Day: October 26, 2021

Employment law
Emma Browning

Do you need employment Tribunal Insurance?

Because employment law is probably not your area of expertise, it can appear complex and against you as the employer. Unfortunately, the bigger HR providers play on this fear of getting things wrong and that you could end up in costly employment tribunals. In many circumstances, getting into these sorts of situations, can be prevented by good HR advice and support, and nipping things in the bud early. Have a read of our blog to see why you don’t need Employment Tribunal Insurance. Over the last 12 months, many of…
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Culture and change
Emma Browning

As we snowball into the festive season, talk is inevitably turning to the work Christmas party

You’ve been working hard for the whole year and let’s face it, last Christmas was a bit of a wash out! Now is the time to be thinking about how you can make this year a very special Christmas to say thank you to all your team for their hard work and resilience over the last 18 months! But many people worry about Christmas parties and making sure they appeal to all, and that things don’t get out of hand! Our latest blog talks about the benefits of having a…
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Policies and procedures
Emma Browning

My employee needs to work from home to look after their self isolating child but their work can only be done at work, should I pay them?

Employees are entitled to time off work to help someone who depends on them (a ‘dependant’) in an unexpected event or emergency. This could apply to situations to do with COVID-19. A dependant does not necessarily live with the person, for example they could be an elderly neighbour or relative who relies on your employee for help. There’s no statutory right to pay for this time off, but some employers might offer pay depending on the contract or any policies they may have in place. The amount of time off…
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Employment law
Emma Browning

Do we need to update our contracts of employment if people are now working permanently from home?

Yes, you do, but let’s take a look at a few principles first. A contract of employment is an agreement between the employee and the employer that outlines the rights and duties of both sides. At some stage either you as the employer or your employee might want to change the contract of employment. However, neither party can change the employment contract without each others’ agreement. Changes should normally be made after negotiation and agreement and should always be confirmed in writing. Changes to employment contracts could be made by:…
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Employment law
Emma Browning

Can we insist on seeing employee’s vaccination records?

The short answer is, not unless you have a good reason to do so! An employer that intends to ask employees if they have been vaccinated against coronavirus (COVID-19) must be clear about its reasons for doing so. To comply with its data protection obligations, it must ensure that it has a legal basis for processing such information and that it complies with the conditions for processing special category data (relating to employees’ health) under the UK GDPR. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has published guidance for organisations on when…
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ticklist
Employment law
Emma Browning

Is it my responsibility as the employer to confirm the employees’ settlement status if they are a non UK worker?

As a result of Brexit, all EU nationals currently working and living in the UK must have secured settled or pre-settled status if they want to remain in the UK, as the deadline to do so was 30 June 2021 What is settled status? Securing settled or pre-settled status allows your EU national workers to remain working in the UK and have access to the usual services that any British citizen would have (e.g. free access to the NHS, enrol in education, access public funds to benefits and pensions (where…
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remote worker sat at laptop
Employment law
Emma Browning

My employees are refusing to come back to the office – what should I do?

Employees are required to obey their employer’s reasonable instructions, which would normally include attending work where the employer has put in place safe-working measures in line with government guidance. However, ss.44 and 100 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 protect employees against detriment or dismissal where, in “circumstances of danger” that the employee reasonably believes to be “serious and imminent”, they leave their workplace (or any part of it); refuse to return to their workplace (or any part of it); take appropriate steps to protect themselves or others from the…
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