank Holiday, Summer Bank Holiday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Traditionally, except for the festive bank holidays, these take place on a Monday. However, in 2023 there's…
Redundancies may occur when businesses wish to improve efficiencies, or ride out tough times and periods of slow growth. But what exactly is redundancy? And what do businesses need to consider when carrying out the redundancy process? Read our brief guide to redundancy to find out. What is redundancy? Redundancy is the termination of employment due to the work an individual does ceasing (e.g. due to a business closure) or diminishing significantly. It should be used as a last resort, bearing in mind the initial costs…
Ramadan is a significant month in Islam, where Muslims across the globe fast from sunrise to sunset for 29 or 30 days. At the end of Ramadan, comes the first of the two Holy Celebrations for Muslims: Eid al-Fitr. In this article, we look at workplace issues which may arise for both Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr. Fasting in Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam. The month of Ramadan is a period of introspection, communal prayer in the mosque, and reading of the…
