It’s nearly Christmas, which means many people can look forward to a well-earned rest. But if you are an employer or payroll professional, Christmas and New Year brings a number of potential challenges that you need to be aware of and prepare for before you can start your Christmas break. Here are our top four tips to make sure you don’t run into any payroll problems at Christmas… 1. Changes to payment dates This year, both Christmas Day and New Year's is on a Saturday,…
Usually at this time of year we're getting ready to celebrate Christmas with our work colleagues. Unfortunately, the traditional work Christmas 'do' or even a group meet up at the local pub are looking unlikely for many teams. Here's what you can do instead. Working life has been a bit different this year, with many employers continuing flexible working practises in the wake of the pandemic. With the amount of Covid cases still a concern, many organisations are looking for alternative methods to socialise this…
With Christmas fast approaching, soon many of you will be bringing a sparkle to even the darkest of offices. We want to ensure you enjoy the fun and festivities at Christmas with those close to you. To make certain Christmas goes with a “controlled bang”, we have produced some simple guidelines for you to consider when decorating your workplace Christmas trees… Christmas trees come in all shapes and sizes, real and artificial. Whichever, you chose, ensure it doesn’t cause any injuries this year. We recommend:…
A worker sacked for ‘violence’ over canteen chicken nugget meal was unfairly dismissed, tribunal rules. Mr S Smith V Teleperformance Limited: 4111842/2019 Employee wins unfair dismissal claim following chicken nugget spat after employer isolated their investigation to a limited number of witnesses and relied on presumptions about his behaviour. Smith was employed as a customer services advisor and had worked for Teleperformance Limited for nearly three years at the time of his dismissal. On 27 September 2019, Smith visited the office canteen while he was…
During the recent fuel panic, we all became used to squeezing the last few fumes from the tank as we scurried round in the desperate hunt for petrol or diesel. With queues snaking round the block and many petrol stations running out completely, it was tempting to ask that lucky member of staff with a full tank to make a business trip for you in their own car. But is there a risk? Well, yes, actually there is. In certain circumstances you can be held…
There are many ways to manage stress in the workplace, but are employers taking it far enough? What can you do to prevent stress in the first place? We all know stress not only hurts our employees, but our business goals as well. Due to this, managing stress is a key part to any HR or Health & Safety professional’s daily duties. A good Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health service are common (and effective) methods to manage stress, but they only fix the effects,…
HMRC was successful in an appeal where it was confirmed that Class 1 National Insurance (NICs) were correctly applied on Car Allowance payments to employees. The employer, Laing O’Rourke Services, paid employees under a car allowance scheme between 2004/5 and 2017/18. Their employees could choose whether to receive a car allowance payment instead of a company car. If employees chose the car allowance payment, they needed to have a car available to use that met specified requirements. Access to the scheme was not determined on…
Recent incidents involving lift accidents serve as a stark reminder to employers to watch out for uncommon health and safety risks. In the past couple of weeks, two significant prosecutions relating to serious accidents involving lifts have been reported. For those in the health and safety profession, it's not unusual to see reports about fork lift trucks, but incidents with fixed lifting equipment are more surprising. In the more serious of the two cases, a care home firm in Flintshire, Wales has been fined £90,000…
Are you planning to hold a Christmas party this year? If so, what should you consider? Although another lockdown in the UK is not predicted, we know the government could decide to bring in its plan B measures. These include compulsory face coverings and covid passports for entry to large events or nightclubs. So as more employees return to their workplace (even if it is on a hybrid arrangement), is planning a Christmas party right for your business? Review the measures you currently have in…
Gone are the days when a payroll provider simply hits ‘pay’ and your employees jump with glee. These are the top five additional extras you should be looking for from your payroll provider. Reports & insights They say the devil is in the detail - and don’t all good payroll providers know it! Being the hub of the business and holding huge volumes of data on the company and the people in it, it only makes sense that your payroll provider should be providing accurate…
