Employee signed off work with stress
Stress-related sickness absence has become increasingly prevalent in the workplace. Employers face a balancing act between supporting their employees’ wellbeing while minimising the risk of operational disruption and impact on other employees resulting from individuals being signed off work with stress. The pandemic in particular has placed unprecedented pressures on workers, whether adapting to remote […]
Withdrawing an offer of employment
Withdrawing an offer of employment is a decision not to be taken lightly. Before you take action, ensure you understand the legal risks of rescinding a job offer. In most cases, it is unlikely that an employer would want, or need, to withdraw a job offer once it has been accepted. However, even where an […]
Job restructuring rights: employers’ guide
Making changes to your organisational structure can raise a number of employment and HR issues. If the restructure involves a reduction in the workforce, the employer must ensure they are following the correct legal procedures and meeting employees’ rights through the process. Restructuring & redundancy By law, if you make an employee redundant it must […]
Workplace stress & employer duty of care
Employers are under a legal duty to assess the risk of workplace stress for their workers and to take appropriate action to ensure their wellbeing. In addition to meeting the duty of care, employers should be concerned with the wider implications of work-related stress. Stress can significantly impact a business and its workforce, affecting absence, performance and […]
Term time only contracts holiday pay rules
Calculating part-time workers’ holiday entitlement can quickly become a complicated matter. There is no single piece of legislation or guidance on the approach to take. However, employers are under an obligation both to ensure term-time workers receive at least the statutory minimum entitlement of 5.6 weeks’ paid annual leave a year, and that they are […]
Employment case law update January 2021
A number of key employment law cases of significance for employers have recently been decided. Tribunal Powers of Disclosure Sarnoff v YZ The Court of Appeal has held that the employment tribunal (ET) does have the power to make an Order for Disclosure against a party who is not present in Great Britain. Mr Sarnoff […]
Employing casual workers
The term ‘casual worker’ describes an individual who is not part of a business’s permanent workforce. Casual workers typically supply services on a flexible or irregular basis, usually to meet varying demand for work. It is not defined in employment law, rather, it is a catch-all phrase used to describe someone who does not have […]
Right to work documents & checklist
UK employers have a legal obligation to prevent illegal working by verifying all employees have a valid right to work in Britain. The Home Office dedicates considerable resources to investigating employers and taking enforcement action in the event of a breach. Where an employer is found to be employing workers illegally, they face substantial fines, […]
Failure to make reasonable adjustments
A failure to make reasonable adjustments refers to a breach of the employer’s duty to ensure that workers and applicants are not substantially disadvantaged in carrying out or applying for a job because of a disability when compared with people who do not have a disability. This is a statutory duty that most employers are […]
How to manage recruitment immigration risks
For employers, the option of recruiting from the global talent market can be critical to maintaining operations and, importantly, competitive advantage. But UK employers face increasing recruitment immigration risks when hiring non-UK nationals. Penalties for employing illegal workers and failing to comply with your immigration duties are substantial and best avoided. Fundamentally, your recruitment practices should enable […]
