Thousands of schools across the country will close partially or fully on Wednesday 1 February as teachers strike over pay. The National Education Union (NEU) has reported that more than 100,000 teachers in 23,000 schools could walk out across seven strike days in February and March. Are employees protected when they argue their usual childcare arrangements have been adversely affected? Or would their absence be classed as unauthorised? The right to time off to care for dependants Your employee is entitled to a reasonable amount…
Last year we shared 10 tips on how to help your employees with the cost of living. It proved very popular with our readers, so we decided to come up with some additional ways you can help your people. Why? Because employees who struggle or worry about their money are unable to work to their highest potential. The impact was apparent through 2022 and companies are reporting cases of lower productivity. According to recent studies, employees under stress exhibit 60% higher absenteeism as well as significantly…
Time to Talk Day was launched back in 2014 and this year takes place on Thursday 2 February 2023. Ran by two mental health charities - Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, The Time to Talk Day website (Time To Talk Day) states; ‘Time to Talk Day is the nation’s biggest mental health conversation. Happening every year, it’s a day for friends, families, communities, and workplaces to come together to talk, listen and change lives. We know the more conversations we have; the better life is…
Between 1.25 and 3.4 million people in the UK are affected by an eating disorder. Who is affected? What are the warning signs in the workplace? Do employers have a duty of care to step in? And how do managers and HR address the problem? Keep reading to find out. Who is affected by eating disorders? According to Beat, one of the UK’s eating disorder charities, almost one in ten (6.4%) adults display signs of an eating disorder, whether it’s eating too little (anorexia), eating too much…
Please note, legislation has been updated in regards to holiday calculations since this article was written, effective for holiday years starting on or after 1 April 2024. If you're a Moorepay client, please contact us if you need guidance. Otherwise, please see this article on the changes for more information. The government has launched a consultation on how employers calculate holiday entitlement for part year workers. In another sea of change for struggling employers, the government hopes to tackle anomalies which arose out of last…
On 22 September 2022 the former Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng announced that the Government would cancel the Health and Social Care Levy. What is the Health and Social Care Levy? The levy was introduced on 7 September 2021 by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson. He proposed that a new 1.25% Health and Social Care Levy would be brought in across the UK to fund investment in the NHS and social care. National Insurance contributions for working age employees, self-employed people and employers was set to increase…
No, we don’t mean step 1: pick up pen, step 2: pick up paper. We’ll walk you through best practice and structure for your absence policy that will support your business and your employees. So, for starters, what should your absence management policy contain as a minimum? The reporting procedure: this should include how and when to report sickness absence. Evidence: this section covers what’s required for self-certification. It also explains when medical evidence is required, as well as any requirements to undergo examinations. Trigger points: this section covers the number of absences which would cause…
With the new tax year fast approaching, the time to switch payroll providers is now! Our recent Annual Payroll Survey saw a whopping 23% increase of companies who had switched their payroll providers in the last 12 months. Unsure if you’re settling for less? Is there better out there? Why is now the perfect time for you to switch providers? Let’s find out. Reviewing your current provider ‘We’ve used our provider for a long time, they know our payroll and switching to someone else is…
The cost-of-living crisis, impending recession and ongoing talent shortages have created a daunting economic climate for most businesses. Healthy company culture and employee satisfaction are undoubtedly key to success through this turbulent period. Here we look at 7 hot HR trends for 2023 and some top tips to help keep your employees engaged and improve their productivity this year. 1. 4-day week Paying employees 100% of their wage for 80% work is a phenomenon that fights against traditional thinking that fewer hours mean less work.…
Valentine’s Day; a time to express love and affection. Say it with chocolates, flowers, sentimental photo albums, lovey-dovey mixed tapes (…or Spotify playlists), and cards. Soppy cards, jokey cards, and avocado cards that say ‘let’s avo cuddle’. But how does HR deal with Valentine’s Day cards in the workplace? Are they appropriate amongst employees? Can a Valentine’s Day card be deemed sexual harassment? What should you do about them? And what happens if the recipient of a card raises a grievance? Read on to find out. Are Valentine’s Day cards work-appropriate? It’s not unusual to encounter long term partners and spouses in the workplace. In these instances, it’s unlikely that HR…
